Everything about Windscreen totally explained
The
windshield of an
aircraft,
automobile,
bus,
motorcycle, or
tram is the front
window. Modern windshields are generally made of
laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two (typically) curved sheets of
glass with a
plastic layer
laminated between them for safety, and are
glued into the window frame.
Motorcycle windshields are often made of high-impact
acrylic plastic. As the name implies, their main function is to shield the driver from the wind, though they don't do so as totally as those of a car.
Usage
In daily use, windshields mainly protect the vehicle's occupants from
wind,
temperature extremes, and flying
debris such as
dust,
insects, and
rocks, as well as providing an
aerodynamically formed window towards the front.
UV Coating may be applied to screen out harmful
ultraviolet light.
Safety
Early windshields were made of ordinary window glass, but that could lead to serious injuries in the event of a crash. They were replaced with windshields made of
toughened glass and were fitted in the frame using a
rubber or
neoprene seal. The hardened glass shattered into many mostly harmless fragments when the windshield broke. These windshields, however, could shatter from a simple stone chip. Especially in police cars this was seen as a problem and it led to the development of the
laminated glass windows most cars use.
Ford Motor Company adopted laminated glass as standard windshield equipment for all its cars in 1928.
The modern, glued-in glass contribute to the vehicle's rigidity, but the main force in innovating the windshield has historically been the need to prevent injury from sharp glass fragments. Modern windshields, now almost universally required in all nations, don't fragment, but tend to stay in one piece even if broken, except if pierced locally by a strong force. Properly installed automobile windshields are also essential to safety; along with the roof of the car, they provide protection in the case of a roll-over accident in the vehicle.
Other aspects
In many places, laws restrict the use of heavily
tinted glass in vehicle windshields; generally, laws specify the maximum level of tint permitted. Some vehicles have noticeably more tint in the uppermost part of the windshield of motor vehicles that blocks
glare from the sun.
In aircraft windshields, a current is applied through a conducting layer of
tin(IV) oxide to generate
heat to prevent
icing. A similar system for automobile windshields, introduced on
Ford vehicles as "
Quickclear" in Europe ("InstaClear" in North America) in the 1980s, uses very thin heating wires or conductive-film layer embedded between the two laminations.
Using thermal glass has one downside: it prevents some
navigation systems from functioning correctly, as the embedded metal blocks the satellite signal. This can be resolved by using an external antenna for the navigation system.
Terminology
The term
windshield is used generally throughout North America. The term
windscreen is the usual term in the UK and Australia/New Zealand for all vehicles. In
Japanese English, it's called "front glass". In the USA,
windscreen refers to the mesh or foam screen placed over a
microphone to minimize wind noise, while a
windshield refers to the front window of a car. In the UK, the meaning of these terms is reversed.
Today’s windshields are a safety device just like seat belts and air bags. The installation of the auto glass is done with an automotive grade urethane designed specifically for automobiles. The adhesive creates a molecular bond between the glass and the vehicle. If the adhesive bond fails at any point on the glass it can reduce the effectiveness of the air bag and substantially compromise the structural integrity of the roof. (Raymond Clough)
Auto windshields less than 20
cm (8 inches) in height are sometimes known as
aeroscreens since they only deflect the wind. The twin aeroscreen setup (often called
Brooklands) was popular among older sports and modern cars in vintage style.
A
wiperless windshield is a windshield that uses a mechanism other than
wipers to remove snow and rain from the windshield. The concept car
Acura TL features a wiperless windshield using a series of jet
nozzles in the
cowl to blow
pressurized air onto the windshield.
Stone chip and crack damage
Many types of stone damage can be successfully repaired.
Bullseyes, cracks, starbreaks or a combination of all three, can be repaired without removing the glass, eliminating the risk of leaking or bonding problems sometimes associated with replacement.
Repair
Windshield repair is a process that combines modern technology and skill to fill a damaged area on a windshield with special clear adhesive resin. The resin is then cured with an ultraviolet light. When done properly, the damaged area’s strength is restored, as is most of the clarity.
When repairing a windshield, it's important to start with a clean work area. Any dust, dirt, or contaminants in or on the glass can result in scarring or trapped particles that will permanently be visible in the final repair. Any moisture can cause future cracks when the glass cools or heats. Many chips in automotive safety glass will never grow but insurance companies in the United States often waive the deductible to ensure they don't have to pay for the replacement of the auto glass.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Windscreen'.
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