What Types Of Glass Is Used In Car Windshields?
Do you own a car? Do you know about its glasses? What type of glass is used in your car window? This article is about different auto glass types and their features. Traditionally, laminated safety glass creates modern windshields. It is a treated glass. It is made by combining two curved glass sheets and a plastic lamia ted layer for the safety purpose. These glasses are bonded to the window frame then. A motorbike has high impact acrylic plastic or in other words, polycarbonate. These are the part of your car and motorcycle glasses.
Car Glass
If you have a car, you would have known different glass used in it. It includes rear and side windows and a windscreen. In some vehicles, there is a glass roof. The side windows are flexible. You may lower or raise it with your hand or another tool. The sunroof is a retractable and transparent window; you can fix it or manually open it. In some modern models, there are sun blinds for rear side and rear windows. Your window shields protect from debris etc. it also gives the driver comfort. It is fixed with a glass run channel. It is to contain glass fragments in case glass is broken.
Car Windshield
What is the purpose of a windshield? It protects you from debris, smoke and dust particles. You are safe from the wind with the windshield. Your car windshield may have a UV coating to protect you from ultraviolet rays. With the advent of laminated safety glass, this feature has become less critical. The motorcycle glass protects you from the wind, but its effect is much lesser than a car. It is also used in racing bikes for reducing the drag. So it is beneficial for motorcyclists too.
Types of Windshield Glass
You use a different kind of glass in your car than your home. Your home window glass will shatter if it is broken. It will create small pieces which may be harmful. In case it is specially fabricated, the situation may be different. Your car safety glass does not shatter. It eliminates sharp pieces. Your car glass is either laminated or tempered. The auto glass used in your rear and front side is tempered while the laminated glass is used for windshields. Here are two types described in detail:
Laminated Glass
It was first used in 1920. Two glass sheets were placed together using a PVB sheet between them. With extreme heat, these layers were fused. In this way, the laminated safety glass came into existence. Though laminated may break. It is lesser harmful. It does not shatter if broken.
Tempered Glass
Now, most of the models use tempered glass for windows. It is fabricated as a one-ply product. It is treated using a process of rapid heating and cooling. It shatters into pebbles like pieces if it is broken. These pieces are less dangerous than sharp ones.
How much does a windshield replacement cost?
You’re probably thinking to yourself, wow, didn’t know that auto glass was that complicated. However, technology keeps advancing to keep drivers safe which makes a simple auto glass more advanced today than it was years ago. So how much does a windshield replacement cost? It depends! There are so many factors including type of glass, model of car, and year. There’s so many different types of auto glass its virtually impossible to know without finding the right auto glass for your car. We suggest getting a quote at your nearby auto glass shop you might be surprised!