Toughened safety glass / hot-stored ESG (ESG-H)

Toughened safety glass (ESG) is a versatile product based on float or cast glass, which is “toughened” in a further thermal process stage and thus acquires the desired properties. In interiors, it is often used for doors, partitions, all-glass systems and shower enclosures. Outdoors, it is regularly used in windows or facades. Toughened safety glass from our production facilities is sold under the brand names GEWE-dur^® and GEWE-dur-H^®.

Annealed glass is characterised by its high bending strength and improved resistance to mechanical and climatic stresses. Compared to untreated base glass, it is characterized by a bending tensile strength four to five times higher, has significantly increased impact, impact and hail resistance and is particularly resistant to temperature differences within the pane. Another decisive advantage is the product-specific fracture structure in the event of damage: If damaged, the glass disintegrates into small, blunt-edged fragments, which significantly reduces the risk of injury.

For applications with particularly high safety requirements, so-called “hot-stored ESG” (here: GEWE-dur-H-FÃœ^®) is used. These lenses undergo an additional heat-soak test, which significantly minimizes the risk of spontaneous breakage due to nickel sulfide inclusions, thus increasing reliability in safety-critical areas. GEWE-dur-H-FÃœ^® complies with the applicable European product standard EN 14179 and is therefore a regulated construction product that can be used without further approval. In order to ensure the particularly high safety level of hot-stored ESG in safety-critical construction areas that is targeted in Germany, our heat-soak furnaces are calibrated and subject to external monitoring. For GEWE-dur-H-FÃœ^®, the restriction of the installation height for ESG according to DIN 18008-2 to a maximum of 4 m above traffic areas does not apply.

In addition, all GEWE-dur^® glasses can be individually designed using various finishing processes. Techniques such as screen and digital printing, varnishing, water-repellent nano-sealing (GEWE-clean) or sandblasting allow aesthetic and functional modifications, so that the glass is not only safe, but can also be used in a variety of ways in terms of appearance and design.

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