Saint-Gobain Vitrage has installed a production line at its premises in Aniche (Nord-Pas de Calais region of France) for its Venus product, a coloured glass of a totally new type.
Venus glass is colo…
Saint-Gobain Vitrage has installed a production line at its premises in Aniche (Nord-Pas de Calais region of France) for its Venus product, a coloured glass of a totally new type. Venus glass is coloured throughout its mass and has technical characteristics considered unique on the market: it transmits eight times less heat than normal glass, corresponding to a light transmission factor of less than 55%. This new glass material, different from other types of coloured glass which are generally obtained by adding a special layer, is the result of a new production process. Venus glass is intended for the automotive industry, particularly for use in openable canopies and rear windows (dark tail), and the construction industry. The Venus float line, which covers an area of 5,000 sq. m. started up production in October 1995. The plant is flexible, capable of producing also limited quantities of this product. The furnace is an electric melting type with an output capacity of 50 tonnes/day (12,000 tonnes per annum), and can be doubled for expansion. After passing through the low-heated furnace, the refining phase of the glass eliminates any gas bubbles present in the glass. Using this new process, Venus glass can be formed without any thermic irregularities, as well as giving it the same lifespan as standard glass. Venus glass will be supplied in green or grey colours, in thicknesses of 3 mm, 4 mm and 5 mm, and in three different light transmission levels. To develop and commercialise this new product, Saint-Gobain Vitrage has created a special subsidiary company, Le Verre Fonctionnel. Saint-Gobain group“s glass division claims 50% of the European market for silk-screened and laminated glass.