Be safe when testing safety glass
The Toughened Glass Test Centre from Willian Design Ltd combines the proxy Four Point Bend Test and the Fragmentation Test into one compact and easily manageable unit.
There are also facilities for the Overall Bow and Local Bow tests.
The machine is fully shrouded in a steel enclosure for safety. As the machine is mounted on castors, it can be easily moved around or tucked away when not in use.
In addition to the Fragmentation Test, the recommendations in EN12150 require manufacturers to undertake a Glass Strength measurement on a daily basis as part of their factory production control.
As specified in Annex B of EN12150, this can be done optically (using a special instrument such as a polarimeter) or by carrying out a proxy Four Point Bend Test, which is generally regarded as being the more practical.
“Some people argue that it is unnecessary to carry out both the Fragmentation Test and a Strength Test but, as long as EN12150 is drafted as it is, manufacturers omit the Strength Test at their peril,” the company said.