Nearly all cars, microwaves, ovens, storefront windows,frameless shower doors , tabletops, and sunglasses use tempered glass because it is stronger and safer than other types of glass. Although it is often more expensive than annealed glass, many industries have used exclusively tempered glass because of its benefits.
Tempered glass is 4 times stronger than annealed glass of the same configuration and thickness because it has been through a monitored heating process during its manufacturing. The customary procedure involves heating the glass to more than 1,000 degrees F, then speedily cooling to lock the core in a state of tension and the architectural glass surfaces in a state of compression. This rapid heating and cooling creates an extremely robust material.
This heating process also protects the surface of the glass from scratching. It is no wonder automobile manufacturers use this type of glass on nearly all of their models. With the constant wear and tear that a car faces everyday, it only makes sense to use tempered glass. Because it does not scratch as easily as traditional glass, it lasts much longer than other types of glass.
Furthermore, tempered glass is much safer than other types of glass, including annealed glass. (Tempered glass is also called safety glass for a reason.) First, it does not break easily, effectively reducing the risk of broken glass. If tempered glass does break though, it breaks into many small fragments, which are much less likely to cause injury. While not harmless, these small pieces of glass are much less harmful than long shards of glass from a broken annealed window.
