T E C H T A L K

HEAT SOAK TESTING

viracon architectural glass
HEAT SOAK TESTING
This Tech Talk provides information on how to reduce the
risk of nickel sulfide inclusion breakage of tempered glass,
using alternative heat-treating methods and heat soaking.
introduction
NICKEL SULFIDE INCLUSIONS
Tempered glass may break without warning due to the
expansion of nickel sulfide inclusions (NiS) present within
float glass. To avoid the risk of spontaneous glass breakage
in fully tempered glass, a common practice is to avoid the
use of tempered glass whenever possible.
Although the incidence
of tempered glass
breakage due to these
inclusions is rare,
greater publicity of
their occurrence has
resulted in an increased
awareness of this
phenomenon. In fact,
limiting the use of
tempered glass in
commercial building
applications has
become the recom-
mendation of a number
of glass suppliers,
including Viracon.
breakage reduction
THE USE OF HEAT STRENGTHENED GLASS
Tempered glass has been used extensively over the
years and has served the industry well. It may be
argued that as a result of its excellent track record,
tempered glass was automatically specified in certain
applications where it may not have been required. Floor
to ceiling glass design, where a walking surface occurs
on one or both sides of an insulating glass unit, was the
primary application where tempered glass was required
unless other design considerations were utilized.
Sloped glazing applications are another example,
where for years, tempered glass was specified as the
outboard glass ply of an insulating glass unit.
Over the past 15 years, the trend has been to move away
from tempered glass in these applications and toward
heat strengthened glass. The reasons are obvious, when
you consider the inherent difference in breakage
characteristics of these two products. Heat strengthened
glass has a greater tendency to remain in the opening after
breakage has occurred as compared to tempered glass,
which can completely evacuate the opening.
heat soak testing
REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR SPONTANEOUS BREAKAGE
In some situations however, tempered glass is required to
meet safety glazing requirements or for added strength. In
these cases, Viracon will perform a heat soak test to
provide the building owner with added assurance that
significant spontaneous breakage will not occur. Glass
suppliers have offered heat soak tests in the past to reduce
the potential for spontaneous breakage and building
owners have accepted the process as a means to limit
liability. Today, Viracons heat soak process is improved to
provide even greater assurance.
THE FORMATION OF NICKEL SULFIDE INCLUSIONS
In order to understand the heat soak test, it is important to
understand how these inclusions can contribute to breakage.
In the float glass manufacturing process, soda ash, lime, silica
sand, salt cake and other ingredients are combined and
melted in a furnace
at temperatures near
2870F (1576C). After
melting, the molten glass
is formed by introducing
it to the tin bath where it
literally floats on top of
a layer of molten tin to
form the desired glass
thickness.
After the float glass has been formed, it is cooled uniformly
in an annealing lehr. Proper annealing results in uniform
cooling rate of the glass surface, edges and core to reduce
residual stress within the glass.
During the manufacturing process, undissolved particles of
the batch material, inclusions, are formed within the glass.
There are a number of types of inclusions which may be
found in float glass and are, for the most part, aesthetic
imperfections. The float glass manufacturers take
extraordinary steps in sourcing the highest quality materials
for use in the batch mixture to reduce the number of
inclusions that may occur. ASTM C 1036, the industry
standard for flat glass, lists the allowable size and minimum
separation between inclusions for each glass quality level.
ASTM C 1036 generally refers to undissolved particles as
gaseous inclusions, knots, dirt and stones. As stated
previously, some of these inclusions may cause glass
breakage. The most notorious of course, being nickel sulfide.
Nickel sulfide inclusions are formed when minute nickel-
rich particulates combine with sulfur in the furnace fuels or
other glass batch materials. Since these inclusion tend to be
less than 1/64" (0.4mm) in diameter, they are impossible to
totally eliminate and all glass has some present.
Nickel sulfide inclusion .006219"
Tempered glass break pattern
surface compression
RESPONSE TO NICKEL SULFIDE INCLUSIONS
Even though annealed glass may have nickel sulfide
inclusions present, breakage from these inclusions is
unlikely due to the very low residual stresses in
annealed glass. The same can be said of heat
strengthened glass which has carefully controlled
surface compression levels. ASTM C 1048, which is the
industry standard for heat treated glass, requires heat
strengthened glass to have a surface compression within
the range of 3,500 psi to 7,500 psi. Viracon produces
heat strengthened glass with a surface compression level
of 4,000 psi to 7,000 psi in order to minimize the
potential for nickel sulfide breakage.
Viracon has been producing heat strengthened glass with
surface compressions within a range of 4,000 psi to
7,000 psi since 1985 and within this time, has not
experienced a single incidence of spontaneous breakage
in heat strengthened glass. Tempered glass, according to
ASTM C 1048, must have a surface compression level
greater than 10,000 psi. As a result of the high residual
stresses in tempered glass, the potential for inclusion
breakage exists.
the heat soak process
When glass is heat treated, these nickel sulphide inclusions
undergo a phase change as a function of time and
temperature. If located near the central tension core of the
glass, the expansion of these inclusions may provide
sufficient stresses to produce spontaneous breakage. The
inclusion expands at a rate greater than the glass and
literally causes the glass to break from within.
When tempered glass is heat soak tested, the glass is placed
in an oven and subjected to temperatures of 550F50F
(290C10C). Careful temperature controls must be
enforced to establish when the hold time or dwell time
begins. The dwell time at peak temperature is another
critical factor in the heat soak process. Viracon has
determined that a two hour dwell time is capable of
reducing the potential for spontaneous breakage in heat
soak tested glass to 5 lites per 1000 (5/1000).
glass in service
At Viracon, we have been offering the heat soak test since
1984 and we have not had a single incidence of
spontaneous breakage occur in heat soak tested glass.
With the two hour dwell time, we are confident that we
have minimized the potential for breakage to its lowest
level. Viracon offers a heat soaked tempered glass
warranty for breakage due to verifiable NiS inclusions.
Should breakage exceed 5 lites per 1000, Viracon will
replace the glass at no charge and pay for the cost of
replacement labor.
The heat soak test provided by Viracon is offered at a
minimal charge to provide greater assurance against nickel
sulfide breakage. When compared to the actual cost of
replacing broken tempered glass in the field, there is
substantial justification for the additional process charges.
We realize that there are situations where tempered glass
simply must be used because of its superior strength and
break-safe characteristics. In these situations, we feel
compelled to provide this alternative service as a means
to avoid the potentially serious occurrences of
spontaneous breakage.
glass solutions
THE LEADER IN GLASS FABRICATION
As an international company, Viracon offers the most
complete range of high-performance architectural glass
products available worldwide. Were a company that not
only fabricates glass, were also a company that delivers
design, aesthetic, budget and performance solutions for
client projects. Our success is reflected in our long-lasting
client relationships, which have given Viracon a visible
presence on skylines around the world, including Asia,
Africa, Australia, Europe, North America, South America
and the Middle East.
Since 1970, Viracon has expanded its facilities to perform
more glass fabricating processes at a single site than any
other fabricator in the world. We believe in selling glass
solutions, which means helping clients explore all the
options for each step of a project. Our complete product
line includes tempered, heat-strengthened, insulating,
laminated, silkscreened, spandrel, hurricane-resistant,
acoustical and high-performance coated glass.
For more information on heat soak testing or additional literature, call 800-533-2080 (e-mail:glass@viracon.com).
800 Park Drive
Owatonna, MN 55060
507.451.9555
800.533.2080 (Toll Free)
507.444.3555 (Within the U.S.A.)
507.451.2178 (Outside the U.S.A.)
E-Mail: glass@viracon.com
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Copyright 2003 Viracon. All Rights Reserved.
VTT-010C VRJC0104
This publication describes Viracons heat-soaking
methods for tempered glass products, as well as the
benefits of heat-strengthened glass to help you analyze
possible design options and applications. To obtain
warranty information, contact Viracons Architectural
Inside Sales or Technical Services Department.
The information contained in this publication is
presented in good faith. It is believed to be accurate
at the time of publication. Viracon reserves the right
to change product specifications without notice and
without incurring obligation.