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Windshield Origins

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Windshield Origins

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  1. Most early cars did not have a windshield; they were manufactured with an open air design.

  2. Drivers wore goggles to protect their eyes from the elements.

  3. The windshield became popular because it was an improved way to protect yourself and your passengers from wind and debris.

  4. The first windshields were made out of glass.

  5. Instead of helping people, the shattering glass on impact would actually cause more injuries, then the windshield was meant to protect.

  6. That is why auto manufacturers switched to using tempered glass.

  7. Tempering is a special process which makes the glass more shatter resistant.

  8. Most windshields are made using the “float method”.

  9. A special formula consisting of silica, soda ash, dolomite, cullet, and limestone mixed together, and then sent through a chamber known as the float chamber.

  10. The float chamber is made of a sheet of molten tin, reaching a temperature of 1.800 degrees Fahrenheit, where the glass is passed above this section of molten tin.

  11. The intense heat of the chamber causes the glass mixture to float above the molten tin while removing any impurities within the glass.

  12. As the glass exits the float chamber the change in temperature causes the glass to harden just enough to move into the next chamber.

  13. The next chamber, at around 400 degrees Fahrenheit, is much cooler than the float chamber.

  14. This temperature allows for the annealing process where the glass is cooled slowly to make it stronger.

  15. After exiting the last chamber the glass is cooled to room temperature and is now ready to be cut.

  16. The section of glass is now placed into a mold that is heated to allow the glass to take the shape of a windshield.

  17. Once the glass has taken its shape, the lamination process begins.

  18. A layer of poly-vinyl butyral is sandwiched between two sheets of tempered glass and heated with an autoclave.

  19. The heating process turns all the layers clear making it see-through.

  20. New research is being conducted every day to develop new ways to make glass safer and more durable.

  21. Some glass can even resist UV light, fix scratches on its own, and has anti-fog capability.

  22. Being shatter resistant and coated to reflect some of the sun’s rays the windshield has now become one of the car’s most important designs and safety features.

  23. With this information drivers are able to better understand the origins of the windshield, and the benefits that they provide drivers every day.

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