Site Visit Report

Trautman Art Glass produces colored glass by melting cullet (crushed glass) that has been mixed with powdered raw materials.

The cullet used by Trautman Art Glass is clear borosilicate glass. The powdered raw materials are added to the cullet to create colored glass.

The cullet mixture is then placed in a crucible, which is an open-topped container, and the crucible is placed in an electric kiln to melt the cullet and raw materials to form molten glass. Depending on the size of the crucible and the desired glass product, the glass is batched, which consists of the cullet mixture being added to the crucible at various time intervals to allow the glass to maintain a specified temperature (stoking).

Prior to removing the molten glass from the crucible, skims will be removed from the crucible as needed. Upon completion of a batch, the molten glass is removed from the crucible to form the final product, which is colored glass rods. Trautman used to pull glass tubes, and may still do so, but is moving towards glass rods only.

The facility uses up to 36 kilns at a time. The kilns are grouped together under exhaust hoods, and the hoods are equipped with fans to draw air into the hoods, and heavy fabric curtains to ensure that all emissions from the kilns are captured and drawn into the exhaust hoods.

The exhaust hoods vent outside, on the roof of the building.

This facility groups up to 3 kilns under each exhaust hood.

Annual glass production for 2015 was estimated to be between 50,000 and 60,000 pounds (25-30 tons). They anticipate expanding in 2016.

The facility uses the following metals (others may be used as well): Chromium IV, nickel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, copper, and silver.

The facility does not use the following metals: cadmium, arsenic, and lead.