Bulletproof Glass

Bulletproof glass, also known as ballistic glass, transparent armor, or bullet-resistant glass, is a strong and optically transparent material designed to resist penetration by projectiles. While it’s not completely impenetrable, it provides effective protection. Bulletproof glass is typically made from a combination of two or more types of glass—one hard and one soft.

The softer layer allows the glass to flex instead of shatter upon impact. It varies in thickness, ranging from 19mm to 89mm. This specialized glass is used in windows of buildings requiring high security (such as jewelry stores and embassies), as well as in military and private vehicles.

EN 1063, also known as CEN 1063, is a security glazing standard established by the European Committee for Standardization. It serves as a benchmark for assessing the protective strength of bullet-resistant glass. The rating of a glazed shielding depends on its ability to withstand specific types of munitions or threat levels.

There are seven main standard threat levels denoted as BR1 to BR7 (or B1 to B7). Each level corresponds to a different type of small arms fire. Additionally, there are two other threat levels, SG1 and SG2, which pertain to shotgun munitions.

When evaluating bulletproof glass, it’s essential to consider whether it exhibits spall (S) or non-spall (NS) behavior. In the case of “S,” small particles of the inner glass surface may fall from the back of the glass during testing and touch the witness card. Conversely, “NS” indicates that no glass particles fall from the test piece’s back and touch the witness card.