The majority of car owners are in serious difficulty when asked to explain what the front window of their car is made of or how that glass is manufactured, and because it is important that you get some basic information about your car’s windshield, Minneapolis glass workers have been more than happy to share some of their knowledge.
The probably most important safety feature of a car, which is usually taken for granted, is the windshield. This specially designed safety glass helps to protect the passengers of a car from wind, ultraviolet radiation, extreme weather conditions, as well as from flying debris, such as pebbles, dust and insects.
So what is so special about windshields, what makes them so durable? Windshields are made of laminated glass, an extremely resistant type of safety glass designed not to shatter on impact, thus reducing the risk of injury to the vehicle’s occupants in the event of an accident.
From the beginning of the century until the 1950s, windshields were made of tempered glass, the material used today only for the side windows and for the rear window of a vehicle. This tempered glass represents the basis for the production of laminated glass.
Tempered glass is obtained through a complex process: first, the glass is heated to about 1,565 degrees Fahrenheit and, then, a machine blows cold air onto it, thus toughening it and allowing it to break into small pieces with no sharp edges during a serious impact.
Laminated glass actually consists of two sheets of tempered glass bonded together with a central layer of plastic (typically polyvinyl butyral). When broken, the glass adheres to that central layer thus resulting the spider-web-like pattern.
If you need to replace your windshield, Minneapolis glass repair companies will know exactly what kind of laminated glass they need to use, since there are different thicknesses to laminated glass. Of course thickness will not vary too much so, if you are not an expert you probably will not even notice the difference.
There are more than 80 windshield-producing companies worldwide, but if you are thinking of ordering a windshield, Minneapolis glass repair specialists can give you valuable advice and help you to select the best type of glass at the best prices.
Windshield Minneapolis – If you have problems with your windshield, North Metro Glass of Minneapolis offers technical consultancy and complete services at some of the lowest prices in the business.
