This paper reports on a novel development in forming ultrathin glasses by the float process. The design principal and theoretical considerations for the tin bath, which is the heart for the process, are presented in relation to ultrathin glass forming. Continuous stretching of glass to 0.12mm on the top of molten tin is essentially a process of accurately controlling and maintaining a dynamic equilibrium of a large-scale open system where not only thermal energy is exchanged but also the mass is in a constant moving state. Due to the complicated nature, despite many computer simulation attempts, no one has come up with a physical model that can reasonably depict the stretching process on molten tin. Through pilot plant experiments, the essential technical parameters for continuous stretching of 0.12mm glass including distributions of temperature/viscosity, glass ribbon travelling speed, and thickness along the longitudinal direction of the tin bath have been established.
