Did you know that vehicles are made using a specific kind of glass known as automobile glass? Auto glass is found in many places, including your vehicle’s windshield and side mirrors. It’s also utilized to make sunroofs and moonroofs in certain car models. What sets auto glass apart from ordinary glass, though?
In comparison, tempered glass is much more flexible and bendable. Tempered glass panels are also manufactured with a superior physique in mind. Although automobile glass and ordinary glass appear to be the same, they are very different in terms of their properties and manufacturing processes. They’re also utilized for various purposes, and windshield replacements are repaired and replaced differently. Instead
If you’re curious to discover how auto glass differs from normal glass, read on! Here’s a comprehensive look at both and what makes them so different.
Auto Glass Is Manufactured Differently from Normal Glass
The way auto glass is produced is one of the most significant distinctions between it and ordinary glass. There are two main kinds of automobile glass: tempered glass and laminated glass. We’ll be referring to the two types of car glass separately throughout this article. Each type has its own unique manufacturing procedure.
How is Tempered Glass Manufactured?
Did you know that tempered glass is produced by heating normal glass to around 1150 degrees Fahrenheit in a special oven? The cooled glass is then blasted with high-pressure air, or quenched, to ensure that it cools uniformly. This keeps the molecules in the center of the glass under tension while the surface contracts—causing the glass tot’s also important to cool it uniformly to prevent breaking during the tempering process.
How is Laminated Glass Manufactured?
Have you ever laminated a piece of paper? The same technique is used to make laminates! It’s created by heating thin layers of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) resin between sheets of ordinary glass. Pressure and heat are applied to the layers of glass and PVB in a special container known as an autoclave during
How is Normal Glass Manufactured?
The majority of the glass we come into contact with is tempered or laminated. It’s easy to assume that all other types of glass are the same—but nothing could be further from the truth! While there are several different types of normal glass, soda-lime glass is by far the most popular. Soda-lime glass is made by heating sil
Soda-lime glass differs from tempered glass as it’s made at a higher temperature. It’s also different from laminated glass because it doesn’t contain any plastic resin.
Auto Glass Has Different Properties Compared to Normal Glass
Because of the various manufacturing processes, auto glass and ordinary glass have distinct qualities. Auto glass, as previously defined, is either tempered or laminated glass. Let’s compare the characteristics of each to see how they differ from ordinary glass.
The Properties of Tempered Glass
The compressive stress on the surface of a sheet of glass is defined as the closeness with which the molecules inside it are joined together. Tempered glass has a considerably higher compressive stress value than normal glass does. As a result, it can tolerate greater pressure and heat than common glass. Unfortunately, because tempered glass is more durable, cutting and reshaping it is difficult compared to normal glass.
Another massive difference between tempered glass and regular glass is how it breaks. Tempered glass breaks into tiny cube-shaped fragments with blunt edges. In comparison, regular glass typically shatters into shards with sharp edges. In other words, tempered glass is unlikely to injure someone if it breaks compared to regular glass. This is one of the main reasons why it’s used in vehicles.
The Properties of Laminated Glass
Because laminated glass has several layers, it may appear to be hefty. However, this isn’t always the case! While laminated glass has more thickness than ordinary glass owing to its layered structure, each layer is quite thin. As a result, the weight of a pane of laminated glass is less than that of a pane of regular glass with the same dimensions.
If laminated glass breaks, you’ll notice that it stays intact. This happens because laminated glass is linked together with layers of PVB, as previously said. Laminated glass’s stacked design makes it significantly more soundproof than normal glass. The PVB in laminated glass absorbs virtually all UV radiation that passes through it, but ordinary glass lets none through. Lastly, the layered construction of laminated glass contributes to its excellent soundproofness when compared to common glass.
The Properties of Normal Glass
The cost of producing and installing soda-lime glass is far less than that of tempered and laminated car windows. However, it is considerably more fragile and resistant to high temperatures. It also shatters into a lot of tiny fragments rather than laminated glass, which maintains its form after shattering. Unfortunately, because to these features, it is a hazardous option for vehicle use as automobile glass.
Auto Glass is Used Differently Compared to Regular Glass
Because of its characteristics, it’s very unusual for a vehicle manufacturer to employ regular glass in their vehicles. But if you believe tempered and laminated glass may be interchanged in a car, think again! Here’s why tempered glass and laminated glass are used in various locations of a automobile.
Tempered Glass is Used in Car Windows and Rear Windshields
Tempered glass is commonly utilized in automobile windows and rear windshields. In other words, if you hire an auto glass professional to repair your car’s window or replace the back windshield, they’ll almost certainly use tempered glass components!
There are two key reasons why tempered glass is used in a car’s windows and rear windshield. Firstly, it’s far stronger than normal glass. This makes it ideal for installing in the back and sides of a car since these areas are prone to be impacted significantly should your car be hit from the side or enter a barrel roll during an accident.
Tempered glass is also excellent for automobile windows and rear windshields, since to its safe shattering pattern. This lowers the danger of passengers being cut or stabbed in a collision. Even a minor accident
Laminated Glass is Used in Front Windshields
For two key reasons, laminated glass is utilized in front windshields. First, it maintains its form after being hit. This protects the driver from being injured by small rocks or the shattered pieces of other cars that fly through the front window during a head-on collision. Second, laminated glass is one of the most durable forms of glass available. Because the potential impact to the front of a vehicle in a collision is far more than its sides or back, this makes it perfect for front windshields.
Normal Glass Isn’t Used in Vehicles
Soda-lime glass is extremely fragile and breaks into jagged shards when broken. As a result, soda-lime glass is difficult to find in automobile windscreens. Soda-lime glass, on the other hand, is frequently utilized in commercial and residential settings. It’s generally employed to produce glass bottles and windows at home.
Auto Glass is Repaired and Replaced Differently from Regular Glass
The tempered and laminated auto glass both have special properties that require auto glass specialists to repair and replace them in different ways.
Repairing and Replacing Tempered Glass
Tempered glass is really difficult to cut and mold after being tempered. As a result, before it is tempered, it must be formed into automobile windows and back windshields utilizing specialized equipment. Auto glass repair professionals also utilize special epoxy resins to mend cracks in tempered glass. The putty knife is used to apply the epoxy to the cracked glass and allow it to cure. After that, the surplus epoxy is removed using a razor, and the glass is buffed with a specific cleaner.
If your car’s tempered glass shatters, it’s critical to get it replaced by a professional automobile glass business. They’ll dispatch experts with the appropriate tools to remove all of the pieces of tempered glass from your vehicle and the road safely. They’ll also use special instruments like suction cups to remove and replace a new car window or rear windshield pane without harming your paintwork.
Repairing and Replacing Laminated Glass
It’s more difficult to repair cracks in laminated glass than tempered glass due to how it fractures. When there’s a little chip or fissure in the front windshield, auto glass technicians use epoxy in the same way as tempered glass to fix it. However, if there is a bullseye crack on the front windshield that resembles a radial fracture, the windshield experts will most likely recommend replacing the entire car windshield.
Laminated glass, while not shattering into a million small pieces, still needs the assistance of professionals to remove it. On impact, laminated car windshields frequently get caught in the front windshield frame. As a result, crowbars and glass picks are required to safely pry them off. Hiring a professional auto glass business to replace or repair your laminated glass in your front windscreen is critical. They’ll send experts to your location who will have all of the information and tools needed to do it properly.
Summary
While you drive, your automobile’s windows and windshields are frequently bombarded by natural elements like sand and snow. As a result, it is extremely dangerous to use normal glass in automobiles because it will easily fracture or shatter. It’s also bad to utilize normal glass in cars since its break pattern threatens the safety of passengers. The last thing you want is for millions of sharp fragments to fly into your eyes and face in the event of an accident!
Auto glass is a better option because it’s more durable. It’s also less likely to injure you if you crash because of its relatively safer break patterns. Tempered glass is employed in car windows and rear windshields because it is strong and breaks into small, blunt shards that are less likely to harm people inside a vehicle in the event of an accident. Laminated glass, on the other hand, is utilized to make front windscreens since it breaks without shattering completely. Because it retains its shape when shattered, laminated glass is also more robust than normal and tempered glass—making it ideal for front windscreens during a head-on collision.