Safety – Tempar-Glas® is certified by the Safety Glazing Certification Council to meet the requirements for safety glazing materials as defined by the American National Standards Institute, specification ANSI Z97.1, and the Consumer Products Safety Commission, specification number CPSC 16 CFR 1201, category II. If Tempar-Glas® were to break, it will disintegrate into innumerable, small, rounded particles which are unlikely to produce deep, piercing injuries normally associated with shards of broken annealed glass.
Strength – Tempar-Glas® is three to five times stronger than annealed glass of the same thickness. The surface compression of Tempar-Glas® is not less than 10,000 psi and the edge compression is not less than 9,700 psi.
Thermal Shock Resistance – Due to the potential for thermal stresses that curtain walls, fenestrations, or other glass applications might be subjected, heat treating must be considered. The requirement to heat treat glass for thermal shock resistance is dependent upon the application and type of glass being used, either monolithically or in combination with other glass in an insulating glass unit. (Refer to Technical Bulletin TG-7 for important information concerning the use of heat-strengthened glass vs. fully-tempered glass.) Tempar-Glas® can sustain a temperature differential of up to 400° F between two surface areas, and can withstand a uniform temperature of up to 550° F without serious loss of its temper. Tempered glass is not a fire retardant material, however.
