It is clearly understood that feeders play a crucial role in the quality of glass produced by the furnace. Any defects generated in the feeder zones could well be found in the finished product, since the glass at this stage works at relatively low temperatures and has a low capacity to absorb any flaws. In addition, market demands for quality are constantly on the increase. Defects and flaws which were acceptable in the recent past are now often cause for rejecting the glass. This jeopardizes both yield and profitability of glass production. Regardless of the design used to channel the glass from the distributor to the machines, and to condition it thermally for forming, the choice of the refractories both in glass contact and in the superstructures is increasingly important.
