Toughened Glass

Pro Tuf from Glass Projects is a thermally toughened (or tempered) safety glass, engineered to provide significantly increased mechanical strength and thermal shock resistance compared to ordinary annealed float glass. The toughening process involves heating annealed glass to a high temperature (approximately 650-700°C) and then rapidly cooling its surfaces with jets of air. This creates a high state of compression in the outer surfaces and tension in the core, resulting in glass that is typically four to five times stronger than annealed glass of the same thickness. A key characteristic of Pro Tuf is its unique fracture pattern; if broken, it shatters into many small, relatively blunt-edged diced particles, significantly reducing the risk of serious injury.

Key attributes of Pro Tuf include:

• Enhanced Strength: Offers superior resistance to bending stresses, impacts, and mechanical loads.

• Grade A Safety Glass: The characteristic break pattern qualifies it as a Grade A safety glazing material, crucial for human impact safety.

• Thermal Resistance: Capable of withstanding greater temperature differentials across its surface without fracturing (typically up to 200-250°C), making it suitable for applications exposed to varying thermal conditions.

• Versatile Base Product: Pro Tuf is often a foundational component for other advanced glazing solutions, such as Pro Lam Tuf (Toughened Laminated Glass) or as lites within Pro Comfort (Insulated Glass Units).

• Precision Processing: All cutting, drilling, and edge work must be completed before toughening, as the glass cannot be further processed afterwards. Glass Projects ensures meticulous pre-processing to exact specifications.

Glass Projects specifies Pro Tuf for a wide array of architectural applications throughout New Zealand where safety, strength, and thermal resistance are primary requirements. Its robustness makes it suitable for:

• Frameless Glass Doors & Entrances: Widely used due to its strength and safety break pattern.

• Glazed Partitions & Screens: Creating safe and durable internal divisions in commercial and residential spaces.

• Balustrades & Pool Fencing: Often used in frameless or framed systems where safety and clarity are paramount (subject to specific design and compliance requirements).

• Shower Enclosures & Bath Screens: A standard material due to its safety features and ability to withstand temperature changes.

• Glass Splashbacks: Provides a durable, heat-resistant, and easy-to-clean surface in kitchens and bathrooms.

• Shelving & Tabletops: Offers strength and safety for furniture applications.

• Windows & Sidelites: In specific locations requiring safety glazing or increased wind load resistance.

• Components in IGUs & Laminated Glass: Used as individual lites within Pro Comfort IGUs or as part of Pro Lam Tuf assemblies for combined performance benefits.

Glass Projects’ commitment to precision ensures that Pro Tuf panels are manufactured to exact dimensions for seamless integration into various glazing systems.