If glass is cut out for doors, windows, or simply inserted into a frame with a portrait, then there is no need to process the edges of the glass. But, if they are used as shelves, doors, countertops for coffee table, as the walls of an aquarium, etc., then edge processing is required.
Firstly, this is necessary for safety, because... You can easily get injured on sharp edges, secondly, it will give the product an aesthetically attractive appearance, and thirdly, such glass processing will reduce the likelihood of cracks and chips.
Processing the edges of glass and mirrors is divided into two stages - grinding and polishing.
In mass production, furniture production, or commercial equipment, glass processing is carried out on special vertical machines. But, at home, you can also do these operations yourself, using available tools.
Let's take a closer look at how to grind and polish glass with your own hands?
To do this, we will need the following tools and devices: a drill or grinder with a rotation speed regulator (we need low speeds so as not to overheat the glass, 1200-1700 rpm), a special attachment with Velcro for attaching the grinding wheels, the grinding wheels themselves with waterproof sandpaper different grain sizes.
We attach the attachment to the drill, put in a disc, first a larger one (100 - 200 grit) and do the grinding. First, we remove all the irregularities and notches, and after that we form the edge of the profile we need.
Sanding can also be done using sandpaper by attaching a special grinding wheel diamond-coated, having a certain profile, or simply flat.
The edge of the stele is made different shapes: semicircular (pencil), trapezoidal (euro edge), asymmetrical trapezoidal, or any other. After this treatment, the side edges of the glass become slightly rough and matte. But, this is not the end.
Having processed the surface with a large disk, we put a disk with a grain size of 300 - 600 grit, and at the end we process the edges with the smallest one - 1000 - 2000 grit.
For better grinding the surface must be wetted, it is better, of course, to do it under a thin stream of water. But experienced craftsmen can do sanding well without water.
After this treatment, the side edges of the glass must be polished, after which the edges become smooth and transparent. Although, in some cases, the edges are still left unpolished, but this is individual.
The difference between polishing and glass grinding is that it is not done with abrasive discs, but with a soft felt wheel with a special paste. You can use regular GOI polishing paste.
Apply the paste to a felt wheel and polish the edges of the glass until shiny, also using a drill with an attachment, a grinder, or placing the felt wheel on sandpaper.
Glass is a very fragile material and is afraid of overheating, so all work must be done carefully, without haste and preferably with gloves.
This glass grinding and polishing technology can also be used when repairing a car to remove scratches and small chips on the glass. The requirements for transparency are higher there, so special polishing pastes are used. First, the scratch is sanded with a grinding wheel and then polished with a felt disc with paste.
It is necessary to process the edge of the glass in any case, because this is the only way specialists can ensure the safety and reliability of using any glass product. It should be noted right away that glass edge processing is an important process, which requires the presence of special tools and equipment. At the glass processing enterprise, which is our company, such machines are available, as well as highly qualified specialists who perform all the necessary work.
Glass edge processing: selection of tools
It is quite possible to process glass edges even in living conditions However, the scale of the event will be much smaller, and no one can guarantee the quality of work. To carry out the operation at home, you will need a file and small sizes whetstone. It is necessary to choose a file in accordance with the size and thickness of the glass, because for very thin glass you need to use a velvet file, increasing the grain size depending on the thickness of the product. In any case, when working, the file is constantly wetted simply in water or turpentine. The choice of a sharpening stone is made in such a way as to remember that carborundum does not need to be wetted. The product should be sawed along its edge, without pressing too hard on the cutter. When working with thin glass, you must be extremely careful, because such work can easily be called “jewelry work.” Performed glass edge processing so that the edge moves along the surface of the block sequentially, which will provide it with straight lines. In order to save money, it is better to use old bars with a file, because they will be hopelessly damaged. Cloth gloves are a must!
What machines are used to process glass edges?
To carry out effective processing of the glass edge, a specific amount of abrasives should be used, the grains of which have different sizes. The grain sizes of the abrasive substance are selected in accordance with the purpose pursued during the processing process. There are currently two known machines that produce glass edge processing: One of them makes the edge straight, and the second one is used to make the edge curved. When choosing a machine for the first case, you should know that it must have cup or peripheral circles. By choosing a machine with a cup wheel, a specialist has the opportunity to take advantage of all its advantages. Firstly, the edge practically does not change its shape, and this is always important if the method of gluing glass with ultraviolet radiation is then used. A machine of this type is used for glass of any thickness, and it is completely unnecessary to replace the circles. It is worth noting that for processing the edges of glass with a thickness of more than 10 mm, at least six working heads are used. There are also disadvantages, namely the limited variety of glass edge profiles.
Professional glass edge processing In this case, it gives either a flat edge or a trapezoidal one. We, as a glass processing company engaged in professional level and the production of glass and products made from it, and even the sale of finished glass products, we also use machines with peripheral circles for work. Among the advantages of their use is the variety of edge profiles obtained, and the shape in each specific case depends on the shape of the circle used. If the glass is no thicker than 20 mm, then using four heads will be sufficient. The disadvantages include the profile losing its basic shape during processing, therefore glass edge processing produced certain types circles, which are selected depending on the thickness of the glass. Cooperation with our company is always beneficial to the client, because he gets the opportunity to purchase a huge range of glass products, and at the same time order professional installation of the purchased products from our organization. All work by the company’s specialists is performed at the highest professional level, which is why we receive extremely positive feedback from clients.
/ Face machining
The PROMSTEKLO company provides end processing services for glass and mirrors using its own professional equipment. The high quality of our work is confirmed by long experience and a wide range of manufactured products from all types of glass.
High-quality glass edge processing not only makes the final product aesthetically pleasing appearance, but also prevents the possible occurrence of cracks and chips, which increases the safety and durability of the glass and its performance characteristics. There are several methods for processing glass edges, which depend on the type of glass and its intended use. Depending on the requirements for the appearance of the product, its safety and conditions of use, we will be able to draw up a recommended plan for glass processing to produce the products you need.
Glass end processing has its own standards and mandatory parameters. Processing the glass edge before tempering is necessary step glass preparation, because relieves internal stress on the edge of the glass, which prevents its destruction during further heat treatment.
Most popular types glass edge treatments are straight end and trapezoidal edge (“Euroedge”). The ability to change the processing angle of the glass end allows you to obtain Various types edge processing. Modern equipment Our production allows us to perform glass processing both for straight glass blanks and for curved and shaped products.
› Grinding glass edge
Grinding removes visible irregularities from the glass edge after cutting. The technological process removes thin layer glass on the side edge, forming an even matte cut, while practically not changing the dimensions of the workpiece. After this, the glass can already be used for manufacturing various products- for example, if the glass blank will be enclosed in a frame or end glass elements will not have a decorative function.
Depending on the requirements for the final product, the type of glass and the purpose of the workpiece, the necessary grinding material is selected professional tool with a certain grain size.
Grinding is a mandatory step if the glass workpiece will undergo the tempering procedure.
› Polishing glass edge
Glass edge polishing is final stage processing of the product, which allows you to obtain a perfectly smooth and transparent glass end and gives it a finished appearance. Polishing is carried out for all types of end processing - semicircular or trapezoidal shape, facet, etc. Polishing is a mandatory step in cases where final product suggests the presence of glass with an open edge, especially in home interiors. In this case, polishing is necessary not only for safety reasons and to prevent injury, but can also give the product an aesthetic appearance.
› Glass bevelling
Bevelling is a decorative procedure for processing glass edges, which is widely used in the manufacture of furniture and mirrors for interiors. The edge of the glass blank is cut at a certain angle (up to 45°) and the glass becomes beautiful frame. The edges obtained through this procedure can be polished to a shine or made matte. In such a chamfer they refract Sun rays, which create a whole range of different shades, thanks to which beveled glass products are used in creating exclusive interiors. Faceted stained glass windows and mirror panel with bevel found their application in decorating walls, doors, interior partitions, cabinet furniture.
The facet can be straight, curved (curly), double and double-sided. Straight bevel is carried out on a workpiece with right angles, forming a bevel of up to 40 mm on glass with a thickness of 5-15 mm. Figured bevel is performed on curved products. A double bevel is performed in two passes - after the first bevel, another one is performed at a different angle. Double-sided bevel is performed on both sides of the glass blank. The angle of the bevel is in the range of 3-45 degrees.
› Cost of glass edge processing
The full cycle of glass production and processing allows us to produce glass products from our own materials. You can order glass from us required sizes And the desired shape with any type of edge processing of the product.
Restrictions on glass sizes:
Maximum size in stock: 3210x2250 mm
Maximum size to order: 3000x6000 mm
Glass edge processing is carried out according to. If you have any questions about technical capabilities glass processing to bring your design ideas to life, we recommend that you consult with a specialist or send a sketch to our email specified in the "Contacts" section.
Processing the end of a glass sheet or mirror on finished product required. Cutting leaves irregularities, holes and microcracks along the cut border. It's not even a matter of lack of aesthetics, but of basic safety.
An untreated product may cause injury. Grinding or polishing the edges of the glass will remove sharp protrusions, trim the ends and refine them. Without this, you will only get a semi-finished product.
No matter how beautiful the product is called in the catalog, in reality its untreated edge will turn the most exquisite thing into a sloppy craft.
In addition to the aesthetic side and safety issues, edge processing is definitely necessary if the glass is to be tempered. An untreated edge during hardening will cause destruction of the product, since any microchip on it will not withstand the accumulated stresses.
Grinding
Grinding the edges of glass and mirrors is a simpler option for finishing work. Its essence is the effect of an abrasive tool on the end of the sheet.
Each of us has done sanding at some point. It is produced manually or using special equipment. The industrial machine gives the highest precision and cleanliness.
Therefore, you shouldn’t count on finishing the products yourself somewhere in the garage. Most likely, instead of saving on the order budget, you will almost ruin finished project. And you'll cut yourself again.
Industrial grinding smoothes the edge of the glass without changing the original cutting dimensions. The machine will remove a thin layer of material with bumps and micropeaks without violating the specified perimeter of the product.
Sanding only neutralizes large irregularities. The edge remains rough to the touch and appears matte. Although completely safe. There may be small dents and defects on the polished edge - this is not a defect.
But a noble, discreet matte finish is in demand in design. For example, when making freely hung shelves, large mirrors or decorative elements furniture and interior design. Therefore, edge processing is sometimes limited to grinding.
Polishing glass edges and mirrors
Polishing the edge is the best finishing option. It forms an absolutely smooth edge of a glass panel or mirror. If grinding is considered a technical operation, polishing is already pure aesthetics.
The shape of the glass end is important. In most cases, you will be offered the following polishing patterns:
Euroedge (trapezoid)
"pencil" (hemisphere)
edge polishing at 45 degrees
"cascade"
Euro edge is more common than others. This is a perfectly smooth polishing of the glass end with small chamfers in the upper and lower planes of the sheet at 45 degrees. The chamfer width is usually several millimeters. Euroedge is a universal solution. Goes with everything.
When processing "pencil", the end is rounded. Like a ground eraser on the blunt end of a pencil. This is done on mirrors and glass furniture parts.
An edge at 45 degrees is less common, but in some cases such processing cannot be avoided. For example, in the manufacture of certain types of shower doors, for normal opening, exactly this bevel is required on the inner edge of the door (the side with hinges). Also, this treatment is found in UV bonding. Well, aesthetically it looks unconventional and beautiful.
The cascade edge is used for countertops and designer products. It looks great in decorative sets. The cascade is a smooth rounded bevel with two radii, with a “hollow”.
No defects are allowed on the polished end.
Glass and mirror edge polishing technology
Polishing is done on special machines with soft abrasive wheels. Depending on the settings, the machine forms an edge of the required shape.
While the polishing operation is understandable, it requires precise equipment and highly qualified personnel. The quality of processing is affected by:
Only a fusion of all 3 components will give an ideal result. And this is exactly the kind of alloy we provide!
Features to consider
The ends of tempered and bent glass are processed in advance. That is, they first grind or polish. And only then they bend and harden. Reversing the order will destroy the sheet.
Polishing the edge of triplex has a number of its own characteristics. Glasses can be processed separately before gluing, or ready-made triplex can be processed (polishing in a package).
In the first case, there may be some divergence of the layers and the edge will look like 2 joined processed ends.
When processed in batches, the end of the triplex looks the same as if the triplex were just a sheet of ordinary glass.
When processing glass, close attention is paid to the edges. This is largely due to the importance of this process. After all, competent processing of the glass edge is intended not only to give the glass the highest aesthetics, but also to prevent the possible occurrence of chips and cracks, which significantly affects the safety during operation of the glass.
Of course, there are many ways in which glass edges are processed; the choice of a specific processing method entirely depends on the conditions of use of the glass product. So, for example, there is no need to apply processing High Quality For glass that will be used with a frame, it will be more than enough to remove irregularities and dull sharp edges.
Which actually does not at all contradict safety requirements. But for products made of tempered material, high-quality glass edge processing is extremely necessary. In addition, the edge processing process largely depends on the properties of the glass itself, as well as the presence and size of various holes.
Types of glass edge processing
1. Technical grinding. The purpose of this grinding is to dull the sharp edges of the glass.
2. Edge grinding. Completely eliminates all kinds of cuts, and the surface of the edge becomes matte or rough.
3. Polishing the edge. At the same time, the edge of the glass becomes smooth and transparent.
4. Facet. This type processing is directed towards the beveled side edge of the mirrors.
5. Blunting of corners. Pursues the goal of increasing safety, for example, glass table tops or doors.
Glass edge processing equipment
For a process such as glass edge processing, specialized equipment is used, which can be used to perform both grinding and polishing. Such operations are performed after the glass has broken. The end result of these actions is to obtain a straight European edge, as well as chamfers with an angle of 45 degrees.
The standard equipment for processing glass edges includes:
1. Bed (the largest structural element).
2. . The conveyor belt serves for the safe supply of glass.
3. Feed drive.
4. Feed speed regulator. It is worth noting that it is stepless.
5. A mechanism that provides adjustment and regulation of the feeding conveyor.
6. Guides. Roller guides are predominantly used.
7. Equipment for grinding.
8. Electric motor. Of course, its main task is to drive the spindle.
9. Control panel.
10. Cooling system.
Glass processing equipment is designed to meet the most stringent safety requirements. The control panel provides remote access to all important nodes apparatus. Processing of glass edges must be carried out in full compliance with established technological and technical standards, with mandatory observance of safety regulations for the working process. Only with strict compliance with all glass processing requirements is it possible to obtain high-quality results.
Products made using special equipment are quite in demand on the market. Of course, this is largely due to the wide range of applications of high-quality processed glass. Such glass finds its application in the manufacture of double-glazed windows, both with wooden frames, and with plastic ones. Also, such glass is very actively used in. The use of high-quality processed glass in the manufacture of various kinds showcases
