Hammerglass introduced to SA

According to Bo Nilsson, CEO of Cetab SA, the company introducing Hammerglass to South Africa, Hammerglass is an abrasion-resistant, chemical-resistant, age-resistant polycarbonate that is 300 times stronger than ordinary glass with half the weight of glass - and is virtually unbreakable. Hammerglass sheets are coated with a thin film of silicon oxide that looks like glass and protects against scratches and wear. Nanotechnology also provides UV protection of 99.96%, which helps prevent the glass from becoming cloudy, bleached or otherwise aged over time.

Hammerglass is available for fitting new trains, where existing glass windows can be replaced with Hammerglass with a 10-year warranty against discolouration and a five-year general guarantee.

A 12mm Hammerglass sheet weighs 14kg/m². To achieve the same protection with safety glass one would need a sheet 24mm thick with a weight of 70 kg/m².

A major injury risk

Trains are often operated in harsh environments in which the glass windows can be broken by flying objects. If train windows break, there is a major injury risk. With Hammerglass, a safer environment free from broken glass is guaranteed as Hammerglass vehicle glass is virtually unbreakable.

Train windows are subjected to ever-increasing levels of vandalism in the form of glass etching and theft. Vandals use everything from rocks and keys to special needles and acid to create their tags. The result is vandalised property and major expense.

Applying a sacrificial film on the Hammerglass is a simple way to reduce costs for this type of vandalism. The thickness and three-layer construction increases the resistance of the screen to scratching, etching and blows, thereby protecting the underlying surface. Vandals do not realise that there is a protective film on the glass and, thanks to the coating's special adhesive system, it can be easily and inexpensively replaced after an attack.

Hammerglass vehicle glass is also available as heat-reducing 6mm green shade HMG-IR and 12mm grey HMG-IR. Hammerglass IR reduces heat in trains by up to 55% as the polycarbonate granules have been mixed with a heat-absorbing medium, stopping solar heat from entering the train.

Explosion tests

Hammerglass has been tested and approved in explosion tests performed by the Swedish Technical Research and Test Institute. A 12mm Hammerglass sheet, installed in Hammerglass framing systems, withstands 3kg TNT detonated at a distance of three metres. These Hammerglass applications will be marked "RABS approved". RABS is an acronym for glass windscreens in vehicles for use in places where there is a risk of explosions, vandalism and theft.

The window glass has been tested and approved for the following classes:

• R43: Extensive series of tests for glass windows. Compulsory for vehicles that travel more than 50km/h;
  
• Axe: Sharp object (EN356, P8B). The glass sheet receives a minimum of 72 blows from an axe mounted in a test machine;
  
• Blast: Pressure wave from detonation (EN13123-2 and EN13124-2). 3kg of TNT is exploded three metres from glass sheets fitted in an approved steel frame; and
  
• Stone: Heavy object at high speed (EN15152-2). A 1kg aluminium projectile is propelled at a speed of 450km/h and angle of 90° at the glass.
  Glass material for Hammerglass vehicle glass comes in thicknesses of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 17mm in clear. Heat-reducing glass is available as a green shade in 6mm HmG-IR and grey in 12mm HmG-IR.

  Hammerglass other business areas apart from vehicle glass are: property glazing, weather protection, noise reduction shields, and arena glass.