Tempered Glass Vs Laminated Glass
The main difference between tempered and laminated glass is in the way each is produced. Laminated glass is made by sandwiching a glass substrate (also called laminate or polyvinyl butyral) in between two additional sheets of glass, while tempered glass is made by heating and cooling a large piece of glass in rapid succession. Both types of glass are heated and while hot, the large glass pieces are rolled on rollers so that it conforms to shape that fits the pattern of the windshield. Both of these methods creates a strong and durable glass that is used in automobile windows and windshields, but each has its own set of characteristics and behaviors.
Laminated glass in beneficial because if it is struck during a car accident, the windshield or window will not shatter into a million tiny pieces. Instead the windshield or window will stay together but have tons of cracks in the glass but for the most part, the broken pieces will still stick together rather than being thrown in a hundred different directions. In the event that a rock or other object hits the windshield or window at a high rate of speed, the windshield will not shatter either, however a crack or chip could appear that can obstruct the view of the driver. Fortunately, most cracks or chips can easily be corrected with the help of a professional windshield repair person or on your own by using a windshield repair kit or resin.
Tempered glass is also very strong, however it can shatter into a million tiny pieces. The more the quick succession heating and cooling process is done, the strong the glass will be, however it will also become more brittle. The heating and cooling actually causes the glass to compress, making it 5 to 10 times stronger than it was originally. That compression is also what causes the glass to break into dull pieces instead of sharp, jagged (and dangerous) shards.
