Raw materials with prescribed properties - additional resources for increasing glass-furnace efficiency and float-glass quality.

The results of a study of the quality variability of float-glass produced with top-grade equipment and technology are presented and the reasons for the fluctuations are analyzed. It is concluded on the basis of the analysis that consistently high-quality product cannot be obtained without increasing the quality of the raw materials used for making batch. In our opinion, the best way to solve this problem is to tighten the specifications for the raw-materials components used for glass batch and to set high, firmly established quality specifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]