Morgan Advanced Ceramics supplies a range of glass products from its GBC Products Division in Latrobe PA, USA. 

The origins of this company were in the manufacture of glass pre-forms for glass-to-metal seal applications (GBC stands for Glass Beads Company). 

They later expanded into the production of pressed ceramic parts but have continued to supply glass products to the telecommunications, aerospace, automotive, appliance and electronic industries.

The company produces precision glass tubing, rods and components for hermetically sealed packages, using proprietary glass forming processes. 

These glass components are used in miniature fuse bodies, lenses for photo transistors, glass-to-metal seals used in IC packages, Erasable/Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM) and Read Only Memory (ROM) glass lenses... and many others. 

The products fall within three categories, as follows:

• Glass Sealing Pre-forms

• Precision Glass Products 
• Alumina Loaded Glasses 

Scope of Glass Manufacturing Operations

GBC employs two unique processes to manufacture glass tubing and rod. One process is termed the 'Direct Draw' process and has the ability to manufacture small quantities of glass tubing and rod to very precise tolerances. 

With this process it is possible to produce a wide range of colours and opaque glass. The largest volume of product produced by the 'Direct Draw' process is tubing that is cut into glass-to-metal sealing beads. 

The second process is called the 'Redraw' process. This process produces large quantities of continuously formed, clear glass tubing or rod. 

Glass tubing from the 'Redraw' process is then cut into a variety of different sizes. 

Size Range 

• Glass tubing and rod are made to .150" (3.81mm) maximum outside diameter. Large diameters with small bores are possible, such as .100" (2.54mm) O.D. by .010" (.254mm) I.D.

Tolerances 

• Normal tolerances range from ±.001" (.025mm) to .003" (.075mm) O.D. and I.D. depending on size. Tolerances are individually quoted

Cutting 

• Glass tubing is diamond saw cut to length. Beads for glass-to-metal seals are normally cut to tolerances of ±.002" (.05mm) for small lengths and ±.003" (.075mm) for lengths ½ inch (12.7mm) or longer. Score and break cutting is also available to .015" (.381mm) tolerance

Special Compositions 

• Glasses can be formulated for unusual applications such as sealing to alloys or ceramics

• Preforms