In the field of high-stakes security, protection is measured not just by what a material can stop, but by what it prevents from happening. While stopping a bullet or absorbing the initial force of a blast is essential, the secondary threat—the deadly fragments of glass known as spall—often poses the greatest risk to occupants.
At Kratos Glass, our advanced glazing solutions are engineered to counter this lethal hazard through the integration of sophisticated Anti-Spall Technology.
Understanding the Danger of Spall
When an explosion or high-velocity projectile strikes a piece of armored glass, the impact creates massive compressive force on the exterior surface. This force translates into tensile stress on the interior (protected) side. If the glass fails under this stress, shards of glass can be ejected at high speed into the occupied space. This phenomenon, known as spalling, can cause severe, life-threatening injuries, even if the primary projectile is stopped by the main glass structure.
True security is incomplete without addressing spalling.
The Anti-Spall Solution
The technology behind preventing spalling is simple in concept, but complex in execution: an invisible, highly resilient layer applied to the protected side of the laminated glass.
- Material Science: Kratos Glass typically uses a specialized, high-performance layer, often a thick layer of polycarbonate or a high-strength polyurethane film, as the final interior component.
- Energy Absorption: Upon impact, this layer acts as a flexible net. While the external glass layers absorb the force and break, the anti-spall layer catches and holds all fragments, absorbing the residual energy and preventing the glass shrapnel from entering the secure zone.
- Clarity and Integration: Crucially, this essential protective layer does not compromise the optical clarity of the glass, nor does it typically add excessive weight, making it ideal for integration into armored vehicles, government buildings, and other sensitive architectural projects.
Certification: Guaranteeing the Anti-Spall Promise
For blast and ballistic resistance, relying solely on unverified claims is unacceptable. The effectiveness of the anti-spall layer is proven through rigorous testing under international standards (such as EN 1063 or various GSA and ISO blast standards).
Kratos Glass ensures every batch of blast-resistant glass incorporating anti-spall technology is certified. This meticulous process guarantees that our products perform exactly as intended, turning a transparent window into a reliable, life-saving barrier.
The Kratos Commitment to Comprehensive Protection
Whether equipping a military vehicle facing IED threats or securing a critical infrastructure facility against vandalism or attack, the commitment is the same: providing complete, reliable protection. By mastering the technology behind the anti-spall layer, Kratos Glass continues to lead the way in manufacturing glazing solutions that provide superior security and, most importantly, peace of mind.