A strengthened architectural glass or glass-ceramic sheet or article as well as processes and systems for making the strengthened architectural glass or glass-ceramic sheet or article is provided. The process comprises cooling the architectural glass sheet by non-contact thermal conduction for sufficiently long to fix a surface compression and central tension of the sheet. The process results in thermally strengthened architectural glass sheets that may be incorporated into one or more panes in single or multi-pane windows.

A strengthened architectural glass or glass-ceramic sheet or article as well as processes and systems for making the strengthened architectural glass or glass-ceramic sheet or article is provided. The process comprises cooling the architectural glass sheet by non-contact thermal conduction for sufficiently long to fix a surface compression and central tension of the sheet. The process results in thermally strengthened architectural glass sheets that may be incorporated into one or more panes in single or multi-pane windows.

A glass article is provided that has sub-surface laser engraving and a prestressing of the surface. A production method for the glass article and the use of the glass article are also provided. The sub-surface laser engraving is arranged in a partial volume of the glass article that is under tensile stress, with tempering of the glass article being performed after the introduction of the sub-surface laser engraving.

An optical device comprises a first polariscope and a set of first photodetectors and an optical retardation generator. The device is configured to analyze the quality of a glazing.

An article of fire rated glass and method of producing the same prepared by selecting a sheet of clear float annealed glass of at least 19 millimeters in thickness and providing the edge of the sheet substantially free of imperfections. The glass sheet is then specially tempered at a temperature of at least 575 degrees Celsius for a period of at least 750 seconds, followed by fluid quenching.

A process for the manufacture of a heat strengthened glass substrate, includes the application of a temporary layer including a polymer on a glass substrate including a glass sheet, then the application to the glass substrate coated with the temporary layer of a treatment for the heat strengthening of the glass including heating, leading to the removal of the temporary layer, and then cooling by blowing of air through nozzles. The glass substrate thus obtained exhibits a reduced level of iridescences.

A process for the manufacture of a heat strengthened glass substrate, includes the application of a temporary layer including a polymer on a glass substrate including a glass sheet, then the application to the glass substrate coated with the temporary layer of a treatment for the heat strengthening of the glass including heating, leading to the removal of the temporary layer, and then cooling by blowing of air through nozzles. The glass substrate thus obtained exhibits a reduced level of iridescences.

The present invention provides a glass sheet having a good property of blocking transmission of ultraviolet light, having a low to moderate visible transmittance, being relatively thin, being capable of substantially blocking transmission of solar ultraviolet light, and also having a good solar shielding property. The glass sheet of the present invention has a thickness of 1 to 5 mm, a Tuv 380 of 1.5% or less, a Tuv 400 of 2.5% or less, a visible transmittance (YA) of 5 to 40%, and a solar transmittance (TG) of 5 to 45%, and is formed from a glass composition, wherein the glass composition includes: 1.0 to 5.0 wt % T-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3; 1.0 to 5.0 wt % TiO.sub.2; and 50 to 600 wt. ppm CoO as coloring components in addition to predetermined base composition, a FeO ratio is 5 to 40%, and the sum of T-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 multiplied by 2 and TiO.sub.2 is 7.0% or more.

The present invention provides a glass sheet having a good property of blocking transmission of ultraviolet light, having a low to moderate visible transmittance, being relatively thin, being capable of substantially blocking transmission of solar ultraviolet light, and also having a good solar shielding property. The glass sheet of the present invention has a thickness of 1 to 5 mm, a Tuv 380 of 1.5% or less, a Tuv 400 of 2.5% or less, a visible transmittance (YA) of 5 to 40%, and a solar transmittance (TG) of 5 to 45%, and is formed from a glass composition, wherein the glass composition includes: 1.0 to 5.0 wt % T-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3; 1.0 to 5.0 wt % TiO.sub.2; and 50 to 600 wt. ppm CoO as coloring components in addition to predetermined base composition, a FeO ratio is 5 to 40%, and the sum of T-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 multiplied by 2 and TiO.sub.2 is 7.0% or more.

Glass stack configurations including a carrier plate, setter plates, and glass sheets for thermal treatment of the glass sheets to form glass ceramic articles are provided. The glass stacking configurations and components described herein are selected to improve thermal uniformity throughout a glass stack during ceramming processes while maintaining or even reducing the stresses in the resultant glass ceramic article. Accordingly, the glass ceramic articles made according to the various embodiments described herein exhibit improved optical qualities and less warp than glass ceramic articles made according to conventional processes. Various embodiments of carrier plates, setter plates, parting agent compositions, and methods of stacking glass sheets are described.