Bill Lingnell, owner, Lingnell Consulting Services, Rockwall, Texas, and Urmilla Sowell, technical director, Glass Association of North America, Topeka, Kan., provided numerous code and standard updates during the joint meeting for the GANA Insulating Division Meeting and Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance Technical Services Committee. The meeting was held as part of Ottawa, Ontario-based IGMA's Annual Meeting and GANA's Glass Week.
Lingnell offered updates on several ASTM standards that affect IG manufacturers. Primarily, ASTM E 2188 Standard Test Method for Insulating Glass Performance, E 2189 Standard Test Method for Testing to Resistance to Fogging in Insulating Glass Units, and E 2190 Standard Specification for Insulating Glass Unit Performance and Evaluation, were revised and are now available for publication. Additionally, three ASTM standards determining argon content in sealed IG units—E 2269 Gas Chromatography Test Method, E 2323 Oxygen Analyzer Test Method, and E 2649 Spark Emission Spectroscopy—are currently in revisions.
According to John Kent, administrative manager, Insulating Glass Certification Council, Sackets Harbor, N.Y., "the 2010 version [of 2190] is a more rigorous standard than the previous, and everyone needs to be aware." One major change involves the coupling of the gas content test with the overall IG certification test. "In my opinion, the bar has been raised dramatically," he said. (Read tips about passing IG tests).
Lingngell also provided an update on the ASTM E 1300 glass strength standard, which is being upgraded and updated to expand the depth of the information included in the standard and to look at different types of glass.
Sowell provided an update on several other groups at ASTM, including one developing a standard for the safe handling of flat glass to provide protection for employees in the event of glass breakage. "They are looking at occupational health and safety to develop a new guide for personal protective equipment," she said. "Once this passes, it will affect everyone in the glass industry."
ASTM also has several activities looking at glass in solar applications, Sowell said. Within ASTM E 4420, there are five working items, including edge classifications for glass in solar, terminology for glass in solar, and a guide for durability and reliability. The group is currently "looking for guidance and feedback," she said.
