TRANSPORTATION, RECEIVING & STORAGE
- Before unloading the truck, verify the weight of the cases/stoces and confirm that the handling equipment is adequate.
- Check your shipments on arrival. If there appears to be moisture present, the sheets should be unpacked and allowed to dry using a separating technique. Do not allow sheets to remain in contact with wet protective pads.
- Be sure that your storage areas are dry, adequately ventilated spaces. Don’t store sheets in areas of high humidity, where exposed to chemical fumes, or near high heat such as steam or water pipes. These conditions can promote staining.
- Do not store sheets outdoors or in unheated areas.
- Sheets should be unpacked as soon as possible to allow moisture caused by condensation to dissipate, especially if the sheets have been subject to temperature changes during shipment.
- Block the cases/stoces up off the floor to prevent any water damage to the bottom of the sheets. Also, do not store crates or sheets on uneven surfaces. This can lead to stresses on the sheets which can cause cracks or breakage.
- Store sheets vertically. Do not lay sheets flat. Even minor movements in a flat stack will cause abrasion if not breakage.
- When removing sheets from the case, separate them from the pack one at a time before removal.
- Never slide a sheet across the one behind it.
- Always handle sheets one at a time.
- Do not move or reship partially unpacked cases without proper repacking. Movement within the case can cause damage or breakage.
- If sheets are transported in an open or exposed condition and become spattered or come in contact with foreign elements such as road salt, they should be washed and dried immediately.
CUTTING, FABRICATION AND CLEANING
- Always use gloves when handling sheets.
- When handling sheets with suction cups, apply cups to the unetched side. If this is not possible, extra care should be taken to ensure that the cups are clean and free of dust.
- Vacuum or sweep the cutting tables with a stiff brush regularly to keep dust down and to eliminate glass grit and particles which could scratch sheets.
- Walker Textures™ acid-etched glass sheets are cut most easily by scoring the unetched side. When cutting etched mirrors or glass which is etched on both sides, the etched surface can be scored, however, increased cutting pressure is required. When scoring on the etched surface, cutting pressure should be tested prior to cutting stock sheets.
- Pieces should be washed after cutting to avoid possible staining from cutting oil.
- Walker Textures™ acid-etched glass may be susceptible to marking during machine-edging if proper care is not taken. For best results, follow these simple recommendations:
- Ensure that the machine’s gripping pads have been scrubbed clean.
- Verify that the speeds of the front and back conveyors are identical
- Check the glass thickness with a micrometer and adjust gripping pressure accordingly
- Wet the glass before fabrication
- Wash glass immediately after fabrication
- Never allow coolant or cerium oxide to dry on the glass, as it may become a permanent stain on the etched surface.
- acid-etched glass may be machine-washed or washed by hand using clean, lintfree cloths for washing and drying. Detergents or glass cleaners may be used and will not be harmful to the glass, provided that all residue is removed and that the glass is thoroughly dried.
WARNING – TO USERS OF AUTOMATED PROCESSING EQUIPMENT
A majority of the automated glass processing equipment made today, notably cutting tables, utilise optical sensors to locate the glass sheets. Due to the diminished reflectivity of an acidetched glass surface, certain optical sensors may have difficulty in reliably detecting the position of the glass. False readings from the sensors can result in damaged glass, damaged equipment and possibly even injury to operators. It is very important to test all of the optical sensors on processing equipment before beginning production with acid-etched glass. Most optical sensors can be adjusted for sensitivity. In the event that a sensor is unable to accurately detect the glass, contact the equipment manufacturer for information on how to adjust the sensitivity. In some cases, the range of sensitivity may be too limited. In this case, the sensor may need to be changed. The equipment manufacturer should be able to provide an alternative sensor compatible with their equipment. It is also important to note that a single sensitivity setting may not be suitable to all glass substrates. It may be necessary to reset the sensitivity to a lower setting for unetched glass, once etched glass processing is completed.
SPECIAL NOTE – acid-etched glass products are to be considered as having a somewhat porous surface when compared to regular float glass. Should there be any requirement to apply products such as adhesives or markers to the etched surface temporarily, testing must be done beforehand to ensure removal is possible. We also recommend a thorough verification following removal of the product, to ensure complete removal has been fully achieved without any noticeable alteration of the acid-etched surface.
Since there are many variations in chemical formulations of these products, we cannot list every product or brand that may or may not be applied to the surface. Here however, are a few of the products which may cause some problems and should be avoided or evaluated beforehand: Silicone adhesives, mastics, black felt markers, wax markers, oil or grease.
TEMPERING, LAMINATING AND INSTALLATION
- Acid-etched glass may be tempered in the same manner as unetched glass. However, when edging glass prior to tempering, it is important to follow the Walker Textures™ fabrication guidelines.
- Acid-etched glass may be laminated in the same manner as unetched glass providing that the laminate is applied to the unetched surface.
- Acid-etched glass may be installed in the same manner as unetched glass, following normal industry installation standards and appropriate codes.
