Decorative Glass - November 2008

November 2008

Decorative Discussions

Glass Standards: Why Are They Important
Association Efforts Set Out to Raise the Bar of Product Performance
by Kris Vockler

The Glass Association of North America’s (GANA) Decorative Division is relatively new, and one of the most important tasks of a new division is setting up voluntary industry standards, test methods and recommended practices from fabrication to installation. Why is this important? Because creating such documents is a way to improve the quality, reliability and performance of products—how they are made, used, specified and observed. Under these guidelines if a product failure occurs we know there are specifications in place that can help us try and understand the cause.

Safer and Better
According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the history of setting standards goes back quite far. King Henry I of England standardized measurement in 1120 A.D. when he brought the world the “ell,” the equivalent length of his arm. Before that there was the creation of our calendar system that started with our Ice Age ancestors. Even back then, people saw a need for standardization because it helps ensure safety, efficiency, cost-savings in process and generally a better product.

In addition to North American standards, created by groups such as ANSI and ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials), there are global and international standards, too. Countries, regions and other jurisdictions have developed standards; the European Union has its own set of standards; and the International Organization for Standardization is developing global and international standards, as well.

All in the Details
Representing the North American glass industry, GANA has been involved in the development of voluntary standards, specifications and test methods. You might wonder, “why does this responsibility fall upon GANA if there are already standard-setting organizations?” While organizations, such as ANSI and ASTM International, try to focus on the areas where they can have the greatest, positive effect, one group alone cannot accomplish everything. Where the larger groups’ capabilities end, other technically knowledgeable groups can have an impact. So, when it comes to creating standards for the glass industry, who’s better to do so than the leaders of the industry?

GANA specifications are written so that they complement the guidelines already available through other organizations. GANA standards often take into account product and/or design-specific details not necessarily covered by others. Consider the following example of how a GANA voluntary specification complements another group’s guideline. While ASTM developed C 1048 Standard Specification for Heat-Treated Flat Glass, GANA has gone a step further with a specification that focuses on the durability of a spandrel opacifier. GANA’s Section 4.1 89-1-6 Specification for Environmental Durability of a Fully Tempered or Heat Strengthened Spandrel Glass with Applied Opacifiers addresses how well spandrel glass is expected to perform in relation to weathering, UV fade, peeling, chipping, etc. It is an important specification that sets the stage for specific weather exposure to which an opacifier must be subjected as well as a range of results a product must meet in order to be considered durable enough for the spandrel cavity. You might be asking yourself: “Why do I care?” If you have ever been a part of a project where the spandrel faded after a year or peeled off the glass in six months, you will likely understand that not all products are created equal. The specification was developed to protect all involved.

Industry Efforts
The GANA Decorative Division is still quite new; so, too, is the widespread use of decorative glass. The development of voluntary standards and test methods will soon follow, which is important, considering the many different products that go into creating decorative glass. The Decorative Division technical committee is working toward the development of standards and specifications. GANA members are taking on these groundbreaking efforts to improve the industry’s products … history is in the making.