Safety Glass

Safety glass is glass with additional safety features that make it less likely to break, or less likely to pose a threat when broken. Common designs include toughened glass (also known as tempered glass), laminated glass, and wire mesh glass (also known as wired glass). Safety glass is a type of glass that is designed to resist breaking, and to break in a way that minimizes the risk of injuries in the event that the glass cannot withstand the forces exerted on it. Car windows are classically made from this type of glass to promote safety in collisions, and it can also be used in regular house windows, eyeglasses, laboratory glassware, and a wide variety of other products. As its name would seem to imply, it is meant to be safer than ordinary glass.

Types of Safety Glass

1. Toughened Glass: Toughened glass is treated to be far more resistant to breakage than simple annealed glass and to break in a more predictable way when it does break, thus providing a major safety advantage in almost all of its applications. Toughened glass is also called tempered glass. It is produced by specially treating ordinary glass. When toughened glass breaks it breaks into lots of tiny fragments. The surface of toughened glass is very hard making it

impossible to cut it or make holes in it. A major advantage of toughened glass is its superior strength as compared to ordinary glass. Toughened glass is used in interior doors, side panels and often for shower doors. Because it is heat-resistant, toughened glass is ideal for table tops. Toughened glass has extremely broad applications in products for both buildings and, automobiles and transport, as well as in other areas. Car windshields and windows, glass portions of building facades, glass sliding doors and partitions in houses and offices, glass furniture such as table tops, and many other products typically use toughened glass. Products made from toughened glass often also incorporate other technologies, especially in the building and automotive and transport sectors.

2. Laminated Glass: To make laminated safety glass, the manufacturer sandwiches a thin layer of flexible clear plastic film called polyvinyl butyral (PVB) between two or more pieces of glass. The plastic film holds the glass in place when the glass breaks, helping to lessen injuries from flying glass. The film also can stretch, yet the glass still sticks to it. It is also quite difficult to penetrate laminated safety glass, compared to normal window pane glass. The "sandwich with some give" that laminated safety glass is made of also helps hold the occupants in a vehicle! Banks use a multiple-layer laminated glass to help stop bullets. Laminated safety glass has two other additional benefits:

It reduces transmission of high frequency sound. It blocks 97 percent of ultraviolet radiation.

Laminated safety glass is also used in:

Thermometers for taking body temperature Cutting boards Greenhouse windows Shower enclosures Office partitions

3. Wired Glass: Wired glass is created by combing two layers of glass with a welded wire mesh. The wire mesh does not make the glass less likely to break, but it does hold the glass pieces together when it does. Wired glass is often used in skylights or ovens because it acts as a barricade in the event of a fire. Wired glass has a one-hour fire rating. Wired glass offers some privacy and costs about the same as ordinary glass. Polished wired glass is a clear glass and costs about twice as much as ordinary glass. This is only a B grade safety glass and although the wires will hold the broken glass togeather the sharp fragments and broken wires can cause considerable damage if the force is great enough to penetrate the pane. This glass comes in both clear (Polished wire) & Obscure(Squarelite). This glass is used in places when a fire rating is needed such as smoke stop doors, as the wire holds the melting or broken glass togeather for a period of time inhibiting the spread of fire. Wired glass instead is utilized for its fire-resistant abilities, and is well-rated to both withstand heat and a hose stream. This is why wired glass is exclusively used on service elevators to prevent fire ingress to the shaft and why it is also commonly found in institutional settings which are often well-protected and partitioned against fire. The wire prevents the glass from falling out of the frame even if it cracks under thermal stress, but is far more heat-resistant than a laminating material.

How does it work?

There are two glass types available to protect against the risk of injury. The choice is made depending on where and how the glazing is being used. Toughened safety glass has undergone a heat treatment to increase its overall strength. Generally it is 5 times stronger than normal glass. To give an example a piece of 8mm toughened glass can withstand the impact of a 0.5kg steel ball dropped from 2 metres. If the glass does break, it breaks safely into thousands of tiny pieces with dull, safe edges. Laminated safety glass comprises two pieces of glass held together by one or several plastic films like a glass sandwich! In the effect of breakage or impact, these films hold the glass in place. The glass still breaks into pieces, but they remain adhered to the film(s).

Benefits of Safety glass

Safety glass has many benefits: Toughened glass Avoids potential cuts and injuries as a result of broken glass (for example used in doors, table tops, shower screens etc).

Laminated glass Laminated glass: assembled using a single plastic film. basic protection provides protection against the risk of injuries due to accidental breakage (for example windows or patio doors) Laminated glass: assembled using two or more plastic films. enhanced protection provides protection against a change in level (e.g. balconies or guarding) and objects falling on to or penetrating the glass (e.g. glass roofs and canopies). The pieces of glass stay in place, stuck to the plastic interlayers, until a replacement arrives.

Wired Glass Offers more security than non-wired glass Has a fire rating of 60 minutes when glazed into a fire door. Used in fire doors, partitions and windows in a wide range of buildings from schools to offices where safety glass is not a requirement. A fire integrity product, it will restrict the spread of flames and hot gasses. Available in either clear or obscure textured versions.

Safety glass for safe breakage or overhead glazing can be combined with other glass functions for additional comfort: security, thermal insulation, acoustic insulation, lowmaintenance and decorative glass.

Flat Glass Industries is a leader in value-added processing and wholesaling of glass and architectural glass hardware for the building and manufacturing sectors. We cover the complete spectrum of glass to commercial and residential industries from float to laminated and toughened safety glass to energy efficient, insulated glass units available in glazed, reflective, mirrored, painted, pattern screen-printed & low emissivity combinations. FGI group has a strong history of specialisation in safety glass and offers the most advanced lamination technologies and capabilities. FGI has advanced customised laminating equipment and can provide a full range of annealed or toughened laminated glass in Clear, Tinted, Reflective, Low Iron, Matlucent Etched, Mirrored, Textured, Colorsmart, Thermocolour and KlymetShield Low E combinations. Laminated Glass Laminated Glass is made up of two or more layers of glass permanently bonded together with an interlayer via a controlled, highly pressurised and industrial heating process. The lamination process results in the glass panels holding together in the event of breakage, reducing the risk of harm. Laminated Glass is classified as Grade A Safety Glass. There are several laminated glass types manufactured using different glass and interlay options that produce a variety of strength and security requirements. Heat Strengthened Glass Heat Strengthened Glass is glass that has been heat treated to induce surface compression, but not to the extent of causing it to dice on breaking in the manner of tempered glass. On breaking, heat-strengthened glass breaks into large pieces. Heat Strengthened glass is intermediate in strength between annealed & toughened glasses.

Toughened Safety Glass Toughened Safety Glass is a safety glass that has increased strength and will usually shatter in small, pieces when broken. It is used when strength, thermal resistance and safety are important considerations. FGI Tufglas Safety Glass is fabricated by heating annealed glass to over 600 C and cooling it rapidly, which locks the outer surfaces of the glass in a state of high compression, and the core or centre of the glass in compensating tension. FGI Tuflas safety Glass is ideal for:

Glass Balustrades Shower Screens Laminated Safety Mirrors Glass Doors and Windows Frameless Entry and Balustrading Automotive/Transport Public Venues Office Buildings Residential, Factories Hospitals and Schools Restaurants, Sporting Facilities

FGI Group has the capabilities to manufacture & supply high impact security glass in a range of protection applications:

Bullet resistant security glass Intruder attack protection glass Cyclone proof glass Transportation glass Prison security glass

To know more about Safety Glass Visit Our Site: www.flatglass.com.au

FLAT GLASS INDUSTRIES 3 Moorebank Avenue, Moorebank NSW 2170 Ph (02) 9824 0999 Fax (02) 9824 2111 Email sales@flatglass.com.au FLAT GLASS INDUSTRIES 1-9 Hedderwick Road, Dandenong VIC 3175 Ph (03) 9791 2333 Fax (03) 9791 2030 Email vicsales@flatglass.com.au