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Pleotint LLC of West Olive, Mich., is entering a new arena of products, which it describes as thermally-reversible light-scattering, or thermoscattering. According to the company, this technology allows a window to obscure the view when cold. Then, when the window is heated, it becomes clear.

The first product to use this technology is called Pleotint’s ThermoSEE glass. “As the temperature of the glass goes above a threshold point, the glass changes from scattering or frosted, to transparent to clear,” said Fred Miller, director of sales and marketing.
The company says this product will typically be used for privacy windows, skylights, sunrooms, oven windows, view ports for doors, fireplaces and decorative mirrors.

“Anywhere privacy is needed, and, at times, a clear view is desired,” added Miller.
In addition to the privacy effect ThermoSEE glass can enhance the daylighting of a skylight. Pleotint says the ThermoSEE material scatters light, so when the sun is shining on it, the light is scattered and appears as a bright white light, similar to a fluorescent light. When heated, the glass becomes clear and appears as ordinary glass. The thermoscattering effect allows for natural daylight, allowing the sun’s energy to penetrate, but in a more pleasing way; yet, when heated, the glass changes to provide the properties of a traditional clear glass skylight.

The Scratch Hog 2 is the newest creation from Glass Technology of Durango, Colo. According to the company, the system can remove scratches, which have previously been considered too time consuming to remove. It uses a special pad that doesn’t require any compounds or slurry, and also uses its own water system.

“For years I believed it could be done without using cerium oxide or a slurry, but we couldn’t find the right combination of pads,” said Kerry Wanstrath, the company’s vice president. “It’s always been a product that we thought had great potential, but nothing would do what we expected.”

Ingersoll-Rand of Baxter Springs, Kan., has developed CNC waterjet glass-cutting equipment to revolutionize the business of glass fabricators. According to the company, the CNC waterjet glass-cutting system enables fabricators to produce more precise, complicated shapes in a wider variety of glass types as well as related granites and marbles. Utilizing its CNC capabilities, the waterjet cutting system can even use CAD files to create the necessary programming to produce the intricate shapes sought by customers.

“There’s no question that waterjet cutting provides the precision cutting needed to create many of the complex shapes and unique requirements of our products,” said Goran Vujcic, chief programming specialist for Nova Classique Glass Industries Inc. in Downsview. Nova Classique Glass has used the CNC waterjet cutting system from Ingersoll-Rand for three years to produce glass designs from three-dimensional and flat sculptures to glass furniture and special glass architectural accessories. He continued, “Because waterjet technology was a new manufacturing process for us, we have progressed through a learning curve that we are now comfortable with.”

Ingersoll-Rand says the waterjet cutting system’s intensifier pressurizes water up to 55,000 psi. Then, the water is focused through a small precious stone orifice and forms an intense cutting stream with a velocity of up to 2.5 times the speed of sound, depending on water pressure. The system will also cut harder materials like titanium, steel and others, but the user must add a fine mesh of abrasive garnet to the cutting stream in order to do so.

Nordicon, based in Denmark, is introducing the Nordicon Block Unit to the North American fenestration industry. The Nordicon Blind unit is made of genuine insulating glass with a built-in Venetian blind. The blind slats can be tilted by means of a hermetically-sealed shaft for manual or electric operation. In addition, different types of glass are available in the Nordicon units, which determines each window’s energy-efficiency. According to the company, the units have been installed in Danish houses for ten years to decrease the discomfort caused by cold draughts, heat radiation, glare and reflections on data screens.

St. Louis-based Solutia Inc. has introduced a new plastic interlayer, Saflex HP. According to the company, Saflex HP is specifically designed for use in laminated glass to meet the commercial demand for large windows that provide enhanced protection, including protection against violent storms and hurricanes. The company plans to utilize the new 100-gauge plastic interlayer in the curtainwall and storefronts it produces with its partner, Kawneer Co. Inc.
“Saflex HP is a unique, all polyvinyl butyral product that helps windows meet the rigorous large missile hurricane test in applications where the glazing opening is greater than 40-square-feet,” said Julie Schimmelpenningh, product development manager for Saflex. “Before the introduction of this product, laminators did not have the ability to use their standard production processes to create glazing for the growing commercial window and door applications in Florida and other hurricane-prone areas.”

JLM Wholesale of Oxford, Mich., has added Schlage’s mechanical and electrical locks to the list of products it currently distributes. Through its two locations in Oxford, Mich., and Charlotte, N.C., JLM is capable of shipping almost anywhere on the ground in two days. In addition, customers can order JLM’s locks online at http://www.jlmwholesale.com.

UCB
resins
UCB Launches New Resins

UCB Chemicals Corp. of Smyrna, Ga., recently launched its Uvekol® Ultraviolet glass laminating resin. According to the company, Uvekol eliminates premature curing, batch mixing and long cure times. In addition, it is non-yellowing, moisture-resistant and meets safety and architectural glass specifications in flexibility.
UCB says Uvekol can be applied easily and cleanly and in less than ten minutes. Likewise, it provides glass with strength and toughness to form a barrier for security on storefronts, solariums, atriums, sliding glass doors and shower doors.

Gaska Tape Inc. of Elkhart, Ind., has published a study on its VK Series spacer tape. According to the company, it designed the tape to replace expensive urethane and traditional cork. Gaska’s new literature sheet details case studies of specific applications of the tape and also provides information on how it says the VK Series has given window manufacturers and structural glass designers a choice of patented heavy and medium density vinyl foam.
“Our product innovation study helps engineers and designers better understand the use and versatility of our materials with actual case studies of usage in the field,” said Steve Matthews, director of sales and marketing. “What better way to understand the depth of a material than to learn firsthand from those that have specified it themselves.”

Tyrolit Vincent, part of the Swarovski Group, is now marketing diamond tipped drills. The company claims that the drills, which are between 3 and 100-mm in diameter, assure exceptional performance, a clean cut with sharp edges, and a much higher yield than other drills. The drills are between 75-and 95-mm long, with the diamond band working up to a working height of 35-mm.

C.R. Laurence Co. Inc. (CRL), based in Los Angeles, has developed the CRL Glass Jack. The jack is a device designed to allow one person to safely and easily adjust large glass and mirror panels. According to CRL, the jack should be set on a solid surface for use, and its cradle is then positioned under a vacuum cup and the cup is attached to the panel. Then, by turning the center adjustment the glass raises or lowers.
“Used with any 8-, 9- or 10-inch Woods Vacuum Cup, this precision-machined tool allows the handler to adjust and set a large glass or mirror panel while getting a better view of the job without any interference,” said Steve Frey, product manager.