American auto glass is arguably the world’s safest, most advanced form of window glazing. That’s because of the safety features incorporated into today’s auto window glass.
Back in the old days, American auto glass used to be the same kind as ordinary window glass found in all homes and businesses. Yet, ordinary glass was soon found to be unacceptable for vehicle windows.
As automotive engineers quickly learned, the constant roadway vibration and bumps during daily use often resulted in breakage that required car window repair. Worse, during an accident shattered glass is dangerous to a vehicle’s occupants.
History of auto safety glass
Engineers have worked long and hard to improve American auto glass. As early as 1912 several well-known companies began producing safe American auto glass – DuPont, Libbey-Owens-Ford, and Pittsburgh Plate Glass.
At first, safety glass was so costly to manufacture that it was used only for windshields, and it was an expensive option.
Yet, by 1936 several American companies had developed laminated safety glass suitable for both windshields and auto windows. The Ford Motor Company was the earliest large-scale adopter of this new automotive technology.
Early safety glass relied on one or more inner layers of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) plastic sandwiched between layers of glass. When broken this safety glass still separated into pieces, but at least it didn’t shatter completely – The shards were mostly kept together by the safety laminate adhering to them.
In the beginning, the chief technical issues arising from safe auto glass were twofold – The inner layer of safety laminate tended to become cloudy or discolored, and it was fairly easily penetrated during auto accidents.
During the years since then, engineers have continued to make steady improvements in auto glass.
American automotive glass
Nowadays, even after many years of technological advances, modern auto safety glass still works the same way – Once the glass is bonded to a layer of plastic [either ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) or PVB], if broken it should still remain firmly attached to that flexible plastic layer.
Even if badly broken, today’s auto windshields still remain intact after impact. Everyone’s familiar with the “spider web” pattern seen in broken windshields.
Most importantly, the glass shards remain strongly attached to the plastic layer and are therefore far less dangerous to the vehicle’s occupants during a crash.
Andy’s American auto glass
Andy’s American auto glass is Tucson’s leading source for glass repair and replacement. We have more than forty years of experience in repairing and installing windshields, windows and mirrors for all vehicle makes and models.
Our technicians are certified all-American experts when it comes to fixing car windows and windshields. Whether you need glass for a car, truck, or specialty vehicle, we have it in-stock and ready to be installed by our team.
Broken window or cracked windshield? We can help. Contact Tucson’s auto glass pros now!