Foreword on die-cutting
Cutting soda-lime silicate glass

Glass cutting is the first phase in the glassmaking cycle. It forms the basis of the glassmaker's training. It is crucial to the success of the other stages (shaping, tempering, laminating and double-glazing). The aim is to obtain a clean, precise cut, i.e. linear and free of any significant flaking. To achieve this, mastery of the various operation parameters is not enough. It is also essential to use glass that has been properly annealed during production. The very principle of cutting with a cutting wheel is based on the thermal stresses developed during annealing of the sheet.

Die-cutting is based on two distinct operations: tracing and breaking.