Friday 5 July 2013

Types of Autoglass- Know Your Vehicle Better!

Automobiles are designed with the precision of a compass. Glass is used a little differently as a car component. Glass is usually available in many varieties. The automobiles primarily use two types of glasses- Tempered Glass and Laminated Glass. Both of these varieties are used at different places in a vehicle as they are meant to serve a particular purpose, which shall be elaborated during the course of the blogpost.

Tempered glass is commonly known as Toughened Glass. It is primarily a normal glass, which is made stronger by treating it to thermal or chemical processes. Such a process creates internal stress, thus strengthening it and preventing it from splintering into huge chunks upon shattering. This kind of glass is used mostly in vehicles, glass doors and tables owing to its ability to crumble into granules, which has lower probability of causing injury upon breaking. 
In cars, tempered glass is used for windows and the back glass. The tempered glass helps in controlling the pressure inside the vehicle and can take greater a load. However, a tempered glass cannot be used at all the places in a car. For instance, in a windshield, it is not at all advisable to use tempered glass, owing to its vulnerability of splintering upon being exposed to impact of any kind. windshield calgary


This brings us to the next point. What must one choose, if not tempered glass, in order to have a sturdy and durable windshield?

Ford Motor Company was the first company to use laminated glass in 1939 for a windshield as it gave ‘the most complete protection’, were splinter proof and non-colorable. Modern laminated glass uses two or more layers of ordinary glass, held together by a plastic interlayer. It is this interlayer, which holds it together upon shattering into large shards. Instead, it creates a peculiar ‘spider web’ pattern, when hit by an object, thus, avoiding splintering and preventing any harm or injury. calgary windshield repair

Commonly, laminated glass is used in skylight gazing and automobile windshields. It also blocks 99% of UV rays, thus proving to be the most effective choice for a windshield, which provides a major contribution to the overall strength of the vehicle.

It is always better to know your vehicle as it allows you to maintain it properly. For instance, in case of a splintered windshield, it is always better to consult a windshield expert. They can prevent you from incurring huge expenditure owing to autoglass replacement by repairing the crack if it is less than 10 inches or so.