TGP technology: Tempered Glass Plus ®
The culmination of decades of continuous improvements
Since introducing the first tempered glass furnace in northern Spain, in 1989, the Pontevedresa Group has concentrated on stretching the boundaries of conventional techniques. These efforts culminated in 2015 with the development of TGP technology, the most advanced modular line for curved tempered glass in Europe, the first of its kind built with European technology, according to Pontevedresa Group specifications.
Bringing to life a new generation of stronger, more reliable and lighter tempered glass
- Sixteen times more resistant to bending than granite.
- More resistant to compression than cast steel.
- Capable of going beyond theoretical strength limits.
TGP technology has a proven capacity for producing glass materials with a level of resistance to bending that exceeds the theoretical limit required by legislation.
High levels of mechanical strength, leading to a reduced thickness of the glass required, which is important for some industrial sectors.
Guaranteeing levels of planimetry and optical quality, highly valued and recognized by the sector’s most demanding professionals.
Minimizing the risk of spontaneous breakage.
Using the Heat Soak Test for critical applications minimizes the risk of spontaneous breakage resulting from unstable nickel sulphide inclusions. Tempered glass is reheated to 290º C to accelerate nickel sulphide expansion, anticipating the risk of spontaneous breakage of higher risk pieces, in compliance with EN 14179.
Keeping people safe with advanced micro-fragmentation.
In the event of breakage, TGP technology ensures that each fragment has at most the equivalent thickness of glass, thanks to the optimal parameterization of the thermal shock applied to the surface of glass during the tempering process.
Our own tempering formula that redefines conventional techniques
Numerous conventional sources state that “glass is uniformly heated at a temperature higher than the softening point of 700º C”.
After three decades of continuous research, our technical team has discovered alternative processes, based on the thermal optimization of the surface of glass at the heating and cooling phase, generating a level of extreme tension in the glass and placing leading-edge TGP technology at the forefront of the sector in terms of mechanical strength.