Inside a World-Class Glass Factory | Taiwan’s Mega Factories

Glass has been an important material in human societies since its invention over 4,000 years ago. But how is glass made, and why is it still so essential today? This documentary explains how one mega factory in central Taiwan produces high-tech glass products for diverse industries around the world. Since the opening of its first factory in Hsinchu, Taiwan, the Taiwan Glass Company has expanded to open a total of five factories across northern and central Taiwan. Today, one of these factories houses the first and only float glass line in Taiwan. But how did Taiwan become one of the world’s top glass producers? Hsinchu, Taiwan is famous for its semiconductor industry. However, in the 1970s, the city was a prominent producer of string light bulbs and decorative glass, producing over 70% of the world’s supply. This industrial dominance was made possible in part due to Taiwan’s large deposits of silica sand, a key material in glass production. Today, Taiwan Glass’s five factories produce glass products for a variety of applications, including bottles and jars, architectural glass and glass fiber. Each factory employs specialized technology to produce the best glass of its kind. In this documentary, we tour Taiwan Glass to witness their production processes and find out what sets this mega factory apart from its competitors. Beyond producing new glass, Taiwan Glass also runs its own glass recycling facility, enabling the company to utilize recycled glass in its products without any loss in quality. And when it comes to architectural glass, the company produces all kinds, with various coatings and finishes for designers to choose from. In fact, coated glass panes produced by Taiwan Glass can be seen in the glass curtain walls of many prominent and luxurious skyscrapers worldwide. We show you how these functional coatings are applied and how additional processes allow the glass panes to withstand sun, wind, and heavy storms while looking beautiful for decades. So, are you ready to find out how glass is made? Then what are you waiting for? Check out our in-depth tour of this Taiwanese mega factory to see why glass remains a crucial material in our societies today. Chapters: 00:00 Taiwan’s Mega Factories: Glass 01:20 Weaving Glass Fiber Fabric for Compact High-Tech Electronics 04:41 Unique Attributes of Glass 05:49 History of Taiwan Glass 06:49 Taiwan Glass’s Five Factories 07:46 Taiwan Glass’s Float Glass Facility 09:14 Sand Is Transformed Into Glass in the Furnace 10:05 Liquid Glass Is Poured Onto Molten Tin and Solidifies 11:11 Cooling the Solid Glass 12:09 Lasers and Cameras Check the Glass Quality 12:44 Flat Glass Sheets Are Cut With Tungsten Blades 13:33 Skyscrapers’ Glass Curtain Walls Require Specialist Coatings 14:59 Adding Specialist Coatings 16:09 Marrying Insulated Glass Panels for Curtain Wall Buildings 17:43 Glass Recycling Process 19:42 Molten Recycled Glass Is Molded Into Bottles 20:55 Bottle Cooling and Quality Check 21:52 The Future of the Glass Industry 23:25 End Credits #Glass #GlassFactory #FloatGlass #Taiwan #Factories #MegaFactories #TaiwanPlus