Address:
Glafo, Box 5157,
SE-350 05 Växjö
SWEDEN

Visitor's address:
Vejdes plats 3

Tel: +46 10 516 63 50
E-mail: info@glafo.se

You find a map at the
"about Glafo" page.

DISHWASHER RESISTANT AND IMPACT RESISTANT GLASS (P4448)

The aim is to develop glass which can stand washing in a dishwasher and which is more durable to scratches and impacts than glass of today. At normal handling it should be possible to use the glasses daily for three to five years without having to reject the glasses because of surface damages. We will also work out instructions to the consumers how to handle their glasses to get them to last as long as possible.


Consequences of increased use of dishwasher
The use of dishwasher in the households is increasing. Crystal glasses, which earlier were washed up by hand, are nowadays often washed in a dishwasher. That increases the risk for glass wear, which leads to questions and complaints from the consumers.

From a general point of view glass is a very resistant material, but during certain conditions, like in a dishwasher, the glass can be exposed to bigger strains than it could stand. The chemical influence in the warm and damp environment is so strong that the glass surface becomes matt.

Scratches
Another dilemma at dishwashing is that glass scratches glass. That means that if the glasses get in contact with each other during some type of motion the surface will become scratched.

The glass is also worn towards other hard materials. Microscopic scratches arise in the surface of a plate by wear of knifes and forks.

Surface wear appears much more rapid when glasses are washed in a dishwasher than washing them by hand. Because of that the consumers might get the impression that the glasses have become worse, both regarding dishwashing resistance and mechanical strength. So, the glass quality, the mechanical strength and the impact resistance must be improved.

Environmental friendly detergents
When the new environmental friendly, free from phosphate, detergents were developed it was not observed that they are influencing the glass in a negative way. That means that the glass manufacturers have to develop a glass, which can resist the new detergents, and give advice to the consumers how to wash up the glasses.

Durable, high-quality restaurant glasses
To strengthen and keep the competitiveness against imported crystal glass as well as against machine-made glass it is important for the Swedish industry for hand-made glass to develop glasses with better dishwashing resistance and strength.

This will be of advantage to the consumers and will make way for new markets. There are for example several high-class restaurants, which want to serve their good wine and drinks in crystal glasses made in Sweden. To stand the handling in the special dishwashers for restaurants a development of much more durable glasses is needed.

CURRENT PROJECTS