Schott has made history by creating the world’s largest industrially manufactured glass tube.
The record-size tube has an outer diameter of 460 millimetres, a total of 40 millimetres wider than the previous record-setting tube.
Overall, the tube measures more than 1.5 metres long with a wall thickness of 8.5 millimetres.
Developed with a speciality manufacturing process, the tube represents a range of new application possibilities for the chemical, biological and pharmaceutical industries, amongst others.
Manufacturing large outer diameter tubes is challenging because they tend to collapse under their own weight.
Schott overcame this by further developing the drawing process to manufacture the large tube.
Additionally, because the tubes are made from Duran borosilicate glass, they offer a high optical quality and chemical resistance, allowing the tubes to stand up to harsh chemicals in lab uses.
As well as this, due to the low thermal expansion of the glass the tubes can endure prolonged periods of exposure at temperatures above 100°C for continuous, durable use.
Stephen Russo, General Manager of Schott Tubing, notes: “From 360-degree display cases in retail stores to development and production vessels in biological research, Schott’s new large tubes can be utilised for a diverse range of applications, and offer high visual quality with a very smooth surface.”
Schott is ready to work with interested parties to develop tubes for specific applications.
The 460-millimetre outer diameter Duran tube was manufactured at Schott’s plant in Mitterteich, Germany.
