Glass protective coatings have been around for many years on a relatively small scale; however, demand is dramatically increasing. The objective of the presentation is to deep dive into their purpose, main functionality in the various applications, highlight the different technologies available, their advantages and disadvantages, review latest application processes and review case studies.
Designers and architects are constantly looking for smarter and sustainable glazing solutions. Glass which is exposed to contamination and/or to a harsh environment quickly becomes very difficult to clean and maintain and can lose some transparency. Modern glass buildings can end up looking old before their time.
Glass protective coatings not only protect the glass from staining and etching, but they can also create an easy to clean surface, staying cleaner in between cleans and reducing maintenance costs. Some options have the added benefit of cement slurry protection during construction and runoff from concrete masonry as the building ages.
Applications include shower glass, balustrades, facades, sliding doors, windows, rooflights and bird friendly glazing, on buildings, automotive glass, cruise liners, trains and solar farms.
Coating options range from baked in coatings to spray on technologies, with different active lifetimes and maintenance requirements. The presentation will also cover the application methods available with a focus on their use by glass processors. The discussion will cover how automation is providing opportunities for increased scale and profitability for glass processors without bottlenecks in the production process, requiring significantly less labour. It will also touch on future advances in application.
