Demand for Bullet Proof Glass Rises: Prices To Fall?

The demand for armored vehicles has been on the rise but in recent years there has been a spike in demand throughout the world. This has led manufacturers to launch car models that have bullet proof glass as a standard feature rather than an option.

Bullet proof glass is by itself insufficient in providing protection from armed attacks. Contrary to what might be observed in mainstream cinema, bullets can penetrate through the body of a regular car quite easily.

In the past, this meant that if you wished to purchase a bullet proof vehicle, the car manufacturer or security firm would take an ordinary car and strip it down before modifying the car and adding bullet proof glass. These custom jobs required hefty fees that were within the reach of only a very small minority.

But the recent spike in demand has led car manufacturers to review their process. Instead of stripping down cars and customizing them, bullet proof cars are now built from scratch. Audi, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes and Rolls Royce are just some of the manufacturers that offer armored cars featuring bullet proof glass.

One of the reasons for the spike in demand for bullet proof glass and armored vehicles is the increase in political tensions and armed conflicts throughout the world. Many leaders of state and politicians now utilize bullet proof glass and armored cars instead of ordinary vehicles due to the threat of assassination attempts or terrorist attacks.

Consequently, there are now standards that classify a vehicle based on how much protection it can provide against bullets and explosions. These are the BRV (Bullet Resistant Vehicle) 2009 guidelines and ERV (Explosion Resistant Vehicles) 2010 guidelines.

Others comply with the NATO STANAG (North Atlantic Treaty Organization Standard Agreement) 4569, which covers the standards for “Protection of Occupants of Logistic and Light Armored Vehicles”.

Many high end luxury cars have high security features that comply with these guidelines and utilize armor and bullet proof glass to keep the vehicles occupants safe.

Considering that the increasing demand for bullet proof glass and armored vehicles has led more car manufacturers and security firms to begin offering armored vehicles, it is widely speculated that the cost of bullet proof glass will fall.

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The Significance of Laminated Auto Glass & Future Applications

Laminated glass is the type of glass used to make windshields. The rear and side windows, on the other hand, are made of tempered glass. So, the question arises: why are different types of glass necessary?

Glass is tempered using the thermal or chemical treatment process. The thermal treatment process involves heating up the glass to a specific temperature and then cooling it down rapidly. This makes the outer layer harder than the inner layer while making the glass stronger physically and thermally.

Thermal treatment also causes imbalances in the internal stresses of the tempered glass. This is the reason why tempered glass shatters into small granular chunks that are not as harmful as shards of glass.

Laminated glass on the other hand is usually made of three layers; the outer layers are often tempered glass while the central layer is a resin known as PVB (PolyVinyl Butyral). The central layer acts like an adhesive and holds the glass layers together.

When an object hits the outermost layer, the outer layer may crack although the windshield will continue to hold together. If the object impacts with enough force it may pierce through the windshield, but even so the windshield will not shatter into pieces.

This aspect of laminated glass is very useful in car crashes, collisions or accidents of any nature as most objects will not be able to pass through the laminated windshield due to its high strength. Additionally, the windshield will not break into fragments that may injure the driver or passengers when an object hits the windshield.

Additional materials can be added to laminated windshields to provide greater protection from solar radiation (ultraviolet or infrared radiation) or to improve the strength of radio, cell phone and GPS signals.

HUD (Heads-Up Display) is a technology that projects information such as the speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge, and route navigation onto a laminated windscreen. Another benefit of using laminated auto glass is that the PVB layer provides noise reduction.

There is, however, at least one downside to using laminated auto glass. It is much easier for people trapped in cars to break through tempered glass as opposed to laminated glass. This can be critical in situations where it is urgent to escape the car and the vehicle’s occupants are injured or weak.

Conversely, this aspect is a bonus when it comes to security as it makes it more difficult for thieves to break through the car’s windows. It can take up to ten times the amount of time required to break through laminated glass as compared to tempered glass.

All things considered, the safety of automobile might be much improved if all the windows used were made of laminated glass as opposed to tempered glass. This would be an ideal solution if a method to quickly break through auto glass from the inside can be found.

Local Auto Glass is a premier windshield repair and replacement service that offers free mobile service. With lifetime warranty on parts and service, you can be sure that the windshield replacement or repair on your car is done perfectly. Our friendly mobile installers are NGA (National Glass Association) certified and can repair your auto glass at the spot where your vehicle is located. Visit our website to get a quote or contact us and get free coupons worth $10 off on windshield replacement or repair.

Windshield Replacement: OEM or Aftermarket?

If your windshield gets damaged, then the first thing you need to decide is whether it can be repaired or replaced. As there are no clearly defined rules regarding auto glass repair, it is best left to certified repair specialists to decide whether your windshield may be repaired. If they find that your windshield needs to be replaced, you then have a choice to select an OEM windshield or an aftermarket windshield.

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) spare parts are made by the company that originally manufactured the product. As a practical example, imagine that you own a Lexus. The OEM windshields on your Lexus will be those that are made by Lexus. Alternatively, Lexus may source the windshields used in your car from a third party, in which case that third party would be the OEM.

You can get OEM windshields from approved automobile dealerships or from an OEM distributor. OEM windshields from a manufacturer-approved automobile dealership are produced by the company that makes the windshields that are factory fitted into a car. These are made in accordance with the specifications set by the car manufacturer. The latter are also made to meet the specifications of the car manufacturer but by another windshield maker.

Aftermarket spare parts, on the other hand, are not manufactured by OEM. They are often cheaper than OEM products and may be of a better or worse quality since they are not made tomeet the specifications set by the car manufacturer

Car owners therefore face the dilemma of choosing between a significantly cheaper aftermarket windshield and an OEM windshield for their cars. Unfortunately, there are no guidelines a user to follow as the quality varies significantly between aftermarket manufacturers and car models. A lot depends on your financial standing and the insurance you have signed up for.

If you are having a leased vehicle repaired, you should opt for OEM windshields because dealers do not accept aftermarket glass. This is becauseaftermarket glass does not carry the same guarantee as an OEM windshield does.

Local Auto Glass is a leading windshield replacement and repair service that offers free mobile glass service so that you can have your windshield replaced at your home, office or wherever your car is located. Our team of mobile installers are not only extremely helpful and friendly, they are also NGA (National Glass Association) certified and highly trained professionals who know their job. Get your car serviced the same day you call us and enjoy a life time warranty on all glass defects and craftsmanship. Visit our website in order to get a quote from us and save $10 on windshield replacement or repair.