Solarshield

The Uses

Applying security grade window film to the inside of glass to improve post-break behaviour is not new. For many years, companies have offered to apply window films, of security grade quality to prevent annealed float glass shattering into individual fragments and causing harm to persons or damage to equipment.

Non-Safety Glass producing lethal cutting shards on breaking.

Window film is normally applied in what is known as a "daylight" installation. This is where the film applied is slightly smaller than the area of visible glass resulting in an area of untreated glass around the perimeter of the pane (daylight space).
Under the impact the force applied to the window is concentrated at the edge where the "daylight" gap exists. The common result is that the glass disintegrates at their weak point and the entire panel of filmed glass could fall out of the frame.

Glass with film applied is blown out of frame. Fragment hazard greatly reduced. However risk of body impact and loss of controlled environment.

One method of preventing the filmed glass from leaving the frame is to apply an edge batten which traps the film onto the frame.
The FrameGARD profile system extends the principle of edge battening by incorporating a specific movement zone (Patent applies) which allows the film to move under applied load without putting excessive force onto the fixings and frame.
The movement zone (indicated on Steps 2 & 3 of Example B) absorbs a high degree of the impact energy before loads are distributed to the FrameGARD profile and window frame.
Use of the FrameGARD film restraint system allows significant improvement in terms of blast pressure and body impact loads compared with traditional daylight film applications.

Filmed glass with FrameGARD - after blast. The glass has held in place by the combination of applied film and FrameGARD Anchoring System.

FrameGARD also achieves a higher level of burglar resistance to "daylight" film applications.
In "daylight" applications it is possible to attack the untreated edge of the window, levering the glass out of the frame.

FrameGARD can be used in areas
of building for both safety and security reasons, for Shop Fronts, Schools, Offices and Industrial Sites.