This disclosure is directed to techniques for utilizing various sensors and models to evaluate glass as it progresses through the tempering process in order to ensure that the tempered glass is of a proper quality. If, according to any of the various sensor measurements, the tempered glass is not of a proper quality, the system may automatically adjust one or more settings in any of the various components of the system in order to bring future panes of tempered glass back to having the proper quality. The system can measure for any number of glass characteristics or system characteristics, including edge quality, vertical flatness, haze, washing process variables, thermal imaging, distortion, blower information, production data, and furnace process data.

Glass laminates, comprising more than one glass composition, are becoming increasingly common as the industry moves towards lighter and stronger glazing. Bending dissimilar glass compositions can present problems. A mismatch in the glass viscosity curves, especially in the viscoelastic region of the compositions can result in one layer becoming softer than one of the other layers during the thermal bending process. As a result, economical processes, such as gravity or press bending in which multiple glass layers are simultaneously bent, may not be practical to use forcing the use of more expensive single glass layer bending processes. By thermal treatment processes the fictive temperature of at least one of the glass compositions prior to bending can be shifted to better match the other compositions allowing the glass layers to be simultaneously bent.

A strengthened glass sheet product as well as process and an apparatus for producing the product. The process comprises cooling the 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 glass sheets having improved breakage properties.

A strengthened glass sheet product as well as process and an apparatus for producing the product. The process comprises cooling the 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 glass sheets having improved breakage properties.

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.

A strengthened cover glass or glass-ceramic sheet or article as well as processes and systems for making the strengthened glass or glass-ceramic sheet or article is provided for use in consumer electronic devices. The process comprises cooling the cover 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 cover glass sheets for use in or on consumer electronic products.

A strengthened cover glass or glass-ceramic sheet or article as well as processes and systems for making the strengthened glass or glass-ceramic sheet or article is provided for use in consumer electronic devices. The process comprises cooling the cover 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 cover glass sheets for use in or on consumer electronic products.

This disclosure is directed to techniques for utilizing various sensors and models to evaluate glass as it progresses through the tempering process in order to ensure that the tempered glass is of a proper quality. If, according to any of the various sensor measurements, the tempered glass is not of a proper quality, the system may automatically adjust one or more settings in any of the various components of the system in order to bring future panes of tempered glass back to having the proper quality. The system can measure for any number of glass characteristics or system characteristics, including edge quality, vertical flatness, haze, washing process variables, thermal imaging, distortion, blower information, production data, and furnace process data.

A laminated glass article comprises a core layer comprising a core glass composition having an average core coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE.sub.core) and a clad layer directly adjacent to the core layer and comprising a clad glass composition having an average clad coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE.sub.clad) that is less than the CTE.sub.core such that the clad layer is in compression and the core layer is in tension. A compressive stress of the clad layer increases with increasing distance from the outer surface of the clad layer, transitions to a minimum tensile stress as a step-change at an interface region between the core layer and the clad layer, and a magnitude of the tensile stress increases continuously to a maximum tensile stress in the core layer. Other stress profiles, and methods of preparing laminated glass articles are also disclosed.