|
|
|
||
      
|
|
Glass Facts Genesis of Modern Auto Glass: In the beginning, automobiles did not have windshields. Goggles were the only protection from inclement weather, insects and other road debris. The first windshields were hand cut from plate - or annealed - glass. Plate glass shatters into large, dangerously sharp pieces when broken. To avoid this safety hazard, Henry Ford introduced laminated safety glass windshields in the mid-1920s. Laminated glass consists of two layers of glass sandwiched around a layer of polyvinyl butyrate (PBV). Laminated glass is ideal for windshield use. When damaged, the broken glass adheres to the PVB inner layer instead of showering vehicle occupants with dangerous shards of glass. Also, laminated glass exerts a "cushioning" effect to protect vehicle occupants during collisions. The PVB inner layer absorbs the impact energy and keeps occupants from being ejected through the windshield opening.
Tempered glass, sometimes called "toughened glass", is also
Laminated safety glass can normally be repaired; tempered glass The Modern Windshield: Windshields have evolved into complex, engineered glass systems with heating elements to melt ice, or, coatings to repel ultra-violet radiation. Shade bands, radio & telephone antennas, satellite uplinks, heads-up holographic instrument displays, or even sensors to activate windshield wipers or close convertible tops are now common. The modern windshield is also thinner and lighter to reduce overall vehicle weight and thereby contribute to increased fuel economy. In short, societal expectations have influenced engineers to design enhancements into the glass and, in so doing, have made windshields more costly to produce. Did you know: On average, 13 to 14 million windshields are manufactured or imported into the U.S. every year to replace windshields damaged in use. Today, about 3 million Americans have their windshield repaired instead of replaced. The cost to replace a windshield is between $250 and $1,000. The cost to repair a windshield is between $50 and $75.
|
|
|
HOME | ABOUT US | SERVICES | LOCATIONS | FAQ's | INFO | CONTACT Northwest Association of Novus Franchise Owners Copyright © 2000 - , Novus Windshield Repair, all rights reserved Website hosting, design and maintenance by New Tech Web, Inc.
|
