Modern automobile windshield repair has experienced a few changes in equipment and resins over the years. Newly formulated resins that differ in viscosity and acid levels helped to improve the bonding strength of windshield glass chip and crack repairs, which directly relates to longevity and integrity of the repaired area. Now with colored resins that better match the refractive index of different colored or tinted automobile windshield glass, lets the windshield repair tech choose the best color that will help improve visual clarity, reduces appearance of cracks and will make most bull's-eye type breaks almost vanish.
Equipment improvements have provided better vacuum and injection methods that help inject the improved and colored resins all the way to the ends of the cracks. The proper amount of vacuum will remove the remaining air trapped by injected resin and forced to the ends of the cracks or the edge of a bull's-eye break. This air will be removed before the resin cures with ultra violet light and permanently trapping air inside the break.
With a basic understanding of the process of windshield chip and crack repair we can start to understand why windshield rock chip and crack repairs fail and continue to crack. No matter how many equipment or resin improvements they discovered the main variable in windshield repair is the repair technician himself, just varying repair techniques using the same equipment can affect the quality outcome of the repair.Some technicians learn to experiment with their equipment and techniques to improve the outcome and quality of their repairs, others do not. Some repair technicians receive a minimum wage from large company's and are not as picky as independent repair technicians when dealing with a tough repair.
All windshield breaks are different. Some fill and virtually disappear quickly, while other breaks don't tend to fill as easily and need special attention and more time to remove all remaining air from the break, making sure the resin has penetrated to the ends of the cracks or to the edge of other types of windshield breaks.
Trapped air is the number one reason windshield chip and crack repairs fail. The trapped air now in a confined area is a recipe for disaster, because air trapped at the end of these cracks will continue to expand and or contract in the newly confined space. Air trapped in a confined space will expand causing the repaired chip or crack to continue cracking.
The number two reason windshield repairs fail is the failure of the windshield repair technician to remove the existing water from the break. Water will impair the bonding of glass, any water remaining in the repaired area will not allow proper bonding and will almost always fail and crack out as water expands more than air. The force of expanding water trapped in the repair will cause cracks to expand and open the weak bond, allowing air, water or dirt in to the damaged area and spreading the existing cracks.
The third reason cracked windshield repair fails is pressure applied to the glass upon installation, this stress can cause properly repaired windshield repairs to fail and crack out this is very unusual but can happen. Repair your windshield as soon as possible. This will increase your chance of having a successful repair,before the auto glass cracks to the end of the windshield.
No comments:
Post a Comment