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At Moore’s Glassworks, we have been moulding, forming, and shaping glass for over 40 years.

Over that time, we have come to learn so much about this versatile and flexible material.

While the technology has improved, and we now have state-of-the-art auto lathes to form glass with ultimate precision, there is still a much needed human element to the quality control in our glass blowing.

Take a look outside and you will see the product of many glass manufacturer’s work all over the place.

From car windows and ornamental vases to beer bottles and reading glasses, there are lots of examples of glass being used throughout modern society.

There are many stunning and surprising facts about this material, and here are our top 7, starting with where it all began.

1. Man-made glass dates back around 4000 years

While there is a lot of contention about which region the science of making glass was truly discovered, the time period is under no debate.

Around 4000 years ago, sometime around 2000BC, workers in Mesopotamia and Egypt discovered how to create glass.

How do we know this?

Well, inside the London Museum is an ornament bearing the hieroglyph of Thutmose III, who reigned as the pharaoh of Egypt around 1450 BC. This, among other archaeological finds, show that glass was being created, and moulded at this time.

So how did it work?

Glass manufacturing in this time period was very different to what it is now. Studying the chemicals of these found artefacts points to the use of quartz pebbles and plant ashes. These would have been burnt down until they formed glass in liquid form, which could then be shaped.

We’ve come a long way since then, but glass has never stopped being used for vases and ornaments.

2. Glass can form in natural ways

But it’s not just humans who can create glass.

Nature has its own way of forming sculptures from this material.

For example, when lava from volcanoes is rapidly cooled down when thrown into the air, a material known as obsidian is formed. Often a deep, black colour, this is similar to the glass normally found in windows but a lot tougher.

Another natural form of glass are fulgurites.

Amazingly, as a lightning strike hits rock or silica sand, glass formations can rise from the ground in the shape of the strike.

This phenomenon is known as fulgurite. As most lightning strikes hit the ground at around 2500 degrees Celsius, this is enough to melt the material it hits. A temperature of around 1800 degrees is a rough minimum needed to form a fulgurite.

Unsurprisingly, these can be found in high areas, such as up mountains, that are more susceptible to such strikes.

3. Venice was once known as the glass manufacturing capital of the world

As we mentioned earlier, Moore’s Glassworks has been manufacturing glass for over 40 years, but some glass manufacturers go back centuries.

Around the 12^th century, Venice became famous for its glassmaking capabilities. Through connections with the middle East, glassblowing methods that had been created and defined in Syria and Egypt were passed onto European shores.

From the new hub in Venice, glass was sent all over the world.

A couple of centuries later, and Venetians were spreading their talents across the globe, bringing with them the glassblowing equipment needed to produce fine products at speed (as well as creating transparent glass).

Glass manufacturing was already rapidly underway in London, and America quickly followed, with the first glass manufacturing plant opening in Jamestown, Virginia in 1608.

4. There aren’t many materials as sustainable as glass

Glass is a material that is as environmentally friendly as it gets.

100% reusable and recyclable, glass has one of the quickest turnaround times of any material, being reshaped and reused in 30 days in some instances.

So, how does glass get recycled?

Well, the process is simple. As glass gets handed over to the glassworks, it is crushed, before being melted. You now have a liquid which you can mould and form into any shape you want and that can be back on the shelves within a month.

Used glass (often known as cullet) has a low melting point compared to many other raw materials, which means that the energy used throughout the recycling process is much less.

All of this makes recycling glass even more important, and makes the material itself, one of the best to use for packaging and storage.

5. The Romans were the first to use glass for windows

Around the 1^st century AD, the Roman’s began to produce glass on a large scale. This rapid rise in production led to the first glass being used for windows.

While these windows wouldn’t resemble the transparent ones we look out of today (they would have probably been black) this was the birth of the window as we know it.

Around a millennium later, and stained glass is known to be used in buildings such as churches. Built in the late 11^th century, the Augsburg cathedral in Bavaria, Germany, is said to be one of the earliest instances of stained glass being used.

So, when did glass become transparent?

In Britain, glass windows were seen, albeit rarely, in the 16^th century. These replaced windows made of animal horn and other materials such as paper.

Through the centuries, the use of glass on windows became more common and affordable, until most houses across the country began to take advantage of the properties of transparent glass in their homes.

6. Glass isn’t a normal solid material

Okay, hear me out on this one.

While glass is solid in terms of its nature (if you knock on your window it won’t bend) it technically isn’t classed as a completely solid material.

Instead, it is labelled an amorphous solid.

What this means is that the molecules in glass are still moving. Unlike a solid where the molecules are rigid and unmovable, or a liquid where the molecules move freely, an amorphous solid’s molecules move at a very slow rate.

The molecules in glass are not rigid, and hold no pattern, which is why it is more susceptible to breakages.

The molecules inside glass have no structure, which leads to the many different shards that break off when glass is shattered.

But, before you panic thinking over time your windows may turn into a blob, a study found it would take longer than the existence of the universe for glass to do this.

7. Glass has been the linchpin for many scientific and technological inventions

As the use of glass became more widespread, it’s uses became more varied.

Just as Moore’s glass, we showcase many uses of glass in the forming of our cathode ray tubes, vacuum viewports, glass condom moulds and multi-pin bases.

Screens on smartphones, cameras, televisions, fibre optic wires, and more are all inventions that have changed the shape of the world we live in, and that all contain glass.

Not just ornamental, glass has many qualities that make it ideal for inventions of this nature.

There’s a reason Steve Jobs was adamant the first iPhone would have a glass screen instead of a plastic one.

It’s tough, clean, transparent, recyclable and shapable, making it a dream material for inventors and manufacturers alike.

Moore’s Glassworks

Our team of expert glass technicians produce many different products every day.

From the products mentioned above, to custom glassworks fitted exactly to the customer’s needs, we are sure to be able to provide what you’re looking for.

Get in touch today to see what Moore’s Glassworks can do for you.

Many workplaces across the world use photoionization detectors (PIDs).

The main focus of a PID is to locate and pinpoint the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air.

Since the 1970s, workplaces that may be susceptible to leaks of such compounds, which contains gases such as methane, formaldehyde and ethanol, have used PIDs to monitor how safe the environment is.

Most PIDs now come in the form of handheld devices which can be used to constantly check all areas of a workplace.

But just what is going on inside a PID.

Let’s find out.

What is a Photoionization Detector?

Inside a PID, molecules are broken down and turned into positively charged ions. This is done by taking a sample of air and firing ultraviolet rays through it.

When VOCs enter a PID, these rays ionize them. Whether or not they are ionized depends on the ionization energy of the VOC.

It is impossible to gain an exact figure with a PID, but by using a gas that is a good middle ground (more often than not isobutylene) you can gain a good approximation of the VOC volume in the air.

The basis of how a PID works, is that each ion that is created adds to an electric current that is made visible or audible and displayed. The bigger the current, the more ions that are being created, thus the more chance of their being a large amount of VOCs in the air.

If someone is working in a building and there is a suspected leak somewhere, this could lead to a high volume of VOCs in the air.

Using a PID, they can gain a good idea of the VOC volume in the area, as well as being able to track it over time.

What are Volatile Organic Compounds?

There are over 1000 volatile organic compounds that can be measured in the air, but some of the most common are found in things such as paint, aerosol sprays and certain fuels.

Not all VOCs are harmful to humans but some such as ethanol and formaldehyde can be dangerous if ingested.

PIDs are vital in addressing any VOC pollution in the air, and they are often used in areas such as healthcare, environmental industries and construction where potentially hazardous materials are often used.

The Story of Photoionization Detectors

In 1973, vinyl chloride was commonly used (we now use PVC). When many workers were getting seriously ill after working in close proximity to vinyl chloride, it was figured that this was due to the material and the VOCs that it produced.

A PID was first used the following year. Before this, the more common instrument for assessing air quality was a flame ionization detector, but this was limited in the number of VOCs it could spot.

The PID bought with it the ability to pinpoint huge amounts of VOCs, and thus soon found itself at the forefront of the detection industry.

Soon enough PIDs became commonplace in many workplaces, but especially ones that were potentially vulnerable to high VOC amounts in the air.

Joining PID glass

Modern Day Uses

PIDs don’t come without their limitations. They can’t pinpoint specific VOCs and they can never provide a 100% accurate number.

What they can do though is give an immediate answer to a very important question.

With most VOC issues coming from leaks, having a PID on hand can give a quick reading of just how dangerous a room could be.

This small item can be the difference between life and death if used rightly.

In industries where fuel is continuously stored, or preservatives are constantly used, keeping a regular monitoring of the VOCs that are being released into the air provides an insight into how safe a working environment is.

This is why military personnel, warehouse operatives, manufacturers and farmers all benefit from using PIDs around their workplace.

They are easy to install, cheap to run, and have huge benefits when it comes to keeping you, and your workmates safe.

The Manufacture of PID Glass

PIDs always contain a glass element.

This is the UV lamp, and it is often on one side of the PID. When the air vapour enters the PID it flows into the ionization chamber. At some point there will be another opening, and in this opening will be the UV lamp which begins to send out its beams.

In the ionization chamber, between the vapour opening and the lamp, is where the ionization of the molecules takes place.

The glass elements of a PID can come in many different shapes and sizes.

PID Joining

Moores Glassworks and PIDs

Moores Glassworks manufacture glass bodies that are used inside PIDs.

Every item we produce is created in our automated, in-house lathes and is always produced to the highest quality.

There is a wide range of PIDs that are used throughout the world.

For people who are constantly on the go, a handheld PID that can be transported around with you is handy. For rooms that are susceptible to leaks and spillages, static lamps are often placed at a point in the room to continuously monitor the environment.

No matter what your requirements, get in touch today and we will be able to produce a PID glass body just the way you need it.

Summary 

PIDs may look like a simple tool from the outside, but there is a lot taking place inside one of these machines that could have the potential to save lives.

At Moores Glass, we have been manufacturing glass for many years and are proud to offer PID glass that is manufactured to our customer’s needs. 

We are a specialist company that custom manufactures industrial glass and glass-to-metal products that are vital to many medical and industrial applications. We use cutting-edge manufacturing processes that will ensure your product meets your exact criteria.

We produce our multi-pin bases and headers using either lead or Kodial glass (Schott 8250) to deliver the best possible performance no matter how they will be used. We make our multi-pin-headers to fit your individual specifications.

As a world-leading manufacturer of custom glass products for over 40 years, which are unique for their quality and performance, we are able to produce top-quality multi-pin-headers that will deliver outstanding performance.

What is a multi-pin header?

Pin headers are a type of electrical connector usually made up of rows of pins that are moulded into a base and can be manufactured in many different pin spacings. There are male and female pin headers, but they can come under various names, such as Berg connectors etc.

Multiple pin headers have been used for years in vacuum tubes within communications equipment and computers. The early products were made using nickel-iron pins and steel bodies, but these days are made using more robust, reliable and efficient materials that deliver outstanding performance in a wide variety of environments.

These essential components have been designed for use within high-precision medical, scientific and industrial equipment, such as semiconductors and surgical tools and equipment. They are mainly used to transmit signals between modules and components with gas sealing requirements, such as electron tubes.

Our multi-pin headers are produced in either lead or Kodial glass (Schott 8250) and are well known throughout the industry for their robustness, high performance and longevity.

Our multi-pin-headers are used in a wide range of electron tubes such as photomultiplier, cathode ray, hollow cathode lamps, medical diagnostic equipment, anode and cathode connectors for X-rays, implantable feed-throughs, equipment pin base assemblies, filament supports, Ultra High Vacuum (UHV) connections, and more.

Multi-Pin Headers

All of our products are inspected before dispatch and come with our record of proven reliability and high performance.

Do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team at Moore’s Glassworks for more information and to discuss your needs. Or if you want to know about our work, why not visit our dedicated multi-pin headers page here?