‘Tis the Season: Trade Shows Mark a Prime Time for Shopping IG Components
By Dave Cooper
What is the connection between trade shows and insulating glass (IG)? Well, first and foremost, trade shows are the means by which various manufacturers of IG components, equipment and products show off their latest updates. However, the clock speed in the world of IG is extremely slow. For instance, I attended the Shanghai Glass Exhibition this year. Most of the manufacturers of IG production equipment were showcasing the ability to fabricate insulating glass units (IGUs) with thermoplastic spacer (TPS) on automated production lines.
TPS was invented three decades ago and brought to life by Karl Lenhardt of Lenhardt Maschinenbau GmbH in Germany. Lenhardt developed an application machine utilizing a butyl-based spacer material preloaded with desiccant. The thick, viscous “liquid” TPS material is heated and pumped into a rectangular nozzle that travels along the perimeter of a glass lite, extruding the spacer shape.
The primary producers of TPS material include Koemmerling (HB Fuller) and Fenzi, and they have been at it for decades. The most recent TPS is a cross-linking version. This enables the material to actually bond with the glass and withstand separation between the formed TPS material and secondary sealant, such as silicone.
There are several distinct advantages to a TPS IGU and the means of producing it. The equipment was quite sophisticated 20 years ago, but now is becoming commonplace. This year it seems to have finally caught on.
Yet Another Option
Another novel spacer system for which there is high-speed, automated equipment comes from PDS IG of Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. Several years ago, they developed a “metal spacer on a reel,” along with automated equipment to attach the spacer to glass. It includes the benefits of metal box spacer along with a nearly infinite length of spacer on a reel, utilizing long proven polyisobutylene (PIB) and silicone sealants. Again, the key is in automated machinery that allows flexibility for operations requiring the speedy fabrication of many different sized IGUs.
If you’re headed to any trade show, I urge you to explore the latest in IG components, equipment and products that our industry has to offer.
Dave Cooper is a consultant and president of Fenestration Consulting Services LLC.
dcooper@fenconsultant.com
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