For manufacturers of tableware items such as drinking glasses, bowls, dishes, ovenware, or candle containers there is a significant emphasis on appearance. In addition, all of these items must be capable of surviving some level of impact and thermal shock loads. American Glass Research has been very active in the tableware industry through services such as training, testing and fracture diagnosis. Likewise, our involvement with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has allowed us to play a crucial role in the development of standards, particularly in the area of glass candle containers. If you are experiencing difficulties with your glass articles or are interested in proactively avoiding problems, American Glass Research is ready to assist you with all of your glass tableware evaluation needs.

Flaw Identification/Evaluation
Through visual examination and quantitative determinations, the nature of flaws in glass articles can be characterized.  Some flaws are cosmetic and can lead to poor product appearance while others are functional and can reduce glass surface strength and potentially lead to failure. Knowing the severity of a flaw will promote a fact-based decision process when considering the potential for performance problems.

Performance Testing
An evaluation of expected container performance can be obtained with a well-designed test protocol. Testing samples through the application of anticipated loads such as impact (handling) or thermal shock (dishwasher or candle burn) will provide the information needed to proceed with confidence. For candle containers, burn testing is also an important test used in the evaluation of performance during normal use.

Fracture Diagnosis
The highly developed science of fracture diagnosis involves the examination of broken glass to identify the root cause of the failure. When glass breaks, it will adhere to well-established patterns while providing valuable information as to exactly how, when and why it broke. Fracture diagnosis can reveal the answers to these critical questions.

Glass Quality
Knowing that your tableware is of the highest quality in regards to composition, permanent residual stress and durability is essential. AGR has the capabilities to ensure that your expectations of quality are being met.

Training Seminars
Tableware-specific seminars, along with more general sessions on fracture analysis offer a valuable combination of classroom instruction, demonstrations and hands-on workshops. All of the seminars offerings can be customized to suit the needs and requirements of our clients.