September/October 2002

The Showroom

TOOLS

Equalizer Has Two New Offerings  

Round Rock, Texas-based Equalizer Industries has added the UCV74 Unicut to its product line. The tool allows one person to cut out a windshield using wire, taking the place of the second person on the inside in the vehicle. The tool is equipped with a built-in vacuum cup that attaches to the inside of the glass, while the outside of the Unicut swivels 360 degrees around the vacuum cup so the complete windshield can be removed.

In addition, the company is now offering a heavy-duty self-assembled windshield stand. The HDS661 windshield stand comes in six major pieces, which allows for a smaller box that is easy to transport. The 24-inch-wide stand assembles quickly with just six bolts, according to the company.

Essex ARG Unveils U-419

Dayton, Ohio-based Dow Automotive/Essex ARG has announced the release of its U-419 small-head dauber. According to the company, the dauber’s diameter is half the size of the U-420 standard-head dauber. In addition, the company says the U-419 minimizes contamination, improves body-primer application and reduces waste. The 5-inch long dauber is available in packages of 144 each.

ADHESIVES

Sika Introduces Sikaflex 220+   

Sika-Industry has introduced Sikaflex 220+, a cold-applied, fast curing polyurethane-based adhesive for bonding windshields directly to vehicle body shells.

"Performance, ease of use and safety are the key criteria for Sika products," said John King, vice president of the transporation aftermarket business unit. "With Sikaflex 220+ we've raised the bar for auto glass replacement products on all three counts."  

Sikaflex 220+ was crash-tested and passed FMVSS 208/212 (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards pertaining to occupant safety and windshield retention in a crash). Undergoing the most rigorous testing at 30 mph head-on into a fixed barrier with dual airbags and unrestrained crash test dummies, Sikaflex 220+ maintained 100% windshield retention.

The company also has announced the addition of SikaFoam to its automotive product line. SikaFoam is a two-component, rigid polyurethane, pumpable system used to fill body cavities.

Depending on the density, SikaFoam can be used for acoustic and/or structural benefits, according to the company. Acoustic benefits provide a complete seal against water, dust and noise. Structural benefits include crash and side impact, roof crush/rollover, joint stiffness and down gauging and down sizing body sections.

"SikaFoam provides our automotive customers with an excellent low cost, high performance acoustical and/or structural product, which provides both weight and cost savings," said Kurt Lilley, marketing manager.

GLASS

PPG Develops Safe and Sound Windows
Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries has developed laminated glass to be used in the front sidelites of the new 2003 Lincoln Aviator. The “Safe and Sound” windows by PPG take up to 20 times longer to penetrate than standard tempered windows, according to Ernest Hahn, PPG vice president for automotive glass. According to the company, this is the first time enhanced performance glazing has been offered as a standard on a North American Vehicle.

“We worked with Lincoln to achieve a laminated window thin enough to fit into the standard door channel while affording the enhanced security and sound benefits,” Hahn said. “The windows represent a technological breakthrough because they are the thinnest aumototive laminated side windows in commercial production—less than 4 mm—allowing them to be a drop-in replacement for standard tempered parts. As a result, Lincoln is able to provide its customers with a highly desirable product without having to change door construction.”

PPG produces the laminated windows at its glass-fabricating plant in Tipton, Pa. The windows are made with two pieces of heat-strengthened glass laminated with a vinyl inner ply.

“It takes only about a second to break conventional tempered glass, while these Safe and Sound windows provide enhanced security because they take longer to penetrate,” Hahn added. “They also reduce wind and road noises for a quieter ride.”

Laminated sidelites could be the new trend, according to industry studies, including one commissioned by PPG and conducted by J.D. Power and Associates. The National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration also has made similar predictions. (See January/April 2002 AGRR, page 24, and May/June 2002 AGRR, page 42, for related stories.)

BILLING SERVICES

Florida Company Offers Billing Alternative
Auto Glass Billing Services of Fort Myers, Fla., provides electronic-data-interchange (EDI) services for auto glass replacement and repair technicians at an affordable cost. According to the company, glass shops must fax or mail a copy of their job assignments and company invoices to the company and it will send in an EDI and arrange for payment. In addition, the Florida-based company will audit the invoices based on the current NAGS list pricing. The system is designed to save the auto glass retailer from purchasing an expensive computer system and software package. Also, no start-up fees, contracts or monthly minimums are required.

BLADES

A.N. Designs Goes Stainless
A.N. Designs of Torrington, Conn., offers the UltraWiz® stainless steel blade. According to the company, the blade is one of the toughest available and never becomes brittle. Its design is taken from the Original UltraWiz® blade. The UltraWiz stainless steel blade is available in three cut lengths, ¾, 1 and 1 ½ inches.

SOFTWARE

NAGS Introduces GlassMate® Version 4
San Diego-based NAGS has introduced GlassMate Version 4, an updated version of its auto glass software. The company says this CD allows its operator to quickly look up auto glass part numbers and prices, prepare quotes on jobs, invoice customers and vendors, prepare work orders, access all information in the NAGS database and perform EDI transactions with a number of auto glass claims processing centers.

GLASS

Solutia Introduces Vanceva
Solutia Inc. of Troy, Mich., recently launched Vanceva, a polyvinyl butryal (PVB) pigmented interlayer that is inserted between glass sheets to extend exterior vehicle color to sidelites and sunroofs.

“Vanceva is one way for automakers to really differentiate a vehicle or an entire product line-like brown glass for one brand line and gray glass for another brand line,” said Thomas Laboda, automotive market development manager-films for Solutia. “It’s a color option with all the benefits of laminated glass: more intrusion resistance than standard tempered glass as well as noise reduction and ultraviolet protection.”

Color-paired patterns represents another product option. “By adding a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) with a printed pattern sandwiched between the PVB, you can then start adding geometric shapes, logos or embossing to add depth to the glass,” Laboda said.

COVERINGS

Savage Corp. Offers Smashwrap
The Savage Corp., which is based in Ypsilanti, Mich., offers Smashwrap, a covering for vehicles that have been involved in a collision. The wrap, which is usually used by collision repair shops, can also be used to cover windshields waiting to be repaired or replaced to protect them from weather or other outside conditions. Smashwrap protects the vehicle’s interior from moisture damage and reduces noise vibration, and can also protect the vehicle’s paint during the job.

MACHINERY

Ircon Introduces Backlite Inspection System
Niles, Ill.-based Ircon Inc. has introduced a thermal grid inspection system for inspecting backlites and, more specifically, a vehicle’s rear defroster, built into the glass. The Line Checker feature of the system detects broken grid lines that aren’t generating enough heat to be considered acceptable. Likewise, the system has a Hot Spot feature that locates hot spots associated with a neck-down or thinned-out grid line. By using this machine, the company says auto glass manufacturers and suppliers can save money through more rapid inspections and greater reliability of inspections.

BLADES

A.N. Designs Unveils 7000 Series
A.N. Designs of Torrington, Conn., has developed the 7000 Series UltraWiz® stainless steel coined blades. The series is available in three different styles, the 7001-M, 7002-M and 7004-M. According to the company, the 7001-M blade is ¾ inch and, according to the company, its edge is designed to reduce the need for sharpening. The 7002-M blade is 1-inch long and its added cut length provides deeper cutting abilities, according to A.N. Designs. Finally, the 7004-M has an 1 ½ inch blade that will cut deep corners and thick bases.

LITERATURE

SAE Introduces Reconstruction Source

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International) has published its 2002 Accident Reconstruction Technology Collection on CD-ROM. The CD-ROM combines the latest technical papers with important historical documents providing a comprehensive source on the topic of reconstructions, according to the company. The collection includes more than 1,000 full-text accident reconstruction technical papers that date as far back as 1959, and provides in-depth knowledge, new and standard techniques, formulas, statistics and test results. In addition, information on tires and wheels, braking systems, crash testing, failure analysis and frontal and side impacts is available.

TOOLS

Burchell Tool Co. Offers Pivot-Tip Knife 

Burchell Tool Co. LLC of Wayne, N.J., offers the BURCH-L® pivot-tip long knife, for sale through Pittsburgh-based PPG Auto Glass. According to the company, the tool was developed originally for the removal of windshields and extends into the bottom corners of current dash-lines, making it easy and safe to remove windshields using the tool. 

In addition, the BURCH-L knife has been used to remove quarter glasses and backlites. The tool features an 18-inch extended handle and pivoting tip.

 It also can be used for residential work in the removal of insulating glass lites.

AGRR