Glass Wool - Manufacturing Process

Manufacturing Process

After the fusion of a mixture of natural sand and recycled glass at 1,450 °C, the glass that is produced is converted into fibers. It is typically produced in a method similar to making cotton candy, forced through a fine mesh by centripetal force, cooling on contact with the air. The cohesion and mechanical strength of the product is obtained by the presence of a binder that “cements” the fibers together. Ideally, a drop of bonder is placed at each fiber intersection. This fiber mat is then heated to around 200 °C to polymerize the resin and is calendered to give it strength and stability. The final stage involves cutting the wool and packing it in rolls or panels under very high pressure before palletizing the finished product in order to facilitate transport and storage.