Sally is a Bathroom Products Manufacturer from China. With 26 years manufacturing of shower enclosures and sanitary wares, Sally now has grown up to be a international company.
In this article, we'll focus on discussing the most important component of a bathroom shower enclosure: glass. Glass accounts for over 70% of the material cost of a typical shower enclosure, so a high-quality shower enclosure undoubtedly requires high-quality glass.
As widely known, glass is a highly specialized industry. Therefore, almost all shower enclosure companies purchase glass from glass manufacturers and then process it differently based on the requirements of different shower enclosures.
Glass Production Line (video source: Xinyi Glass)
Original glass sheets are divided into ordinary flat glass and float glass.
Both ordinary flat glass and float glass are flat glass, differing in production processes and quality. Float glass undergoes additional processes like the floatation and cooling processes, which result in a more uniform, smooth surface and consistent thickness, offering better transparency.
Xinyi Float Glass
SALLY shower enclosures use float glass from China's Xinyi Glass. Xinyi Glass is one of the world's largest glass enterprises, dedicated to the research and production of high-quality float glass. With a daily melting capacity of 29,930 tons, it leads in Asia.
Origin Glass Sheets
2. First Treatment For Original Glass Sheets
After the original glass sheets enter the production line for shower enclosure glass processing, they will go through the following preliminary processing steps:
2-1. Glass Cutting
This is the process of cutting glass sheets into the required sizes and shapes for the shower enclosures. Usually done with fully automatic or semi-automatic glass cutting machinery, adjusted according to specific dimensions and design requirements. Operators place the glass sheets on the cutting machine and operate it according to preset size instructions to ensure precise cutting. This process requires high precision and technique to ensure smooth, burr-free glass edges.
Glass Cutting Production Line
2-2. Glass Edging
After glass cutting, edges may have burrs or sharp parts, which need to be smoothed out through edging. Typically done with edging machines, which grind the glass edges into smooth, rounded shapes to reduce potential hazards and enhance the aesthetics of the shower enclosure. Grinding typically uses grinding wheels or belts of different coarseness.
Glass Edging Production Line
2-3. Glass Drilling:
In shower enclosure glass, various fittings such as handles and tracks may need to be installed, requiring glass drilling. Drilling involves drilling holes in the glass, usually done with special drill bits or drilling machines to ensure accurate hole positions and appropriate diameters without damaging the overall glass structure. This process requires careful operation to avoid glass breakage or producing undesirable holes.
PLC Controls The Automatic Glass Drilling Production Line
2-4. Printing and Cleaning:
Printing on glass is often done to enhance the decorative effects or provide privacy protection in the shower enclosure. This process involves printing specific patterns (like logos) or textures on the glass surface, which may need to be cured through drying or other methods. The printed glass of the shower enclosure needs to be cleaned to remove stains and residues from the printing process, ensuring a clean, smooth surface.
Glass Printing Production Line
Glass Cleaning Line
2-5. Glass Tempering:
Glass tempering involves heating the glass to near its softening point and then rapidly cooling it to enhance its strength and heat resistance. This process creates compressive stress on the glass surface and tensile stress inside, giving the glass higher impact resistance and bending capabilities. Tempered glass breaks into small, safer pieces even if shattered, reducing the risk of injury. Thus, using tempered glass in shower enclosures significantly reduces the risk of injury from glass breakage.
Glass Tempering Production Line
3. Further Processing For Shower Enclosure Glass
After the above processes, shower enclosure glass meets the basic factory standards. However, with shower enclosure designs constantly evolving, various customization options have emerged for shower enclosure glass to meet different market demands.
3-1. Frosted Glass:
The tempered glass is machine-polished to create a frosted surface, providing privacy by obstructing visibility. Variants include full and half-frosted options (single or double-sided).
The tempered glass is chemically treated to create a frosted surface, offering privacy by obstructing visibility. Variants include full and half-etched options (single or double-sided).
Etched Glass Production Line
Etched Glass Shower Enclosure
3-3. Easy-clean Glass:
The tempered glass is coated with an easy-clean solution to resist dirt buildup. Commonly known by various names like easy-clean, super-clean, smart-clean, nano-glass, etc., they all essentially employ the same technique.
Easy-clean Glass Production Line
3-4. Film-coated Glass:
After tempering, a strong adhesive plastic film is applied to the glass surface. When firmly adhered, if the glass shatters, the shards remain in place, enhancing safety.
After tempering, two glass sheets are bonded together with an intermediate layer (or injected with an adhesive). When the glass breaks, the shards remain bonded to the intermediate layer, increasing safety. There are dry and wet lamination techniques.
The SALLY shower enclosure glass meets basic factory standards with tempered glass and easy-clean technology. It's fully insured by CPIC and holds the following certifications:
3C Certification: China Compulsory Certification.
Tempered Glass Certification: Also known as heat treatment certification, proving glass has undergone high-temperature tempering.
Australian Certification: Known as a global passport, representing one of the world's strictest glass certifications.
CE certification covers the manufacturing, performance testing, and safety requirements of glass materials, ensuring that products meet the quality and safety standards of the European market.
5. In Summary
In summary, shower enclosure glass is a crucial component in assessing shower enclosure quality. You can evaluate shower enclosure manufacturers' products based on the above content. High-quality manufacturers typically adhere to strict standards in glass processing equipment, techniques, technology, and management to ensure the quality of shower enclosure glass.
I am Ray Wang, the Marketing Assistant at Sally Bathrooms. Over the past two years, I have been dedicated to exhibition planning, online promotion, and promotional material production. During exhibitions, I meticulously design booths to ensure optimal product presentation. In terms of online promotion, I manage and optimize the company's social media platforms and website to enhance brand exposure and reputation. Additionally, I collaborate with the design team to produce high-quality promotional materials, contributing to a positive company image.
