Fourcault process

technology

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Last updated

June 26, 2026

Quick Summary

The "Fourcault process" is a method for drawing molten glass vertically upward in sheet form. This technique was developed by Émile Fourcault, a Belgian inventor. The process is used to produce flat glass, commonly for windows.1

Léon Foucault, a French physicist, is known for his experiments demonstrating Earth's rotation using the "Foucault pendulum" and for accurately measuring the speed of light. He also discovered "Foucault currents" (eddy currents) and improved telescope mirror testing. It is important to distinguish between the Fourcault process for glass manufacturing and the scientific contributions of Léon Foucault.2

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industrial glass
Flat glass
In the Fourcault process, a one- to two-metre-wide steel mesh bait was introduced into molten glass at the working end of the furnace. The cooled glass adhered to the bait and was pulled upward between water-cooled tubes that solidified the sheet edges. The sheet was then gripped…
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In the Fourcault process, a one- to two-metre-wide steel mesh bait was introduced into molten glass at the working end of the furnace. The cooled glass adhered to the bait and was pulled upward between water-cooled tubes that solidified the sheet edges. The sheet was then gripped…
Read More