Wired glasses were the first successful attempt by the glass industry to bring a safety product to the market.
The idea is very simple and was based on that of the construction of the well-known "reinforced concrete". Concrete as a material is very different from glass, but it has a great resemblance! While it is a very resistant material to compressive forces, it is extremely sensitive to tensile forces. The same thing happens with glass.
So since in the cement industry the solution to the problem was found by inserting iron bars (or mesh) into the cement when it is still in liquid form, the exact same solution was adopted in the glass industry.
Thus was born the idea of wired glass. Its construction in terms of composition and melting is exactly the same as that of ordinary glass. The differentiation is at the stage where the glass is still in liquid form and enters the setting phase. At that time, a stainless steel wire mesh is inserted into the liquid mixture, which after cooling the glass remains trapped in its mass.
PROPERTIES
Reinforced windows, due to the metal mesh they carry in their mass have some additional properties compared to plain windows.
- They have greater mechanical strength in terms of tensile and therefore show increased elasticity.
- In case of breakage, the wire mesh holds the broken pieces, thus avoiding the undesirable consequences of an accidental breakage.
- Due to the metal mesh as well, these windows are an easy solution to the problem of fire safety, as they hold the flames even after they explode, giving the staff time to escape.
- Usually on the surface of the glass there are imprinted various decorative designs, which have a decorative use.
| Colour | Thickness | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Nashiji Clear | 06mm |
160,0 x 204,0 180,0 x 220,0 185,0 x 254,0 185,0 x 335,0 187,5 x 250,0 200,0 x 250,0 |
| Nashiji Bronze | 06mm | 187,5 x 250,0 |
| Nashiji Grey | 06mm | 187,5 x 250,0 |
| Clear (Ε30) | 06,8mm | 198,4 x 330,2 |
CHARACTERISTICS
The physical characteristics are almost the same as those of the corresponding common glass. This is exactly how the factors remain, such as:
U: Thermal permeability coefficient
E: Emission factor
EA: Energy absorption coefficient
LR: Light reflection coefficient
UV: Ultraviolet permeability coefficient
Rw: Sound impairment factor
S: Selectivity coefficient
The following 2 factores are slightly reduced, due to the presence of the metal mesh:
SC: Total energy permeability coefficient
LT: Light transmittance
Due to the special properties of wired glasses, they have become very popular in a number of applications, but most of which nowadays have been "replaced" by more modern security products such as triplex and securit. However, because for many decades reinforced glass was the only glass safety product even today we see it in many applications such as:
- Balconies
- Shelters
- Terraces
- Skylights
- Elevator doors
- Doors of public buildings (barracks, schools, police stations, etc.)
- High glazing with no balconies (warehouses, industrial premises, etc.)
Related Products
Thermally tempered glasses (Securit) focuses on tremendous fracture toughness (400% more durable than ordinary), thus offering "active" safety. In other words, they try to completely prevent the unpleasant consequences of the failure (breaking) of a glass.
Heat-Strengthened Glasses have 2 times increased mechanical strength, compared to the corresponding thickness of common glasses. In case the breaking limit is exceeded, then they break into large pieces with the result that the pieces are held in place. They also show greater resistance to temperature changes (up to 200°C), which makes them invulnerable to heat shock (from non-artificial means).
Some types of glass can withstand the shockwaves of an explosion without shattering even though they are ultimately destroyed. Such glass can prevent serious bodily injury caused by flying shards of glass or other external debris.
This category of special glass meets safety and protection needs for premises where it is requested (banks, public buildings, museums, offices, etc.). The criteria which must be met by safety glass and the categories that are classified according to the level of protection provided, are controlled and measured using specific methodology as described in detail in the applicable international standards. Today, in European countries, the required standard for antivandalism glazing is the norm EN 356.
What has to be pointed is that the classification of glass into categories, based on European standards, is independent of their composition and depends exclusively on strength performance during the required tests.
These products are designed to have the capacity to absorb large amounts of impact momentum without bursting completely. The view does not differ from common glass equivalent thickness and so without the slightest aesthetic compromise,
it offers a transparent security barrier against most malicious actions.
The classification of types of bulletproof safety glass follows a nomenclature which corresponds to specific performance as checked/measured according to a specific methodology which are described in the European standard EN 1063.
“Smart” film alters from transparent to opaque in a laminated glass, simply, by the usage of electricity and a switch.
