Glass Fabrication
Fabrication represents the bridge between standard glass products and the custom solutions your projects demand. Our comprehensive fabrication capabilities transform raw glass materials into precision-engineered components tailored to your exact specifications. We offer glass fabrication services for glass ranging from 4mm to 19mm thick and greater than 4″ in size, with all work meeting ASTM standards through our selection of advanced fabrication equipment.
The Glass Fabrication Process
Glass fabrication is a sophisticated manufacturing discipline that encompasses multiple processing techniques applied individually or in combination to create custom products. The process begins with float glass sheets produced through the float glass method, where molten glass is floated on a bed of molten metal to create uniformly flat glass with excellent optical clarity.
From these base materials, our fabrication capabilities allow us to create precisely dimensioned panels, drill holes for hardware mounting, finish edges to specified profiles, and prepare glass for subsequent heat treatment or lamination. Each fabrication step requires careful sequencing because certain operations must occur before others. All cutting, drilling, and edge work must happen before tempering, as the internal stresses created during heat treatment make post-tempering modifications impossible without causing immediate glass failure.
Advanced Fabrication Equipment
Our investment in advanced fabrication technology reflects our commitment to precision, consistency, and production capacity that serves both high-volume orders and custom one-off projects.
Intermac 45.5 Helix System
Our Intermac 45.5 represents the advanced edge of CNC fabrication technology. This five-axis helix integrated boring system uses exclusive technology to exceed the limitations of traditional boring systems, allowing a single tool to perform all boring, grinding, and countersinking operations on glass sheets up to 19mm thick.
The five-axis machining capability guarantees maximum reliability and accuracy for CNC milling operations including holes, notches, and cutouts. This precision is critical for applications where glass must interface with metal framing systems, hardware mounting points, or adjacent building components. Tolerances matter significantly in these applications, as even minor dimensional variations can prevent proper installation or compromise weather sealing.
The Intermac 45.5 handles drilling, countersinking, milling, and polishing operations across our full thickness range from 4mm to 19mm. This comprehensive capability means a single piece of equipment can complete multiple fabrication steps, reducing handling, minimizing contamination risk, and ensuring dimensional consistency across all operations.
Forvet Waterjet System
Our Forvet waterjet cutting system uses high-pressure water mixed with fine abrasive media to precisely cut glass. This technology creates clean cuts and holes, making it ideal for complex shapes and avoiding heat-induced warping that can occur with other cutting methods. The waterjet system handles glass from 4mm to 9mm thick, accommodating the full range of residential and lighter commercial applications.
Waterjet cutting provides exceptional versatility for custom fabrication. Unlike traditional cutting methods that follow linear or basic geometric paths, waterjet technology allows us to create intricate shapes, curves, and interior cutouts that would be difficult or impossible through conventional approaches. This capability is particularly valuable for decorative applications, custom shower enclosures with unique geometries, and architectural elements requiring non-standard configurations.
Polishing Systems
Our straight-line edging machines provide precise control over edge profiles, producing consistent results, whether we are processing a single custom piece or hundreds of identical panels for commercial installations.
The liquid cerium polishing process creates superior edge quality compared to dry polishing methods. Cerium oxide produces finer polishing action, resulting in clearer edges with better light transmission characteristics. This matters particularly for applications where edge quality affects overall visual appearance.
Quality Control and Standards Compliance
All our fabrication work meets ASTM standards that specify dimensional tolerances, edge quality requirements, and material properties. This compliance ensures our fabricated glass integrates properly with framing systems, meets building code requirements, and performs reliably throughout its service life.
Edge Quality Inspection
We visually inspect edge finish quality, checking for chips, cracks, or grinding marks that could compromise strength or appearance. Edges must meet smoothness standards appropriate to their specified finish level, from basic safety chamfer through high-polish requirements.
Pre-Treatment Verification
For glass proceeding to tempering or heat strengthening after fabrication, we conduct final quality checks before thermal processing begins. This verification confirms all fabrication is complete and correct, as no modifications are possible after heat treatment. This checkpoint prevents processing errors that would require complete panel replacement.
Fabrication for Diverse Applications
Our fabrication capabilities serve varied applications across residential, commercial, and architectural markets.
Architectural Glazing
Curtain walls, storefronts, and entrance systems require precise fabrication to ensure proper fit within framing systems and correct alignment of hardware mounting points. Our capabilities handle the dimensional accuracy these applications demand, from standard commercial window sizes through large-format architectural panels approaching our maximum size capacities.
Interior Applications
Glass partitions, railings, and shelving require fabrication that balances structural requirements with aesthetic considerations. Interior glass often features exposed edges where polish quality directly impacts visual appeal. Our edge finishing capabilities ensure interior glass meets both functional and design standards.
Shower Enclosures
Custom shower enclosures present unique fabrication challenges. Each installation has distinct dimensions, hardware locations, and design preferences. Our combination of waterjet cutting for complex shapes and precision drilling for hardware mounting allows us to create shower enclosures that fit perfectly while accommodating the specific hardware systems installers prefer.
Production Capacity and Project Scaling
Our fabrication capabilities scale from single custom pieces through high-volume commercial orders. This flexibility comes from combining advanced automated equipment with skilled technicians who can efficiently switch between production modes.
Custom One-Off Projects
Individual homeowners, designers, and specialty contractors often require single pieces fabricated to unique specifications. Our systems accommodate these custom orders efficiently, with CAD programming allowing quick setup for non-standard dimensions or hole patterns. Custom work receives the same quality control attention as high-volume orders.
Commercial Production Runs
Large commercial projects requiring dozens or hundreds of identically fabricated panels benefit from our automated systems’ consistency. Once programmed for a specific panel configuration, our CNC equipment produces identical results across the entire production run. This consistency is critical for curtain wall systems or commercial glazing projects where dimensional variation could affect installation or visual uniformity.
Technical Support and Consultation
We approach fabrication as a collaborative process. Our team works with architects, contractors, and installers to understand project requirements, identify optimal fabrication approaches, and ensure specifications align with installation methods and hardware systems.
This consultation often begins during the design phase, where we can advise on dimension selection, hardware placement, and edge treatment options that balance aesthetic goals with practical installation considerations. Early engagement prevents specification errors that could complicate fabrication or installation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Glass Fabrication
What Glass Thicknesses Can Be Fabricated?
We offer glass fabrication services for glass ranging from 4mm to 19mm thick. This range accommodates everything from standard residential windows at the thinner end through heavy commercial and structural glazing applications at the thicker end. Different fabrication operations have specific thickness ranges where they perform optimally. Our waterjet system handles 4mm to 9mm glass, while our CNC equipment processes the full range from 4mm to 19mm.
What is the Minimum Size for Fabrication?
We fabricate glass greater than 4″ in size. This minimum ensures adequate material for safe handling through our equipment and allows proper edge treatment. For projects requiring smaller pieces, we can often accommodate special requests depending on specific fabrication requirements and production scheduling.
Can Glass Be Modified After Tempering?
No, tempered glass cannot be cut, drilled, or modified after the heat treatment process. The internal stresses created during tempering mean that any attempt to drill, cut, or grind tempered glass will cause immediate failure. This is why all fabrication work must be completed while glass is still in its annealed state, before tempering occurs. Our production workflow ensures fabrication happens in the correct sequence to prevent this issue.
What Edge Finishing Options Are Available?
We offer multiple edge finishing options including flat polished edges that create a sleek, glossy appearance, and chamfered edges where safety is prioritized over aesthetic polish. Our Lattuada polishers provide variable angles from 0 to 45 degrees, accommodating diverse specification requirements.
How Precise Are Fabrication Tolerances?
Our CNC and waterjet systems provide exceptional dimensional accuracy, with fabrication tolerances meeting ASTM standards for architectural glass. Specific tolerances vary based on glass thickness, overall dimensions, and fabrication operations required. For projects with particularly stringent tolerance requirements, we work with design teams during specification to ensure our capabilities align with installation needs.
Can Complex Shapes Be Fabricated?
Yes, our waterjet cutting system excels at creating complex shapes, curves, and interior cutouts that would be difficult through conventional cutting methods. This capability is particularly valuable for custom shower enclosures with unique geometries, decorative architectural elements, and specialty applications requiring non-standard configurations. Five-axis CNC machining on our Intermac system provides additional flexibility for notched corners and angled edges.
What Types of Holes Can Be Drilled?
We can produce standard cylindrical holes in various diameters, countersink holes for flush hardware mounting. Hole sizes range from small diameters for decorative hardware through larger openings for plumbing fixtures. All drilling occurs before heat treatment, as tempered glass cannot be drilled after tempering.
How Long Does Fabrication Take?
Fabrication timing depends on project complexity, glass thickness, required operations, and current production schedules. Simple cutting and edge polishing for standard sizes can often be completed quickly, while complex custom work requiring multiple operations takes longer. We work with contractors and designers to understand project timelines and accommodate scheduling needs where possible. Our combination of automated equipment and skilled technicians allows efficient turnaround on both custom pieces and production runs.
Architects Area
Find out why architects and designers continue to trust PFG Glass for their glass product needs.