Glass manufacturing apparatus can comprise a laser apparatus defining a laser path intersecting an outer peripheral surface of a roll. In some embodiments, methods of cleaning a roll of a glass manufacturing apparatus can comprise irradiating a target location on surface material formed on the roll with a laser beam and producing a relative movement between the roll and the target location while removing a portion of the surface material from an area of the outer peripheral surface of the roll with the laser beam. In some embodiments, methods of manufacturing a glass ribbon can comprise passing glass-forming material through a gap defined between first and second rotating rolls and removing surface material from an area of an outer peripheral surface of the first roll with a first laser beam.

Glass manufacturing apparatus can comprise a laser apparatus defining a laser path intersecting an outer peripheral surface of a roll. In some embodiments, methods of cleaning a roll of a glass manufacturing apparatus can comprise irradiating a target location on surface material formed on the roll with a laser beam and producing a relative movement between the roll and the target location while removing a portion of the surface material from an area of the outer peripheral surface of the roll with the laser beam. In some embodiments, methods of manufacturing a glass ribbon can comprise passing glass-forming material through a gap defined between first and second rotating rolls and removing surface material from an area of an outer peripheral surface of the first roll with a first laser beam.

Methods of processing glass-based substrates to reduce birefringent defects and glass-based substrates are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for processing a glass-based substrate includes rolling a glass-based material to form the glass-based substrate, and heat treating the glass-based substrate by increasing a temperate of the glass-based substrate, holding the temperature at a maximum temperature for a hold period, and then decreasing the temperature at one or more cooling rates, wherein after the heat treating, the glass-based substrate has a retardance over thickness of 5 nm/mm or less at locations outside of and including 5 mm from any corner of the glass-based substrate and outside of and including 5 mm from any edge of the glass-based substrate.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method of making molten glass. The apparatus includes a glass former having a slot orifice design to deliver a glass ribbon. The slot orifice design can include a transition section, a slot extension, and external structural reinforcements. In some embodiments, the orifice opening distance of the slot extension varies along the width of the orifice. In some embodiments, the orifice has an orifice opening distance that is smaller at the center of the slot extension than at the edges of the slot extension, which limits glass flow at the center of the slot extension. Also disclosed is a method of making glass using the disclosed apparatus.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method of making molten glass. The apparatus includes a glass former having a slot orifice design to deliver a glass ribbon. The slot orifice design can include a transition section, a slot extension, and external structural reinforcements. In some embodiments, the orifice opening distance of the slot extension varies along the width of the orifice. In some embodiments, the orifice has an orifice opening distance that is smaller at the center of the slot extension than at the edges of the slot extension, which limits glass flow at the center of the slot extension. Also disclosed is a method of making glass using the disclosed apparatus.

A transparent article made of glass ceramic with high surface quality as well as a method producing are provided. The article is suitable for use as a viewing pane. The method includes the steps of: producing a melt with a raw material composition that is suitable for a ceramization; hot shaping a flat substrate made of ceramizable green glass having two oppositely arranged, essentially flat surfaces from the melt; processing of at least one of the surfaces of the substrate with a smoothing fine-treatment process; ceramizing the substrate to produce the article made of glass ceramic.

A transparent article made of glass ceramic with high surface quality as well as a method producing are provided. The article is suitable for use as a viewing pane. The method includes the steps of: producing a melt with a raw material composition that is suitable for a ceramization; hot shaping a flat substrate made of ceramizable green glass having two oppositely arranged, essentially flat surfaces from the melt; processing of at least one of the surfaces of the substrate with a smoothing fine-treatment process; ceramizing the substrate to produce the article made of glass ceramic.

A method of manufacturing glass ribbon can comprise feeding molten material through a minimum width of a first gap defined between a first roller and a second roller of a first pair of rollers. A first pool of molten material can be formed upstream from the minimum width of the first gap. A ribbon of molten material can exit the first gap. The methods can further include passing the ribbon of molten material through a minimum width of a second gap defined between a first roller and a second roller of a second pair of rollers. The minimum width of the first gap can be greater than the minimum width of the second gap. A second pool of molten material can be formed upstream from the minimum width of the second gap.

A glass production apparatus producing continuously curved glass for covers and containers includes a crucible, a calender device, a cutting device, a molding device, and a crystallizing device. The crucible melts glass raw material and outputs a glass melt to calender device. The calender device rolls and presses the glass melt to prepare a glass belt with a preset temperature. The cutting device cuts the glass belt with the preset temperature into glass members. The molding device include at least one molding mold and a manipulator. Each of the at least one molding mold curves at least one portion of the glass member with the preset temperature to prepare a curved glass member. The manipulator transfers the curved glass member to the crystallizing device, the crystallizing device crystallizes the curved glass member to prepare a curved crystalline glass member. A method for manufacturing such glass is also provided.

A glass production apparatus producing continuously curved glass for covers and containers includes a crucible, a calender device, a cutting device, a molding device, and a crystallizing device. The crucible melts glass raw material and outputs a glass melt to calender device. The calender device rolls and presses the glass melt to prepare a glass belt with a preset temperature. The cutting device cuts the glass belt with the preset temperature into glass members. The molding device include at least one molding mold and a manipulator. Each of the at least one molding mold curves at least one portion of the glass member with the preset temperature to prepare a curved glass member. The manipulator transfers the curved glass member to the crystallizing device, the crystallizing device crystallizes the curved glass member to prepare a curved crystalline glass member. A method for manufacturing such glass is also provided.