Concept:
Annealing is a heat treatment process used to remove internal stresses from glass or ceramic products.
Step 1: During forming and cooling, glass develops internal stresses because different parts cool at different rates.
Step 2: If these stresses remain, the glass may crack or break later.
Step 3: In annealing, glass is heated or held near annealing temperature and then cooled slowly.
Step 4: Slow cooling allows internal stresses to relax.
Therefore, the main purpose of annealing is:
\[
\boxed{\text{Relieve stresses}}
\]