Why Don’t Windshields Shatter on Impact?
The new car windshield and auto glass repair Tulsa results from many changes to the original plate glass used to secure drivers and make driving more convenient. Unlike a normal glass pane, the windshield on a car or truck breaks into thousands of tiny bits on impact – most of which are kept in place by a plastic film.
Plate Glass Windshields – A Significant Health Problem
The first vehicles to get built did not have windshields. But the very first car drivers soon felt the need for some sort of security. Even riding at a slow speed, watching the wind blowing in your face, packed with bugs, stones, and other debris, made driving harder than necessary. As a result, the first windshields introduced to automobiles we were made of the same type of glass used in residential windows and auto glass repair Tulsa.
With a growing number of people owning and driving vehicles, there has been a rise in injuries. It was quickly realized that the plate glass used in auto windshields posed a real risk to the driver and the passenger. If the glass broke and struck the passengers in the car, they would likely be cut. And if anyone was unhappy enough to crash through the window – something that happens daily when there are no seat belts – he or she might easily die from lacerations. Deaths from falling through a car window occurred often enough that the phrase “wearing a glass necklace” was used by people who died.
Improving the Windshield by Accident
Although attempts are frequently made to produce a better windshield, like that of the beginning of the development of glass at Ford’s processing plants, an unintentional finding by the French chemist Edouard Benedictus has contributed to the windshields utilized nowadays. The confusion prompted a glass beaker to be set up in the lab without washing. However, the cellulose substance left in the beaker prevented the glass from flying anywhere. The glass broke, but it remained attached to the cellulose material – giving Benedictus the concept of making a better glass material with auto glass repair Tulsa.
Benedictus patented his first innovative glass device in 1905. A variety of innovations and inventions by various parties took place before the concept reached the automotive windshields. In the end, Ford continued to use safety glass in its vehicles in 1928. Thus, opening the way for safety glass to appear in a wide range of vehicles from several manufacturers.
What Keeps Windshields from Shattering?
The modern protective glass used in cars and trucks consists of three layers – two layers of glass and a buffer part of Poly-Vinyl Butyral, a rubber substance that locks the two layers of glass intact. The glass layers are heated and cooled using a special method to make them solid, and the plastic coating provides extra protection by holding much of the glass in place.
If an impact hits the window with enough energy, it breaks the glass. But instead of breaking into huge, small, potentially dangerous pieces, the glass is built to remain in place due to the inner coating of plastic. Any glass can still be free if the effect is appropriate, but most glass can remain.
Is Safety Glass Used in All Car Windows?
Safety or laminated glass is the norm for windshields at the front of the car. However, it can or may not be included in other car screens. In almost all cars, the other windows are made of tempered glass. Tempered glass is often heated and cooled in a particular way to improve its strength. Although unlike laminated glass, tempered glass has no plastic coating inside.
Tempering makes the glass better. It often splits it down in a particular manner – into many little bits. Therefore, the tempered glass in all the other windows of your car is not only solid. It’s also pretty safe if it breaks down.
Is It Safe to Drive with a Cracked Windshield?
Driving through a broken window is never a safe idea, whether for a long or short time. If cracking occurs, it’s better to start searching for a reliable auto glass Tulsa provider earlier rather than later. You would like to guarantee your safety and that of the occupants in your car. The windshield is a crucial part of the safety mechanism, so you should get the windshield replacement Tulsa or windshield repair Tulsa when necessary.
A Chip or a Crack?
A windshield crack is distinct from a chip and can also be fixed. There are several types of windshield destruction, but you can most commonly hear “rock” or “crack.” A rock is a common term for slight damage to the windshield. Thus, while a crack of damage is a discrete line that extends through the windshield. Find out more details about deciding whether a fix or replacement is needed. Is it possible to patch a crack? Often, whether it’s 14 inches or less, it is not in the pilot’s field of view. A qualified maintenance specialist can judge if the maintenance will impact the car’s function. In that case, he or she is going to recommend a substitute with auto glass repair Tulsa.
Don’t Wait to Replace
When you’ve decided that a gap needs to be patched. Don’t wait to ask yourself how long you can drive on your broken windshield. One of the most frequent problems with small cracks is that they continue to expand. Temperature also plays a part here, as adjustments will cause the glass to expand and contract. The break causes a weak point in the mirror, so why wait to fix the windshield?
You can choose Glassworks Auto Glass for your auto glass repair Tulsa in and around Tulsa, OK (Oklahoma). We offer customers the best auto glass Tulsa services, ensuring that the windshield can protect you and the passengers in the car. Our professionals will provide you with services like windshield replacement Tulsa or auto glass repair Tulsa OK, based on the damage to the windshield.