PPG Industries’ flat glass business recently announced that it can now manufacture heat-strengthened glass in thicknesses of less than 3 mm. It is reportedly among the first major glass manufacturers in North America to offer this capability.

PPG can reportedly produce heat-strengthened glass in thicknesses of 2, 2.5 and 2.7 mm with surface-compression strength that exceeds that of fully tempered glass (greater than 10,000 lbs/in2), while achieving ASTM C 1048 standards for flatness. The added strength can give thin glass used in various solar applications that require resistance to wind load, hail impact and other environmental hazards the ability to meet UL and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standards as well, which may help solar module and solar mirror manufacturers in North America.

When incorporated into solar modules, heat-strengthened thin glass reportedly permits more sunlight to reach the active layer, which can enhance the conversion of sunlight into energy and increases power output. With 2 mm SOLARPHIRE® glass, solar transmittance improves by 0.3% compared to 3.2 mm glass and by 0.5% compared to 4 mm glass.

For additional information, visit www.ppgsolarphire.com.