Re: ATM (Test)Plate mirror warnings and mirror flexing

[Mike Coslo <mjc5@psu.edu>]

"McHatten, Shawn" wrote:
> 
> Mike
>         I agree that this should be a valid test. I'd actually like to hear
> what would happen to glass if it were to be flexed and then shocked. I've
> never tried this but I've read that if you put a magnet on a length of steel
> and hit the steel a good whack the steel rod will take on the magnetic
> properties by aligning the atomic structure. Would the crystalline structure
> of glass work the same way.
>         And does it have to be a mechanical shock. I know that glass is an
> insulator but any material will break down if enough electricity is applied.

		You can also demagnetize the steel by whacking it again. I don't know
about applying electricity to glass other than some ideas that were
floating around about making a high voltage ionizer to keep dust away
from the mirror.
 
>         And going back to the "is glass a liquid" question; if glass is left
> flexed long enough will it finally align to the new structure and thus not
> need such a strong flexing cell. (I can just picture every ATMers living
> room having 5 or 10 flexed mirrors sitting around for 5 years like fine wine
> waiting to ripen.

	Well, it will bend if the stress is applied slowly enough and over a
long period of time. I think the difficulties would lie in controlling
the process.

>         Or could it be heated whiling flexing to some point below slumping
> temp but enough to allow the internal structure to align under the pressure
> but not affect the figure.

	This on I don't know at all about.

>         Phew, so many questions. Good thing this isn't a one question per
> post kind of list :)
>