Automobile glass uses tempered glass all the way around the vehicle - except, of course, the windshield which is laminated glass. The primary use of this type of glass is for situations when stronger glass is more preferable. It is also ideal for any situation that calls for extra safety in case it should crack or break (this type of glass will shatter into thousands of tiny pieces instead of large, dangerous shards of glass).
Experts say that tempered glass is at least five times stronger than regular glass. This is because it has been through a controlled heating process during its production. The simple explanation of how this process works is that the glass is placed into a tempering oven. The oven is set to an extreme heat. The glass heats up and then is quickly removed and cooled down in quick fashion. The rapid cooling produces a hard outer layer of glass.
There are many nick names for this type of glass. The most common term is Tempered Glass. Most professionals will use the phrase "tempered glass" when referring to this type of glass. However, any of these nick names will also work: heat treated glass, thermal glass, and the ever popular "safety glass".
There are two primary benefits to using tempered glass. The first, as mentioned above, is that the heating process makes it stronger and less apt to break. The heating process also makes its surface area highly resistant to scratching. The second benefit is why the glass also bears the nickname of Safety Glass. When this type of glass breaks, it will shatter into possibly thousands of tiny pieces of glass. Although these small pieces are not completely harmless, they are much less likely to hurt someone than long shards of glass (such as you would get when breaking a typical home window).
The safety benefit of this type is great for use in car windows, tub and showers, display cases (such as jewelry cases or any other type of cases that are subject to being handled by the general public), table tops, storefront display windows, and even doors (like the all-glass entrance doors used by major department stores).
Although you probably don't realize it, your computer monitor most likely uses tempered glass for its screen. Most kitchen ware uses it too, such as coffee pots or juice carafes. Does your oven have a window so you can watch things cook and bake? Guess what: that oven window is made from tempered glass. Most refrigerator shelves are also made from tempered glass. And last (but certainly not least), your everyday pair of sunglasses are made from tempered glass! If sunglasses weren't made from safety glass, can you imagine the millions of lawsuits that would be filed against sunglasses manufactures? Thankfully, most of them are made from tempered glass or even plastic; it's extremely difficult for a person to harm themselves when they break their sunglasses.
If there is a detriment to the process of tempering, it is that the glass must be fully prepared in its final form before undergoing the heating process - there can be no cuts or drilling of any kind after the tempering process has been completed. If you were to try to alter the final form in any way, the glass would more than likely shatter into a thousand pieces the moment you placed any significant pressure on it.
If you'd like to learn more, contact your local glass expert. He or she can provide you with the latest and greatest information regarding the tempering process.
