Inside a World-Class Glass Factory | Taiwan’s Mega Factories EP4

Glass has been an important material in human societies since its invention over 4,000 years ago. But how is glass made, and why is it still so essential today? This documentary explains how one mega factory in central Taiwan produces high-tech glass products for diverse industries around the world.

Since the opening of its first factory in Hsinchu, Taiwan, the Taiwan Glass Company has expanded to open a total of five factories across northern and central Taiwan. Today, one of these factories houses the first and only float glass line in Taiwan. But how did Taiwan become one of the world’s top glass producers?

Hsinchu, Taiwan is famous for its semiconductor industry. However, in the 1970s, the city was a prominent producer of string light bulbs and decorative glass, producing over 70% of the world’s supply. This industrial dominance was made possible in part due to Taiwan’s large deposits of silica sand, a key material in glass production.

Today, Taiwan Glass’s five factories produce glass products for a variety of applications, including bottles and jars, architectural glass and glass fiber. Each factory employs specialized technology to produce the best glass of its kind. In this documentary, we tour Taiwan Glass to witness their production processes and find out what sets this mega factory apart from its competitors.

Beyond producing new glass, Taiwan Glass also runs its own glass recycling facility, enabling the company to utilize recycled glass in its products without any loss in quality. And when it comes to architectural glass, the company produces all kinds, with various coatings and finishes for designers to choose from. In fact, coated glass panes produced by Taiwan Glass can be seen in the glass curtain walls of many prominent and luxurious skyscrapers worldwide. We show you how these functional coatings are applied and how additional processes allow the glass panes to withstand sun, wind, and heavy storms while looking beautiful for decades.

So, are you ready to find out how glass is made? Then what are you waiting for? Check out our in-depth tour of this Taiwanese mega factory to see why glass remains a crucial material in our societies today.

Chapters:
00:00 Taiwan’s Mega Factories: Glass
01:20 Weaving Glass Fiber Fabric for Compact High-Tech Electronics
04:41 Unique Attributes of Glass
05:49 History of Taiwan Glass
06:49 Taiwan Glass’s Five Factories
07:46 Taiwan Glass’s Float Glass Facility
09:14 Sand Is Transformed Into Glass in the Furnace
10:05 Liquid Glass Is Poured Onto Molten Tin and Solidifies
11:11 Cooling the Solid Glass
12:09 Lasers and Cameras Check the Glass Quality
12:44 Flat Glass Sheets Are Cut With Tungsten Blades
13:33 Skyscrapers’ Glass Curtain Walls Require Specialist Coatings
14:59 Adding Specialist Coatings
16:09 Marrying Insulated Glass Panels for Curtain Wall Buildings
17:43 Glass Recycling Process
19:42 Molten Recycled Glass Is Molded Into Bottles
20:55 Bottle Cooling and Quality Check
21:52 The Future of the Glass Industry
23:25 End Credits

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