January 8, 20243 Min read
Bulletproof Glass for Cars
At Armormax, we are constantly designing better bullet-resistant glass, commonly known as “bulletproof glass“. The glass has a singular purpose: stopping bullets. Learn about the process of making bulletproof glass and how it helps protect you from harm.
Materials for Bulletproof Glass
The bulk of the bullet-stopping materials used in glass are going to be layers of acrylic, polycarbonate, polyurethane (or other resins), and fiberglass. Although these materials used together can stop bullets, it is not “bulletproof”. Due to the nature of science, if you apply enough pressure, any object will break. Even a glass that can weather a shotgun blast or a burst from an AK-47 will eventually succumb to an attacker with sufficient ammunition.
Layers on Layers
In order to increase the protection, the materials are organized into layers to create the highest amount of resistance for the glass. These materials seem together through an autoclave process. Bulletproof glass is usually made from a combination of two or more types of glass: one hard and one soft. The hard glass disperses the energy throughout the glass and flattens the tip of the bullet. The softer layer of glass makes the glass more elastic, so the glass can flex instead of shatter. The process is repeated to increase the level of protection, alternating between hard and soft layers of glass. Both types of the glass must have almost the same refraction, to keep the bulletproof window transparent and undistorted.
Thickness of Bulletproof Glass
Depending on the number of layers, the glass is often very thick, compared to regular glass. The thickness of the glass greatly affects the level of protection it provides. Armored glass that is 21mm thick is ranked B4, which is able to stop a handgun; 70mm glass, or B7 rank, is able to stop a high-powered rifle (see the ballistic chart below). The rank is based on thickness, number of layers, and certified testing.
Weight of Bulletproof Glass
Because the glass is so thick, the weight is increased dramatically. Regular windshield glass weighs around 25 pounds. A rank B4 windshield (generally around 20+mm thick) weighs between 150 – 250pounds depending on the design, while a rank B7 windshield comes in at around 500 pounds. Due to the nature of weighing more than regular, the glass has limited functionality. Special motors are inserted into the driver’s door to provide the ability to move the window up and down. Though, we encourage owners to be careful rolling down the window in dangerous situations, as that would defeat the purpose of the glass.
Uses of Bulletproof Glass
Bulletproof glass has a wide range of practical applications, including in vehicles, buildings, and security enclosures. It is often used in bank teller windows, convenience store counters, and in the windows of military vehicles and government buildings. In addition to providing protection from bullets, bulletproof glass can also protect against other types of physical attack, such as explosions, and it can help to reduce the risk of injury from broken glass during a shooting or other violent incident.
With the growing concerns of terrorist attacks and active shooter incidents in many countries, the use of bulletproof glass has increased in many new areas such as airports, train and bus stations and other public places.
It’s important to keep in mind that, while bulletproof glass can provide a high level of protection against bullets, it is not completely impenetrable and there are limitations to its effectiveness. The exact level of protection that a particular piece of bulletproof glass can provide will depend on the specific design and construction of the glass, as well as the type and caliber of the bullet being fired at it.
Bulletproof Cars
Bullet-resistant glass is one of the most important components of a passenger armored vehicle. It is made of highly resistant, optically advanced, transparent materials which in combination can stop most of the bullets available in the world today. A combination of several layers of glass and avant-garde flexible, transparent materials provide for the best of optics and protection ranging from low-level hand-gun to high-power rifle ballistic protection. The purpose of bulletproof glass is to make a material with the exact appearance of standard glass but with effective protection from deadly weapons.
Interested in installing bulletproof glass into your vehicle? Want to know the price of bulletproof glass? Armormax can install glass into most vehicles at different levels of protection and offer a quote on the price.
Please contact us for more information.
