Super Spacer® warm edge spacers offer flexibility all along the line
At FENSTERBAU FRONTALE 2022, discussions around digitalization, manufacturing automation, innovative window solutions and sustainability will be a constant. “With Window 4.0, the hour of flexible spacers is also upon us”, said Johannes von Wenserski, authorized signatory at Heinsberger. In addition to the topic of energy efficiency, the focus of Edgetech‘s trade fair presentation will therefore be on the manufacturing advantages of Super Spacer® flexible warm edge spacers when processed in automatic production lines.
If not now, when for Warm Edge?
Against the backdrop of current developments in energy prices and climate protection, Joachim Stoss, Managing Director of Edgetech Europe GmbH and Vice President International Sales at Quanex, places the issue of sustainability at the top of the agenda, “We have to save energy, and we have to do it quickly and everywhere. That’s why we as an industry must also make it clear that there is no way around the warm edge any longer. It is part of the basic equipment of all new insulating glass. Super Spacer offers the best Psi values of up to 0.028 W/mK and enable savings of up to 6 percent on heating costs. Moreover, the costs for the warm edge Super Spacer are negligible. They account for less than 1 percent of the total cost of an installed window. So, what is there to wait for?”
Variability and flexibility
Customized windows have always characterized window construction and insulating glass production. Due to intense competition and great pressure for efficiency, a large part of the industry has made the transition to industrial production. Last but not least, energy requirements, the trend towards large glass surfaces as well as curved and free-form glass are constantly presenting the industry with new challenges.
With intelligent automation, insulating glass manufacturers can, on the one hand, exploit the economies of scale of larger quantities, and on the other hand, they can also economically realize unusual customer requests in lot size 1.
Super Spacer® flexible warm edge spacers made of silicone structural foam are suitable for manual processing in special designs, automatic application in the edge seal of classic windows, insulating glass units in structural glazing façades, and for hot and cold curved insulating glass. If flexible spacers are applied automatically from the roll, a large part of the set-up time is eliminated and the line is maximally flexible in terms of window dimensions, glass type, number of glazing units and spacer width. “Super Spacer is set parallel to the millimetre and guarantees a visually appealing, but above all tight edge seal,” added Johannes von Wenserski.
In addition, the structural foam is compatible with all common sealants such as hot melt butyl, polyurethane, silicone and polysulfide. In addition, insulating glass units with Super Spacer® flexible warm edge spacers can be handled, packaged and stored immediately after processing, as the integrated desiccant dries the spaces between the panes very quickly.
“Of course, we will also be presenting our new Super Spacer T-Spacer SG at the trade fair, which has a larger surface area for the application of the primary seal,” said European Technical Manager Christoph Rubel. Like all Edgetech products, it is a metal-free, silicone-based warm edge spacer made of structural foam with integrated desiccant and also has excellent thermal insulation properties thanks to its low thermal conductivity of 0.19 W/mK.
“The spacer’s composition provides improved shape memory, which is important for the long-term integrity of the edge seal. The resilient structural foam follows the climate-induced movements of the glass and relieves much of the load on the butyl seal. This is an invaluable advantage, especially in climates with very low, very high or highly fluctuating temperatures.”