What does the Swisspacer AIR do?
Height differences and climate loads lead to the formation of over- or underpressure in the insulating glass unit. The resulting stresses can lead to glass breakage and premature ageing. With Swisspacer AIR, these stresses are sharply reduced so that critical situations no longer arise.
As a general rule, a standard insulating glass unit is a hermetically sealed system: the air mass trapped inside the cavity between the panes during manufacturing is therefore retained. If the temperature or external air pressure now changes, the system reacts with overpressure or underpressure. The glass deformation this causes leads to loads both on the glass and on the glazing edge. If these stresses are too great, the glass will break. The expansion of the glazing edge can also cause the insulating glass unit to age prematurely.
Swisspacer AIR creates a pressure-equalised insulating glass unit in which these stresses are significantly reduced, minimising the risk of glass breakage.
Small component - big impact
Swisspacer AIR offers safety against glass breakage caused by transport over differences in height or climate loads.
The graphic shows the function of Swisspacer AIR by way of example. The grey line illustrates the rise in flexural tensile stress during transport to a higher location; following installation, pressure and flexural tensile stress remain constant. The orange line illustrates how the constant, slow pressure equalisation with Swisspacer AIR decelerates the increase in flexural tensile stress during transport. Once a window is installed, AIR ensures steadily advancing pressure equalisation. In the example, the critical flexural tension is not exceeded at any time.
Defining the limits of use with the Swisspacer AIR simulation
The Swisspacer AIR simulation in the calculation tool CALUWIN lets you, as an insulating glass unit manufacturer or window maker, very easily check whether Swisspacer AIR is the right technology to use for the pressure equalisation of specific insulating glass units. The outcome of the simulation allows you to quickly and easily estimate whether Swisspacer AIR can offset the climate loads during transport over large height differences for your defined parameters.
Swisspacer AIR is a metal sleeve with an integrated special membrane. Its special structure prevents water vapour from being able to accumulate in the cavity between the panes, avoiding the formation of condensation or damage the metallic Low-E coatings.
Installing Swisspacer AIR
There are two different installation methods. The quickest solution is to drill a hole in the hardened sealant and screw Swisspacer AIR in with a small O-ring. This is done independently of the rest of the production process, so has no impact on cycle times. Alternatively, Swisspacer AIR can be installed during the normal production process.
Compared to the manufacture of standard insulating glass units, pressure-equalised multi-pane units are not filled with a noble gas, as the gas can escape through the component. The insulating glass unit fitted with Swisspacer AIR is therefore ready for transport, installation and use.
Protect your insulating glass units with Swisspacer Air - now possible with CE labelling!
In close cooperation with the Saint-Gobain Glassolutions Insulating Glass Centre, Swisspacer has developed the European Assessment Document (EAD) for pressure-equalised insulating glass and created a European Technical Assessment (ETA) on this basis. The EAD is the basis for granting CE marking via an ETA, which is specifically intended for construction products that are not or only partially covered by harmonised standards. This paves the way for insulating glass manufacturers to obtain CE labelling for their products with Swisspacer Air.
Swisspacer invites all insulating glass manufacturers to start this process and take advantage of CE labelling for their products. The EAD not only creates the conditions for the granting of the ETA, but also for the successful international marketing of your insulating glass products.
Proofs and certificates
Before launching Swisspacer AIR on the market, we tested the product and its function in depth. Swisspacer AIR is licensed for use with Swisspacer spacer bars (approval number of DIBt: Z-70.4-249). TÜV Rheinland confirms that the tested systems meet the requirements of EN 1279-2:2002 regarding the absorption of moisture. Development was accompanied by investigations performed by ift Rosenheim.
You can also find further information on Swisspacer AIR on our Swisspacer video channel!