Laminated Glass is a type of safety glass that holds together two glasses with help of a film. The glasses are held by a film, typically of polyvinyl butyral i.e. PVB. This film holds the layers of glass bonded even on breakage. Its high strength saves the glass from breaking into large pieces. The PVB film also blocks ultraviolet radiation. The 2 glasses that are bonded together can either be basic glass or toughen glass. Laminated Glass are usually tinted glasses.

Colored/Tinited-Resin-Laminated Glasses

Colored/Tinited-Resin-Laminated Glasses

Application

Laminated Glass are used for Exterior purpose only, not for interiors. Laminated Glass is typically used for Skylight glazing and automobiles windshields. Laminated glass is also used as sound insulation window or door.

The advantage of laminated glass is that on breakage the glass doesn’t fall into pieces. This is because of the PVB film in between two glasses that glass stay glued to it on breakage. On breakage, a “spider web” like cracking pattern is produced when the impact is not enough that it can completely pierce the glass.

On-Breakage-Laminated-glass-produces-Spider-Web-Mesh

On-Breakage-Laminated-glass-produces-Spider-Web-Mesh

Manufacturing

Laminated glass is manufactured in different ways like-

• Using 2 or more pieces of glass bonded with one or more PVB resin using heat and pressure process.
• Using 2 or more pieces of glass and poly-carbonate that are bonded with aliphatic urethane film using heat and pressure process.
• Glasses bonded with cured resin.

The 2 glasses used to manufacture laminated glass can either be same or different. To create a designer or creative glass, one can have different glasses on each side of the PVB film. Usually 6mm thick glass is used for laminated glass. Therefore the total thickness of laminated glass will be around 12mm to 13mm. To have toughen laminated glass, the basic glass is first toughened and then laminated.

Quality

It’s only with glass I would say that there’s no quality difference as such. Be it imported glass or branded Indian glass, there’s not much of a difference as far as quality is concerned. Glass is usually sold on brand name. Also the rates of glass from brand to brand will vary by few rupees.

Common Complaints in Glass Industry

The most common complaints found in glass industry are scratches during transportation. Well scratches are sometimes very difficult to easily notice, but on breakage the glass is replaced. Toughen glass usually cracks or breaks from corners.