WHAT IS TEMPERED GLASS?
Tempered glass is one of two kinds of safety glass regularly used in applications in which standard glass could pose a potential danger. Tempered glass is four to five times stronger than standard glass and does not break into sharp shards when it fails. Tempered glass is manufactured through a process of extreme heating and rapid cooling, making it harder than normal glass. The brittle nature of tempered glass causes it to shatter into small oval-shaped pebbles when broken. This eliminates the danger of sharp edges. Due to this property, along with its strength, tempered glass is often referred to as safety glass. The thermal process that cures tempered glass also makes it heat resistant. Tempered glass is used to make the carafes in automatic coffee makers and the windows in ovens. Computer screens, skylights, door windows, tub enclosures and shower doors are more examples of places you will find tempered glass. Building codes also require the windows of many public structures to be
Tempered glass is known in the industry as “safety glass”. Glass is strengthened by heating it to just about its melting point and then is rapidly cooled. This rapid cooling compresses the glass which results in additional strength, resistance to thermal stress and impact. Tempered glass is four to five time stronger than standard glass. Tempered glass can break but if it does the glass will fracture into very small pieces of glass and these pieces are usually not sharp, thereby significantly reducing the potential for bodily injury. If tempered glass fails, the entire sheet of glass will fracture. Tempered glass will not just crack.
Tempered glass is a form of Safety Glass that is manufactured by heating flat glass to approach its softening temperature and suddenly chilling with jets of cold air, which distributes compression stress on the glass surfaces while tensile stress in the center. The counteraction of compression stress and tensile stress provides tempered glass times strength than normal glass. When broken, tempered glass forms oblique bean size granules to reduce damage to human bodies. Tempered glass also withstands quick temperature changes.
• ANSWER: Tempered glass is created when float glass panels are heated and then cooled rapidly in a controlled environment. This process makes the glass several times stronger than regular annealed glass. It also makes it safer because when broken, it yields small pebble-like fragments. Examples of tempered glass are the side and back windows of a vehicle. Exterior doors, sliding glass door and shower doors are all required to be made out of tempered glass according to universal building codes. Most display cases in retail locations are made of tempered glass. Most glass that is used in furniture and glass furniture protective coverings will also be made of tempered glass because of its surface strength and the fact that is will not harm a person if they accidently impact it. Tempered glass takes less energy to produce than annealed glass so it is a cost effective option for many glass applications.
A. Tempered glass is glass that has been subjected to a special heating process reaching a temperature of 620°C with a subsequent sudden cooling achieved with the help of cold water jets. Due to the thermal shock, a state of “compression” is produced on the surface of the glass plate, which causes an improvement of its mechanical resistance. If the toughened layer is scratched, tempered glass shatters into tiny, non-hazardous fragments. For this reason and for its great mechanical resistance it is considered a “safety glass”.
