Bulletproof glass is meant to protect objects and people of value in a variety of setups. This write-up informs its readers about the extensive uses of such glass.
The use of bulletproof glass gained prominence in World War II, and since then they've been extensively used in government buildings, corporate offices, banks, shopping stores, post offices, churches, and schools, for security reasons.
In movies, we all must have seen such strong, bullet resistant suits, cars, and vehicles. In several incidents, bulletproof glass has been able to abort chances of loss of lives and property.
Although it is just like normal glass, there is a striking difference in the composition of bulletproof glass. Mostly, we come across two popular types of bulletproof glass.
Laminated Glass
This is a very heavy and thick glass that became popular during World War II and was used to safeguard soldiers.
Laminated bulletproof glass is made by putting two silicate glasses over amorphous polyamide sheeting and joining all the three with the help of adhesive polyvinyl butyral. Thin layers of glass sheets are also joined together using laminating polyurethane or ethylene-vinyl chemicals.
Tempered glass is also an essential component of bullet resistant glass. The thickness of laminated glass is between 4 to 5 inches and it can even extend to 8 inches.
Polycarbonate Thermoplastic
Sold under trade names like Lexan, Armormax, and Makroclear, this glass is made between layers of glass sheets that repel the object that makes an impact with it. Polycarbonate is a very hard material, resistant to bullets. Usually, these glasses are 70 to 75 mm (2.8 to 3.0 inches) thick.
Both, the laminated glass sheets and polycarbonate glass, reduce the impact and inertia of the object that hits the glass. It has to be noted that bulletproof glass does not work with bullets of very high intensity. The ability of bulletproof glass to prevent penetration decreases with increase in the intensity of bullets fired.
Bulletproof Glass Cost
For correct and reliable information on the pricing of bulletproof glass, one has to contact manufactures and visit their shops. Since the overall pricing depends on certain factors, like size and thickness, the cost of bulletproof glass can vary significantly.
Since competition among various manufactures have increased, competitive pricing has been main the key factor to attract consumers. In general, the cost of per square inch is rated and then the area of glass used is multiplied to get price.
Since 2005, the US Air Force has been in an endeavor to develop a new type of bullet resistant glass made from aluminum oxynitride, more commonly known as ALON. This chemical can be used to construct glass that is stronger than the normal bulletproof glass available.
Bulletproof glass has become a reality in today's world, and companies have started coming up with a wide range of products for usage in a variety of setups. For instance, security concerns in financial institutions, corporate groups, and even in shopping malls have increased, making the use of bulletproof glass necessary at such places.
In various car décor and care shops, you can get your car bulletproofed in case you wish to enhance your car safety standards. Generally, bulletproof glass is required in high crime areas and areas where security is required extensively.
With manufacturing of high tech bulletproof suits becoming popular these days, it is certainly going to be an integral part of various security upgradation steps.