How We Cut the Glass for Your Car

After two years of researching our competitors and refining our own processes, we decided that the traditional methods of producing aftermarket flat glass windows needed to be retired.   The simple fact is that auto glass - like almost anything in the automotive industry - is best when cut and finished by machines. No O.E.M. (Original Equipment Manufacturer) windows for cars built after 1928 have been handcrafted in the automotive industry. Automotive glass has to be uniform to fit properly and for optimal strength.

We use highly accurate glass cutting machinery

Unlike other companies, reproduction glass is the core of our business. We want to be the best supplier of automotive glass for our customers. To achieve this goal we have invested and undergone extensive training in a specialized water jet cutting machine.

There are really only three virtues that a glass company needs to practice to produce a superior quality window: accurate shape cutting, careful handling and consistent edgework.

Shape cutting

We use our CNC water jet to cut the basic shape. This machine is accurate to ± 0.0001 inches…600 times more accurate than handcrafting! Once the shape is in the computer and verified 100% accurate to the original pattern, all of the windows cut using that pattern from then on will be identical to each other. That's not possible using traditional, handcrafting techniques.

The traditional technique of using heat and chemicals to separate the waste while cutting the shape produces stresses that accelerate de-lamination. De-lamination occurs when the bond between the glass layers and the laminate loosen, causing them to separate. This allows water and other contaminates to seep between the glass layers, destroying the window.  Water jets cut with a mixture of high-pressure water and abrasive garnet…eliminating the need for chemicals and heat. This helps preserve the bond between the glass layers and laminate, and eliminates any chance of contributing to the destructive process of de-lamination.

Handling

Traditional methods of cutting, shaping, and edging auto glass require constant handling.  This almost guarantees that the glass will at one point be dropped, chipped or scratched. Water jet cutting eliminates almost 90% of the handling…from raw glass to finished product. Less handling means fewer mistakes, fewer scratches…and a much better product.

Edgework

The traditional glass cutting process requires that the window be ground to its final shape and the edge "seamed" on a water-cooled belt grinder. After the seaming process, the edge is gradually worked using progressively finer belts until the desired shape and finish is achieved.  This long, laborious process often produces chips, undercuts, scratches and an inconsistent shape.  With a water jet, the window comes off the cutting bed perfectly seamed and ready for final edgework.

Instead of a belt grinder, we use a shape edger that quickly machines an even, consistent pencil edge with no stress to the glass or to the operator. Multiple passes quickly refine the edge and prepare it for polishing. Using the shape edger produces a superior looking edge in a fraction of the time it takes to produce a “good” edge by traditional methods. This means that we can produce a better looking, more consistent product for your car much faster than our competitors.