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Archives : 2011 : November

The Three Forces of Gforce

Forces in nature can stop each of us in our tracks to desperately seek out shelter or bring an awe-inspiring moment. Both types of events are triggered by contributing factors that are similarly at play when GlasWeld’s Gforce glass scratch removal system is used.

Science, and many years of acquired knowledge by our product development team, have played a role in how Gforce has been designed. It utilizes and applies three natural forces synergistically, and perfectly, to remove almost any kind of glass damage—even deep scratches that you can feel with your fingernail. What’s more, it removes the damage without fear of distortion. The forces are:

1.       A uniquely developed chemical compound

2.       Thermal Heat that’s generated by friction from the process

3.       A mechanical force created on the glass surface

Together, the three forces above work miraculously. See for yourself.

It’s no wonder market leading window and door manufacturers, glaziers and contractors use our Gforce flat glass scratch removal system. And why GlasWeld is the premier manufacturer and distributor of glass repair equipment in 50 countries around the world.

Learn more.

Weigh Safety before Replacing a Windshield

When an original windshield is installed in a factory, the conditions are absolutely perfect for creating the most optimal bond between glass and frame. This video depicts its superior bond.

In a collision, the glass may break but the polyvinyl layer between the two layers of glass is flexible enough to cushion the impact. Along with the roof of the car, proper windshield installation protects the vehicle occupants in the case of a rollover by keeping them in the safety of the passenger compartment. This video illustrates what can happen in a collision.

If the original windshield is damaged, there are two choices: one can either repair the original windshield, or replace it. The advantage of repair is the factory’s windshield safety seal won’t be broken. When the windshield is repaired and not removed from the car, it saves both the very expensive windshield and the original safety seal—and ensures greater safety for owner and their occupants.

So get the word out with your customers on the safety benefits of windshield repair and GlasWeld’s windshield repair kits.

Doing Our Part to Lower Carbon Footprint

Ecofriendly and environmentally conscious statements might seem overused today, but their actions continue to be important. Take the example of windshield recycling, which is enormously difficult because of the following:

• Glass takes more than 1 million years to decompose in our landfills. And about 15 million windshields wind up there each year in the U.S. alone.
• The use of plastic laminates makes windshield recycling even worse. Individual layers have to be separated before they can be recycled and some elements, such as heating and radio antennas, can’t be placed in glass furnaces for remolding.

Wasted energy and the release of greenhouse gasses into the air when a new windshield is produced are other considerations. The production of one windshield is equal to the energy necessary for conducting 10,000 repairs. Also during the manufacturing process, emissions of combustion by-products (sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides) and high-temperature oxidation of atmospheric nitrogen are released into the air causing additional harm to the environment.

All of the above is why GlasWeld continues to do their part promoting ways to lower carbon footprint. Do yours, by promoting windshield repair instead of replacement whenever possible. GlasWeld certified windshield repair technicians have been trained and certified on the best practices in windshield repair. Learn how you can become a certified windshield repair technician or find a technician to repair your windshield today.

Sources:
The Boston Globe
Earth911.com
Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines for Glass Manufacturing, World Bank Group
British Glass, Glass Manufacture: A Mass Balance Study
California Department of Conservation
Sadechaf Technology

 

Whether to Fix Unique Window Scratches…Or Not

Besides encountering the most common types of window and door damage, our technicians have repaired some unique forms of glass damage as well. And what they have learned is that repairing the following types of damage doesn’t make a lot of sense from a time and an economic standpoint. So if you encounter the following damage weigh repair vs. replacement wisely.

Glass Scratch Repair for Coated Glass: Working on a piece of coated glass can be a real challenge. Most repair technicians will quickly remove the coating in that particular area, which can leave an unattractive rainbow haze and hurt visibility. A better approach—if you decide repair is viable—is to remove the coating from the entire piece of glass before proceeding with glass scratch repair. While this is more time consuming, it’s well worth the effort in the end. If you’re uncertain whether glass is coated, contact the manufacturer.

Fabrication Debris: Many technicians encounter damage typically created by cleaning crews who use metal scrapers to clean glass. Tempered glass can have small glass dust fused into the surface. Scraper blades can dislodge these particles and leave hundreds, if not thousands, of micro window scratches throughout the entire window or door. Resurfacing the entire pane of glass then becomes the only solution, which is very time consuming.  If this happens, discuss with your customer if replacement will be more economical than the cost to repair. They will appreciate your honesty!