Multitalented cover glass: “Made in Germany”

When it comes to technical glazing, SCHOTT can be highly recommended as an advisor and provider of complete solutions from a single source, the technical glazing that is used in displays can be light and stable and protect against reflections, heat and soiling. But, every demand requires selecting a material and further processing that suits the individual application. The international technology group SCHOTT has comprehensive competencies along the entire process chain, from glass manufacturing to mechanical processing and various finishing processes. The company will be presenting its capabilities at the trade fair electronica in Munich (hall A3, booth 326) from November 8 – 11, 2016.

CONTURAN® DARO: No chance for reflections, dirt and fingerprints. The glass combines anti-glare and oleophobic surface protection for the first time – this maeks it an optimal solution for professional touch displays.

The displays used in machine control systems need to be particularly durable, while high resolution is most important in medical applications, and lighting technology requires cover glasses with high light permeability and thermal load capacity. The production of technical glazing differs just as much as these requirements. The technology group SCHOTT offers advice on all applications, from industrial and medical displays, digital signage, display panels for railway stations to food displays, lighting and touch applications, and recommends the perfect solution from a wide range of glass substrates, processing and refining possibilities.

The whole process begins by using the float process to manufacture various types of glass, whereby this results in glasses with very uniform thicknesses and smooth, homogeneous surfaces. For example, SCHOTT uses floated soda-lime glass as its basic substrate and this process to produce certain types of specialty glasses, including high-quality BOROFLOAT® borosilicate glass with the best possible thermal, chemical and optical properties, as well as strong, scratch-resistant aluminosilicate glass, even in thin form.

CONTURAN® Tough: Incredibly strong

The advantages of these substrates can even be extended further. For instance, the surface can be treated to reduce reflections. The glass CONTURAN® that has been coated with an optical interference layer has proven itself on the market for over 30 years, reduces reflections optically by 90 percent and is almost invisible. Even etched anti-glare glass reduces reflections and is ideal for bright, selective ambient light outdoors and visually less susceptible to soiling.

The glass can then be machined precisely by using a CNC method, including edge grinding and polishing. Various finishing steps, such as screen printing or lamination, give the substrate additional capabilities. Thermal or chemical toughening, for instance, significantly increases the strength of the glass. CONTURAN® Tough can do even more: SCHOTT's anti-reflective glass is the only glass of its kind that allows for chemical toughening through the anti-reflective layer. This brings remarkable improvements in the production process compared to standard procedures.

CONTURAN® DARO offers a refinement with a desirable added value: the glass combines anti-reflective and oleophobic surface protection and doesn’t give reflections, dirt and fingerprints a chance. Therefore, it is ideally suited for professional touch displays. “By offering such creative products, we want to show that we are more than just a glass maker. Our know-how encompasses the entire process chain for technical glazing and cover glasses. We can then selectively combine substrates and processing steps in an application-friendly manner – all on individual request,” Stefan Lasch from SCHOTT explains.

Multitalented cover glass: “Made in Germany”

SCHOTT is a leading international technology group in the areas of specialty glass and glass-ceramics. The company has more than 130 years of outstanding development, materials and technology expertise and offers a broad portfolio of high-quality products and intelligent solutions. SCHOTT is an innovative enabler for many industries, including the home appliance, pharmaceutical, electronics, optics, automotive and aviation industries. SCHOTT strives to play an important part of everyone’s life and is committed to innovation and sustainable success. The group maintains a global presence with production sites and sales offices in 35 countries. With its workforce of approximately 15,000 employees, sales of 1.93 billion euros were generated in fiscal year 2014/2015. The parent company, SCHOTT AG, has its headquarters in Mainz (Germany) and is solely owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation. As a foundation company, SCHOTT assumes special responsibility for its employees, society and the environment. www.schott.com