Below are some notes about glass because in process of chemical etching it takes part in the process and its properties affect the final outcome. Some limitations of glass details’ parameters also are to be taken in account.
Float glass
 |
Our production is designed to process with float glass and its derivatives of 4 main colors: clear, bronze, gray and green (color itself doesn’t matter, but glasses of different colors have different chemical properties). |
Optiwhite (crystal clear)
 |
“Optiwhite” is a distinctively pure kind of clear glass. It differs by that it has no green savour in color, which is especially well visible on edges of glass sheet and through composite glass constructions. In last case, often it is really useful to choose “optiwhite”, because green savor makes glass construction to look poor. But remember that cost of “optiwhite” is much higher. |
Blue glass
 |
Blue glass is a stunningly beautiful material, but its chemical etching needs quite different conditions comparing to the above mentioned. Its etching is approved for two kinds – “azur” and “privablue”. It is always necessary to consider twice the etching of blue glass, sometimes it is not possible or rational. |
Air and tin sides of glass
 |
Plate glass manufactured today is done with a process that floats the molten glass on a pool of tin (hence the name “float glass”). The surface of the glass that comes in contact with the tin will contain traces of tin and tin oxide. There is usually sufficient tin contamination on the tin side that it interferes in different kinds of processing. For this reason it is good to know which surface is the tin side and which is the air side. To identify the tin side of a piece of float glass shine a short wave ultraviolet (UV) light on it. The tin has a higher UV reflectance than the glass and will appear white and cloudy.
Always when it is possible it is better to manipulate with the air side of glass. Treating of tin side is more expensive. |
Mirrors
 |
From the point of chemical etching mirrors are glass-derivative materials and have same properties as corresponding glass. Mirror is coated by amalgam always onto the air side, so we have to etch it always on the tin side that makes processing more complex. After the etching some light stains may be visible on the painted side. If it is for some reason undesirable, back side has to be covered by film that will slightly increase the price, although usually it doesn’t matter, because back side of mirror is out of sight. |
Lacobel – painted glass
 |
Same as mirrors lacobel from the point of chemical etching is a glass derivative (in this case it is derivative of clear float glass 4 mm), glass side is represented by a tin side of initial glass and need complex treating. |
Other glass derivatives
 |
Organic polymers are indifferent towards etching solutions, consequently no problems to etch laminated glass and double-pane IG units (without metallic frame around). Also it is possible to etch fireproof poly-layered glass if you take care of internal silicate filler. |
Possibilities and limitations
 |
Current production possibilities have some limitations. Factors that limit are width and length (together and separately), weight, thickness depending on size, width of pattern, if it cannot be divided. It is difficult to formalize these limits, because for example it is possible to etch glass 1700×2500, but then again not 1700×2800, although 1200×2800 is possible. But cost of these possible variants very much differs from cost of etching glass 1000×2500. So may be said, that it is necessary discuss each case, if glass is greater than ‘usual great’, for example, dimensions 1200×2600 may be counted as ‘usual great’. It must be mentioned width limit of pattern is 1190 mm. It doesn’t mean that wider patterns cannot be done, but not in all cases. For glasses with thickness 4 mm due its fragility reasonable dimension’s limit is 1200×2600, but it is not yet physical limit. |
If weight of glass is greater than 50 kg it is special case, if it is greater than 60 – it is still more special, although not yet approaching the physical limits of glass.
Limitations and specifics are not only caused by geometrical and physical parameters of equipment, they are caused by many auxiliary procedures, if glass is big and heavy it is difficult even to inspect it. So these questions exist all the time side by side with different aspects of quality and must correspond to each other.
Economical reasonability limits minimal prices.
Ownership of glass
Dependent on circumstances etching can be provided as an operation in processing of ready-made product or as a service for a glass of the customer. Glass ownership influences prices and responsibility.
