Glass breaks. Polycarbonate doesn’t. Both are highly transparent.
But it’s the intelligent combination of glass and polycarbonate that creates glass-clad polycarbonate glazing. Burglar-proof. Bulletproof. Criminal energy even in the most aggressive forms bounces off – you can count on it. Even a tow truck weighing several tons, which two burglars tried to ram through the shop window of the Bulgari jewelry shop in Rome. Nice try.
Wolfgang Hahn, co-founder of SILATEC, invented bulletproof polycarbonate laminate. Way back in the 70s. Since then, our glass-clad polycarbonate has been unrivalled. And remains so to this day: there is no technological alternative that compares, not even closely, anywhere in the world. From all the unsuccessful burglary attempts of the last decades, we have constantly gained new insights. And for this reason, it’s the preferred solution all over the world: our glass-clad polycarbonate. The wall of glass.
Only glass-clad polycarbonate from SILATEC is so burglar-proof. It’s also bulletproof and, depending on the design, can even withstand explosive attacks. Conventional armored glass may be considered safe – but not among experts. Glass-clad polycarbonate from SILATEC is worlds safer, more transparent, significantly thinner and, thanks to polycarbonate, even lighter: it weighs only half as much as conventional bullet-proof glass!
For this reason, SILATEC glass-clad polycarbonate is used where ordinary armoured glass reaches its limits – or before. In short: wherever security glass has to be very thin, light, colorless and absolutely safe.
Because the composite of glass and polycarbonate combines the best of both worlds: glass is relatively scratch-resistant and rigid – so it bends very little, which is an advantage when it comes to high loads. Polycarbonate is extremely impact resistant. About 200 times more impact resistant than a simple glass pane. It does not break.
But since polycarbonate expands more than glass when heated, the bond between the two materials must remain permanently elastic. We have developed the SILATEC adhesive especially for this purpose: it bonds glass and polycarbonate into an inseparable unit and gives our glass-clad polycarbonate its extraordinarily high resistance. And the greatest possible protection. Against burglars. Against firearms.
Our glass-clad polycarbonate has another, sometimes invaluable, advantage: it filters out 100% of UV light. And it is precisely this ultraviolet light that can destroy works of art or valuable carpets: UV rays cause color pigments to fade or chalk into a whitish-bluish color. The surface gloss dulls. Or the varnish layer turns yellow and cannot be removed. The work is irretrievably ruined.
Fortunately, UV light is invisible. For this reason, although our glass-clad polycarbonate filters out 100% of harmful UV light, it allows 100% of all visible light to pass through. In contrast to the greenish tint of conventional armored glass, our glass-clad polycarbonate stands for unadulterated enjoyment of art: you can view the works in the same, unaltered daylight in which great masters created them. At the same time, you can be sure: your beloved and valuable treasures are effectively protected.
With our glass-clad polycarbonate you can enjoy a glass of wine, relax and call the police.
If you’re looking for wine glasses made of glass-clad polycarbonate, unfortunately we cannot help you: we manufacture exclusively burglar-proof and bulletproof glass. If you would like to find out how effective burglary protection works, please read on ...
SILATEC glass-clad-polycarbonate provides 20 times better protection against burglary than conventional armor glass without polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is extremely tough. In contrast, glass breaks. SILATEC connects the two securely. The result: a thin, light and transparent wall. Glass on the outer surfaces – polycarbonate in the middle.
Bulletproof glassSILATEC glass
Bulletproof glassP6BP7BP8B
SILATEC glassP6BP7BP8BOur glass-clad-polycarbonate reliably fends off burglars. That’s why it is always installed where maximum break-in protection is required. Exterior windows of jewellery stores. In luxury villas. And in the most important museums of the world.
Classic armored glass without polycarbonate is a simple glass-foil-glass composite. The higher the protection class, the more additional layers of glass and foil are required. In other words: security glazing without polycarbonate keeps getting thicker, heavier and greener. In contrast, glass-clad-polycarbonate from SILATEC is crystal clear, light and thin. Even with the highest burglary protection available, in resistance classes P6B, P7B and P8B glass.
Bulletproof polycarbonate-glass composite is much lighter and thinner than conventional bulletproof glazing without polycarbonate. The less the bulletproof glass weighs, the easier it is to open windows and doors. And the thinner the glazing is, the easier it fits into existing window frames and the easier it is to retrofit. By the way: as the weight of the glass pane decreases, so do the installation costs.
The table shows how light bulletproof polycarbonate-glass composite is – compared to conventional armored glass without polycarbonate. We indicate the weight relative to size in kilograms per square meter (kg/m2), and in pounds per square foot (psf).
| Weapon | SILATEC polycarbonate- glass composite | Armored glass without polycarbonate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| from kg/m2 | Psf | from kg/m2 | Psf | |
| Pistol 9 mm | 35 | 7 | 70 | 14 |
| Rifle M16 | 76 | 16 | 160 | 27 |
| Sniper rifle with military ammunition (AP=armor-piercing) | 126 | 25 | 210 | 43 |
Whether swinging or sliding, window- and doorframes can carry a limited amount of weight only. The less bulletproof glass weighs, the simpler and cheaper the window construction. In addition, windows with heavy glazing have to be built much smaller, while our polycarbonate-glass composite enables large-format windows – opening up a whole new world of design options.
This table helps you compare the weight per surface unit of widely-used bullet-proof glazing classes (NS = no spall) with and without polycarbonate: our bulletproof polycarbonate-glass composite generally weighs only half as much as conventional security glazing without polycarbonate. The guide values are given in kilograms per square meter (kg/m2) and pounds per square foot (psf).
Armored glass without polycarbonate has an unpleasant green tint. Our bulletproof polycarbonate-glass composite, in contrast, is crystal clear. The advantage: you can look out the window and not see the blue sky as green. But as blue as it is.
In addition: burglars recognize conventional armored glass immediately. The typical green tint gives it away. Our bulletproof polycarbonate-glass composite, on the other hand, is crystal clear and as inconspicuous as ordinary glass.
Bullet-proof glass-clad polycarbonate from SILATEC delivers exceptionally high performance, yet is very light and very thin, making ideal for windows and doors that should be easy to open and close. In addition, our polycarbonate-glass composite is 100% transparent and has no green tint whatsoever, as is the case with conventional glazing without polycarbonate. We design bullet-proof polycarbonate-glass composite according to three different construction types:
Our bulletproof glass is exceptionally thin and light. And tested to the toughest standards. In Europe, in the ballistic classes BR1 to BR7 according to EN 1063, in Russia according to the GOST standard, for military applications according to the NATO classification Stanag. In addition, we test our bulletproof glass with weapons such as the Kalashnikov as well as with sniper rifles. We are also happy to produce tailor-made security solutions for your needs.
The extremely thin bulletproof glass from Silatec is available in the following thicknesses:
Polycarbonate laminate, a laminate of glass and polycarbonate, is particularly suitable for extreme security requirements that cannot be met economically by conventional armored glass without polycarbonate. In addition to burglary protection and bullet resistance, SILATEC bulletproof polycarbonate glass also protects human life in hazardous working areas:
Construction machine operators are exposed to special dangers. Working in a quarry, boulders can fall onto the construction machine and injure the operator. For protection, solid steel grids are often installed in front of the glazing. But these restrict the field of vision. A safety solution made of glass is more intelligent. SILATEC glass-clad polycarbonate is predestined for this application.
Forestry work using a harvester carries a constant risk of accidents, especially if the saw chain breaks and fragments of it shoot into the cab window. The force of this impact can be compared to bullets shot from a gun – the risk of injury is accordingly high. A metal grill in front of the glazing offers insufficient protection, as projectile fragments can fly through the metal struts. Instead, the glazing must stop the flying chain pieces and protect the occupant safely. SILATEC glass and polycarbonate solutions in two variants are particularly suitable for this purpose: SILATEC MyGard, which is made exclusively of transparent plastics and does not require any glass at all. Alternatively: SILATEC ShooteQ. It consists of glass on the outside and polycarbonate on the inside where the operator sits.
| SILATEC RC2-6 Glass with polycarbonate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| RC2 glass for panic doors: | SILATEC RC2 panic 16/29 | 16 mm | 29 kg/m2 |
| RC3 glass for panic doors: | SILATEC RC3 panic 28/53 | 28 mm | 53 kg/m2 |
| RC4 glass for panic doors: | SILATEC RC4 panic 41/69 | 40 mm | 69 kg/m2 |
Find out which glazing types are suitable for panic doors.
Particularly high demands are placed on burglar-resistant escape and panic doors, which we have successfully tested in over 40 different variants for the most common frame systems. Cost-effective, light, thin and optically adaptable to the rest of the façade, the SILATEC product range includes RC2 glass for panic doors, RC3 glass, RC4 glass, RC5 glass and RC6 glass for escape and panic doors.
The jungles of Cambodia are riddled with countless mines that must be tracked down and disarmed. Worldwide, there are many more, often in impassable and difficult to access terrain. Only special vehicles can get through. Drivers need special protection: from uncontrolled explosions and the resulting flying debris and fragments. SILATEC glass-clad polycarbonate fully meets this responsibility. In addition, it is light and thin and also ensures that no glass splinters are released in the direction of the vehicle operator – thanks to the polycarbonate layer facing the driver.
Where else could maximum ballistic protection be more important than in military vehicles? The glazing must be as light as possible and ideally one hundred percent transparent. Impossible? Not with ballistic glass-clad polycarbonate solutions from SILATEC. Minimum installation thickness, minimum weight per unit area, maximum bullet resistance safety – SILATEC is the first choice for military vehicles.
Inmates in prisons and psychiatric institutions have time. Plenty of time even to think about how they might break out. Effectively resisting this “creativity” requires very special glass solutions, solutions that conventional laminated glass cannot provide. Glass-clad polycarbonate glazing from SILATEC reliably and permanently withstands break-out attempts. In extreme cases even for an hour or more.
Laminated glass is widely used in civilian vehicles. It reliably keeps out wind and rain. But when dangerous objects strike conventional laminated glass with high energy, they usually penetrate and can cause devastating damage – and the consequential harm is often immense. SILATEC solutions comprising glass and polycarbonate are equipped to withstand this threat, and guarantee the protection of the occupants.
The scenario: a heavy object falls from a high rack in a warehouse onto a forklift. In any case, the driver must be one hundred percent safely protected. At the same time, a clear view upwards must be maintained. Conventional laminated glass? Very risky and irresponsible. Only SILATEC polycarbonate glass offers safe protection. And even with a low pane weight, which makes it easy to integrate into the construction of the forklift.
Driver's license, registration, broken glass? Conventional glass can pose a security risk, especially when unpredictable criminal energy rages. Glass-polycarbonate composite glazing from SILATEC effectively repels attacks and reliably protects the people behind it. In addition, our secure glazing can alleviate the high emotional tension that emergency services are often exposed to.
What do you think? How fast can a full-grown elephant run and how many kilograms does it weigh? 25 kilometers per hour and 5 tons of weight are nothing out of the ordinary. And that corresponds to energy of about 250,000 joules. For comparison: the muzzle energy of the NATO rifle G3 is “only” about 3000 joules – the elephant has 80 times more energy. Which safety glass can withstand this? The glass-clad polycarbonate glazing from SILATEC.
Machine tools drill and mill metal with very high processing speed. The rotational speeds in these machines are often much higher than the speeds of gasoline engines in vehicles. What do you think happens when a piece of metal comes loose and strikes with full force? This danger can be at least as high as the impact of a bullet – the operator of such machines must be protected accordingly. SILATEC has successfully tested over 50 different types of glazing for protective screens for these machines: Glass on one side – polycarbonate to protect the operator on the other.
Glass-clad polycarbonate from SILATEC is exceptionally burglar-proof and regularly thwarts break-ins in shop windows all over the world. Lightning-fast break-ins are a thing of the past. Conventional armored glass is broken in a few seconds, but SILATEC glass-clad polycarbonate easily withstands burglars for 10 minutes. In addition, SILATEC glass offers 100% UV protection, reliably preventing UV-induced damage to goods on display.
At summit meetings such as the G7, the requirement is clear: the most secure security glass in the world. Of course we are proud of this mandate. Our ballistic wall is a wall of glass that can be retrofitted quickly and is mobile. In hotels, in court, at conferences and at summits. And because it is also significantly lighter than conventional armored glass, it is easy to transport - in elevators, for example. Our ballistic wall is available in various sizes. And it can be assembled in any number of modules.
A strikingly beautiful and imposing yacht is certainly an eye-catcher – but it can also catch the eye of less desirable people. Heavy armored glass weighing tons is sometimes the first choice, but certainly not the best solution. Our bulletproof glass-polycarbonate composite is ahead of armored glass by ship’s length: it is not only the safest solution, but also offers weight savings of over 50%. For this reason, military ships are also ideally equipped with our glass-clad polycarbonate glazing.
SiLATEC ShooteQ for marine applications: even attacks with rifles are dead in the water. For example, with the AK47 Kalashnikov. With the American M16 assault rifle. Or with the NATO rifle G3, caliber 7.62 x 51 mm. Our glass-clad polycarbonate glazing holds up.
Only in the right combination. As a standalone material, polycarbonate is generally not bulletproof. The usual maximum thickness of polycarbonate – approximately 15 mm – is not sufficient to stop bullets. Depending on the construction, several polycarbonate sheets laminated to form a thicker pane can stop soft-core bullets from handguns. In any case, bulletproof polycarbonate glazing must be explicitly tested for bullet resistance according to accepted standards. It is not possible to make a general statement on the actual resistance of bulletproof polycarbonate.
SILATEC MyGard 2600 is made of bulletproof polycarbonate and protects against a 9mm pistol according to VPAM level 2.
Bulletproof Lexan is the brand name of bulletproof polycarbonate from the company Sabic. The extent to which polycarbonate is bulletproof depends on the thickness of the pane as well as the weapon and ammunition used, among other factors. As a rule, the following applies: the usual thickness of up to 15mm generally does not offer protection against firearms. Only the lamination of several sufficiently thick polycarbonate layers can offer protection against handguns with soft-core bullets. Rifles and other ammunition are much more difficult to stop – protection against such attacks with conventional laminates made of pure polycarbonate, as is the case with bulletproof Lexan, is practically inconceivable. Unless it is extremely and disproportionately thick. Caution: only tested bulletproof polycarbonate glazing that has been tested using certified bullet-resistance testing methods offers protection – and only against the weapon and ammunition with which it was tested.
Plexiglas is a brand name for polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) – a transparent synthetic material. It differs from polycarbonate in its mechanical properties, in that PMMA breaks more easily and is less impact-resistant than polycarbonate. While Plexiglas and polycarbonate exhibit significantly different levels of resistance to penetration by bullets, there are no major differences in terms of bullet-resistance in general. How bullet-resistant is Plexiglas? This depends, among other things, on the thickness of the material used, as well as on the weapon and ammunition used in the attack. Caution: bulletproof Plexiglas or a laminate of several Plexiglas layers can be relied on for bullet resistance only if the product has been tested according to accepted bulletproofing standards – and the protection applies only against the weapon and ammunition with which the testing was conducted. It is impossible to make a general statement regarding the bullet-resistance level of bulletproof Plexiglas.
There is no difference. Plexiglas and acrylic glass are the same thing – Plexiglas is simply a brand name for acrylic glass. The correct chemical term is polymethyl methacrylate, abbreviated PMMA.
Polycarbonate (PC) is a very impact-resistant and absolutely transparent synthetic material. The best-known brand names for polycarbonate are Lexan and Makrolon. Polycarbonate is about 200 times more robust than glass. Polycarbonate is also more impact-resistant than acrylic glass. Acrylic glass is less sensitive to scratches and more resistant to UV rays. Polycarbonate, on the other hand, is UV-protected by coating or laminating with glass. The inventor for this highly effective construction: SiLATEC.
Ballistic glass made up of glass and polycarbonate is also known as glass-clad polycarbonate bulletproof glass. There are two different construction approaches. in one, the attack side is made of glass and the defense side, the side facing the protected space, is made of a very impact-resistant and transparent plastic – polycarbonate. The advantage is that there are no glass splinters on the defense side.
Alternatively, there is the symmetrical solution. Here, polycarbonate is bonded to glass from both sides over the entire surface. Both sides of the bullet-resistant pane are made of glass.
Glass-clad polycarbonate glazing offers very high protection against burglary in addition to ballistic protection. That is why polycarbonate glazing is used in museums, embassies and villas. In other words, whenever it is important to give burglars no chance.
Bullet resistant glass-clad polycarbonate glazing is available from about 20mm (3/4") to 100mm (4"). The required thickness of the glass-clad polycarbonate depends on the weapon and ammunition. Bulletproof glass-clad polycarbonate glazing is approximately 50% thinner and lighter than conventional bullet proof glazing.
