In Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro a specific laboratory is dedicated to the production of small quantities of glass in electric furnaces of different sizes, capable of reaching maximum temperatures of 1700°C; melting trials are performed using crucibles of appropriate shapes and sizes, made of either silico-aluminous refractory or of platinum.
The laboratory is equipped to cast samples of “simple” shapes (plates, cylinders, etc) using small moulds, to produce glass frits, and to draw glass fibres. For the production of glass on a scale bigger than that of the laboratory (i.e. exceeding 3 kg per crucible), agreements with local external partners enable the production of larger amounts of glass (up to 50 – 100 kg) per single melting run, which is more suitable for pilot-scale testing.