by Steve | Jan 27, 2015 | News, Windshield Repair Albuquerque
The U.S. Department of Transportation mandates that all new vehicles pass Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) performance tests. These tests ensure vehicles maintain a minimum safety standard. Standards concerning windshields are:
FMVSS 212 measures windshield retention in a barrier crash. Every make and model vehicle is accelerated to 30 mph and crashed head-on into a concrete barrier. The automobile must retain 75 percent of the windshield along the pinchweld perimeter. Some vehicle manufacturers require 100% retention in this severe crash test.
FMVSS 216 is the roof crush performance test. It measures the structural strength required to protect occupants in the event the vehicle rolls over. One and one-half times the unloaded vehicle weight or 6,000 lbs. (whichever is less) of force is applied at an angle to the roof. The roof structure can depress no more than five inches to pass. Note: the windshield provides 30-70% of the roof strength.
FMVSS 208 occupant crash protection specifies equipment requirements for active and passive restraints, including air bags. There can be no separation of load-bearing safety assemblies in a 30 mph barrier crash. This pertains to the windshield because the passenger side air bag deploys off the windshield in order to perform its safety function.
by Steve | May 1, 2013 | News
Welcome to Chapman Auto Glass and our Blog!
We hope you will find our posts useful, informative and helpful to you if or when you or someone you know are faced with the need for auto glass service.
I thought I would start with a few items that most of the general public is not aware of or are many times misinformed about.
The windshield of your car is much more important than you may have expected. Here are some reasons why you should get a cracked windshield replaced or a chip repaired by a professional auto glass technician.
- Your car’s windshield helps keep you and your passengers in the car during a car wreck. – The windshield of our vehicle provides a “shield” for you and your passengers. If your windshield is compromised with either a crack or a chip it can severely increase your chances of injury during a car accident. Get your windshield
replacement today and protect yourself and your loved ones from and unexpected accident.
- The windshield plays an important part in the passenger side air bag functioning properly. – Now that most cars come with airbags on the passenger side of the vehicle it becomes even more
crucial to have a solid windshield. If your windshield is cracked or chipped it won’t provide the passenger side airbag with the support it needs to pin the passenger to their seat to avoid being thrown from the vehicle. If the air bag doesn’t have the proper support from the windshield it could result in the passenger being seriously injured or death.
- A Windshield is a structural part of your vehicle and gives support to the roof of the vehicle. – If your windshield is chipped or cracked it will not prevent the roof from caving in on you during an accident. It may not seem like
getting your windshield repaired is a big deal but it could
save your life from an unexpected accident someday.
- The use of glass in automotive industry plays a more significant role in the design of the vehicle today than at any time in history. Other than safety the windshield is utilized for many options on today’s cars such as rain sensors, heated wiper park area, Lane Departure Warning Systems, Adaptive Cruise Control, Acoustic Interlayers, Heads Up Display (HUD), antennas, and several others options.
- EVERY, and I do mean EVERY windshield replacement requires the vehicle to remain parked for a period of time
to allow the urethane to properly adhere and cure. There is NO urethane on the market that will allow for a vehicle to be driven any sooner than 45 minutes (dual airbags) and 30 minutes (driver side airbag only) at the absolute MINIMUMN.
by Steve | Jan 20, 2013 | News
Your vehicle’s windshield plays a very important role in keeping you safe when you’re behind the wheel. In the event of an accident, windshields can prevent occupant ejection, prevent roof collapse in the event of a rollover, and can be a critical component in airbag deployment. Windshields that are improperly installed can compromise your safety, and the safety of everyone in your vehicle. When you need windshield replacement or repair, it is important that your windshield is installed by qualified technicians who use the best quality glass and adhesive system.
The experts at Chapman Auto Glass will have an experienced professional technician assess your vehicle’s needs, help you select the proper glass for your vehicle, and will install your glass with a top quality adhesive system, and professional workmanship. Chapman Auto Glass technicians will take the time and care necessary to do the job properly. Your safety is top priority!
There are four important safety functions performed by the windshield that every vehicle owner should be aware of:
- Provides clear visibility of the road. Windshields can become pitted and scratched from small dirt and sand particles as well as fractures/cracks caused by pebbles and stones. If left unattended, this pitting can affect vision.
- Support passenger-side airbag during deployment. It is possible for an improperly replaced windshield to become detached from the vehicle in an accident. In the event the windshield becomes detached, the airbag will not deploy properly.
- Cushions blow and keeps vehicle occupants contained in a crash. Windshield glass may break in the event of an accident, but the polyvinyl layer is flexible and cushions impact if an occupant is thrown forward. More importantly, it also keeps passengers within the vehicle prevention ejection and reducing the risk of injury – or worse – in the event of being ejected from a vehicle.
- Increase structural integrity of the vehicle. Over time, the design and manufacturing of vehicles has changed dramatically. In the past, the steel structure of the vehicle design provided the structural integrity required in the case of an accident or a rollover. Due to the use of lighter materials and newer streamlined vehicle designs, the windshield now provides much of the support that prevents the roof’s collapse during vehicle roll-overs.
Certified Safe
You can be assured when you trust the technicians at Chapman Auto Glass that your glass replacement is Certified Safe.
Our aim is to set a high standard of quality workmanship in the replacement of auto glass to restore your vehicle to OEM specifications for structural integrity and appearance. Our Auto Glass Technicians undergo continuing education through our technical trainers/advisers to keep them informed of new advances in the auto glass replacement industry as well as advances in auto design.
Chapman Auto Glass is concerned about the safety of automobile passengers and will not perform a glass replacement that will compromise any OEM safety standards.
A visual and comprehensive inspection of your vehicle will be performed prior to and during any auto glass replacement to determine if there is any vehicle conditions that will comprise structural integrity of the vehicle. Any condition identified will be discussed with you, and if you decline to have the unsafe condition repaired,Chapman Auto Glass may refuse to continue with the replacement until such condition is corrected.
Same Materials
With Chapman Auto Glass, you can be guaranteed that no matter which location you visit, your windshield will be replaced using the same high quality Dow Automotive products which meet all applicable OEM standards.
At Chapman Auto Glass we use urethane adhesives that meet OEM standards. All of our installers utilize glass preparation products to chemically prepare the glass bonding surface and eliminate bond degradation on your vehicle. Body primer is also applied to the painted surface of your vehicle to promote adhesion of the replacement glass to the body. This insures that the structural integrity of your vehicle is maintained.
There are many products available to auto glass replacement shops with varying specifications and results. Chapman Auto Glass specifically uses Dow BETASEAL Express and BETASEAL One. These products are advanced-cure urethane adhesive with enhanced chemical cross linking to speed bonding for safe drive-away times of 1 hour in temperatures up to -17C.
