Types of Glass Used for Constructing Windscreens
You might think that all glass is the same and there is nothing particularly special about the glass used to create the windscreen on your vehicle. However, this is definitely not the case. Glass can be made in many different variations and there are certain types of glass that are used to create windscreens on automobiles.
A windscreen is the glass on the front of any vehicle and there are two types of glass that most windscreens are made from.
Safety Glass
The types of glass that are used for making windscreens can be identified as safety glass. This type of glass is designed to offer high levels of security and protection in the event of impact. Since there is a risk of impact during an automobile accident, it is necessary for all windscreens to be constructed using some type of safety glass. This is the type of glass that is always used to some degree when windscreens are manufactured.
Laminated Glass
Laminated glass is a specific type of safety glass that has been used to make windscreens with for over eighty years. In the early years, automobile manufacturers would actually take two pieces of regular glass and adhere them together with plastic. The type of plastic used during this process was known as PVB. The glass and plastic were attached to one another during a heating process.
While heat was used, pressure was also added to create laminated glass. This specific process involving heat and pressure is necessary to create a type of glass that will not shatter on impact. This helps to increase safety during accidents involving vehicles with windscreens. The vinyl layer of laminated glass is even expertly designed to provide cushioning for crash victims that are launched into the windscreen on impact.
Tempered Glass
This is another type of safety glass that can be used to create windscreens, but it is not as common as laminated glass. Tempered glass is manufactured during a heating and cooling process. This creates a type of glass that is more durable and designed not to shatter when hit. However, tempered glass is most often used in the surrounding vehicles of a vehicle rather than the windscreen. It is possible for windscreens to be made of tempered glass, but it is not the ideal option.
Laminated and tempered glass are two types of safety glass that are used to construct windscreens and provide protection for those passengers in vehicles. Contact a company like Glasszilla to learn more.
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