Last week Alastair Pilkington explained his “float glass” process in the ... Back at the plant he floated molten glass on molten metal and found that its bottom side took on a shiny finish.

The Pilkington Process is another name for the float glass-making process. Tin is used in the process because it is the only metal that remains stable as a liquid at the required high temperatures.

The molten glass is then poured onto a bed of molten tin, allowing it to spread evenly and create a flat and uniform surface. One of the primary advantages of float glass is its exceptional ...