Windshield Repairs at RC Autoglass

What a windshield is made of?

We have already discussed the importance of a windshield in one of our previous blog posts, so today we’ll be learning about what goes into the making of a windshield, what makes them durable to be able to sustain damage and not crash like typical glassware.

The earliest cars had no windshields on them, but as their speeds increased then so did the need to protect one’s eyes from the glare of the sun and other debris on the road. For this purpose, manufacturers made use of windshields – an opaque protective sheet of glass coating which protects passengers from excessive winds.

The most obvious requirement for windshields is for them to be sturdy enough so that a tiny crack wouldn’t result in the entire structure crashing, like glass typically does. For this purpose, manufacturers

made use of various components inside windshields such as silica, sodium carbonate, dolomite and limestone. Silica imbues the characteristic of glass inside the material while the dolomite instills

durability inside the glass.

Before the glass could be shaped into a windshield, it must eliminate the biggest weakness of the ceramic—the characteristic of getting shattered by the tiniest of fractures. Obviously the owner cannot

afford to replace the windshield after every minor bump the car takes. For this reason laminated glass is used, these change their shape upon minor impact, and do not break up into a million different pieces.

Keeping small chips and divots out of your windshield is extremely important. Any small chip can grow at any given time into a large crack, requiring a costly replacement of your windshield. Let the pros at RC Autoglass in Cottonwood take care of your chipped glass today. Save yourself some time and money.

-Matt