Heat treating is a process that imparts additional strength to flat glass products. Heating and cooling cycles are carefully controlled to produce Heat Strengthened or Fully Tempered glass. Heat strengthened glass is twice as strong as annealed glass but retains the same breakage characteristics. Defined by ASTM C 1048 to have a surface compression of 7500psi or less, Heat Strengthened glass is not considered a safety glazing material. Heat is the preferred process to resist thermal stress and provide additional load resistance when needed.

Fully tempered glass is four times stronger than annealed glass and is considered a safety glazing material. The strength imparted in the tempering process dramatically increase the ability of fully tempered glass to resist bending forces. The heat treating process does not change the rigidity or deflection characteristics of glass. The very high strain induced in the quenching process will cause the glass to fragment into innumerable small fragments or roughly cubicle pieces. The small fragments are rough and sharp and may interlock. With little structural integrity the majority of the glass often falls from the opening. The interlocking clumps though properly fragmented can and do remain intact until impact with a solid surface. This inherent characteristic and the risk of spontaneous breakage are trade offs for the strength and safety for human impact. The design professional should consider the location and proximity of populated areas below fully tempered glazing. The resulting debris from fallout can cause serious injury. Areas of high risk can usually be accommodated with laminated construction to meet code.

Arch safety glazing products are permanently marked with a logo. This is a trade mark of our organization and it represents our commitment to quality assurance. and is certification of conformance to both ANSI Z 97.1 - 2004 and CPSC 16 CFR 1201. Arch Aluminum is self certified through rigorous in house testing. Each location is also audited by and must provide routine samples to nationally recognized laboratories to verify compliance to industry and government standards. The application of our trade logo to each piece at the time of manufacture is your assurance and our guarantee of compliance. The permanent marking contains information regarding test standards, classification, thickness and branch location. To be considered safety glazing logos must be visible and legible after installation to comply with national building and elevator codes. Arch Aluminum will not certify by temporary label, shipping document or letter any certification of safety glazing. Using or installing any glass in hazardous locations not fully in compliance is unsafe and illegal.

Available in thicknesses from 1/8" to 3/4".

Heat-treated specifications.

Contact your local Arch branch or representative for further details.