Safety glass – cut to any shape
23 Oct 2012
Shock-resistance is the great benefit of safety glass. However, the cut of the glass pane can make this difficult: With conventional processes, only straight cuts are possible. Yet a newly-developed method makes it possible to apply any cutting technique.
Researchers are displaying an undulating-cut pane of safety glass at the Glasstec trade fair from 23 to 26 October in Düsseldorf.
If an object slams into the glass façade of a high-rise building, the glass must not shatter and fall down, because it could harm pedestrians below. In addition, the window panes must hold if a person were to fall against it from the inside. Architects and builders therefore must use something stronger than laminated safety glass on the façades of high rise buildings. The same applies to the windshields on cars.
Safety glass prevents passengers in an accident from getting hurt by glass shards. And shop windows made of safety glass are expected to reliably safeguard the displayed goods from thieves.
The principle behind this glass: a tear-proof film is inserted between two panes of glass, thus making the glass shock resistant. If glass fragments arise, they stay attached to the film.
Safety glass panes are produced in panels measuring 6 x 3.20 meters, which are subsequently cut-to-size as required. Since the inserted film is tear-proof, the glass pane cannot simply be cut apart.
