The aim of the undertaken experiments was to study the features revealed by the use of HFsectioning method to analyze the composition and structure of surface layers of industrial glass for various purposes. The essence of the HF-sectioning method consists in successive dissolution of surface layers of glass with a weak concentration of HF solution and subsequent analysis of the obtained extracts. Objects of investigation were various types of industrial glassware: containers (jars, bottles and flasks) of transparent colorless glass, bottles and flasks of green glass, illuminating and assorted glassware made from transparent colorless and milk glasses, ampoules made from medical glass and samples of sheet glass. The chemical composition of glasses, the conditions for glass melting and glassware molding for various purposes differ from each other. We have developed a technique for HF-sectioning of samples of industrial glass of various compositions and forms. Not less than three samples were subject to etching at a time. The samples were rotated in HF solution, or kept in a stationary position. After the etching, the samples were washed with distilled water, dried, cooled and weighed with a microanalytical balance. The samples were weighed before and after etching, the mass loss of the glass dissolved in HF solution was determined, and then the thickness of the dissolved layer and glass dissolution rate in HF solution were measured. The concentration of Na+, K+, Ca2+and Mg2+ was measured in extracts after etching with the help of flame photometry. To analyze the data obtained, we made graphs displaying the dependence of dissolution rate on the thickness of the etched layer of glass. In our experiments, the thickness of the glass layer dissolved in one etching ranged from 0.05 to 10.0 mm and the duration of one etching varied from 2.5 to 60 minutes. We have found that the dissolution rate depends on many factors: on the composition and structure of glass; on homogeneity of samples; concentration, volume and temperature of the HF solution, hydrodynamic conditions, etc. The following features of HF-sectioning of industrial glass have been revealed: 1. The graphs of the dissolution rates of all types of industrial glasses are unstable, due to their heterogeneous structure. 2. The opportunity to analyze the surface layers of glass with a thickness of 0.05 to 100 mm or more is bigger. 3. Poor reproducibility of the dissolution rate of industrial glasses for samples that are part of the same series. 4. While calculating theglass dissolution rate and the thickness of the etched layer, an error is to be introduced due to the assumption that the density of glass in the entire volume of the sample is the same. In fact, the density of the near-surface layer of glass differs from the density of the bulk of the sample. 5. The composition and structure of the outer and inner parts of the near-surface layers of the sample of hollow glassware (jars, bottles, flasks, etc.) are not the same.