TROSIFOL is giving three talks at this year’s Glass Performance Days (GPD) in Tampere, Finland

In addition to contributing three speakers, TROSIFOL is supporting the event with two chairmen, Dr. Bernhard Koll, Technical Marketing Manager, and Johan Mortelmans, Head of Technical Service.

It is kicking off with a talk by Andreas Karpinski, Application Manager Photovoltaics TROSIFOL, given at the workshop “Solar power –opportunities for the glass industry” on 12th June. This workshop is targeted at glass manufacturers and processers who are interested in solar technology and wish to find out about the opportunities and requirements. This is where a number of speakers will give talks on the photovoltaic market, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and the structure of solar cells. Andreas Karpinski will present an overview of the various lamination processes and explain how they differ. He will highlight the differences between the vacuum laminator process, the roll laminator process with subsequent autoclaving familiar from the glass industry, and the vacuum bag process with autoclaving, and outline the pros and cons of the different methods for certain applications. He will also explain various production steps in detail and, for instance, compare multi-level laminators with multi-step laminators in detail and compare the steps in the respective processes.

In his talk “Lamination challenges on today’s markets” on Sunday, 14th June, Stefan Hiss, Application Manager Architecture of the TROSIFOL Division, will be examining the potential of PVB film in connection with laminated safety glass (LSG). A permanent fixture on the market, laminated safety glass combines the unique properties of glass with the benefits of strong but elastic PVB film. This symbiosis is strongly reflected by the market’s appreciation of the safety properties of this type of glass. It is therefore hardly surprising that demand for laminated safety glass continues to grow worldwide and architects are attaching increasing importance to this glass as a design element in glazed buildings. Stefan Hiss will be presenting three international projects to explain how LSG with a PVB film came to be chosen:

• Glass staircase at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, Canada




• Solar protection elements (integrated, with expanded metal), KfW-Bank, Frankfurt am Main, Germany




• Bomb-proof facade of the new 7 World Trade Center in New York, USA, which was opened in 2006

He will be presenting the special demands of the designers and the supported loads as well as the necessary test methods.

In his talk on Monday, 15th June, Dr. Uwe Keller, Product Development Manager, will be reporting on the advantages of and opportunities for PVB on the fast-growing photovoltaic market. TROSIFOL SOLAR, the PVB film for use in the PV industry, was developed specifically to meet the needs of the solar module industry. For the first time, it will permit the production of double-glazing module elements for façades and roof integration (building-integrated photovoltaics or BIPV). The outstanding property of this product is its suitability for both crystalline (glass/glass modules) and thin-film modules. Thanks to their outstanding safety properties, it is ideal for glazing serving as edge protection. The film now available in its second generation has undergone radical further development and now constitutes a genuine landmark in PVB development with a significant reduction in such PVB-specific properties as moisture absorption. At the same time, its markedly improved electrical resistance contributes to more effective insulation. In addition, extremely promising optimization of the alternatives to silicon-based thin-film modules has been achieved, which will yield sustainable improvements. And, as the precondition for this symbiosis with glass, TROSIFOL SOLAR is absolutely crystal clear. 

We look forward to seeing you at the Glass Performance Days (GPD) in Tampere, Finland, from 12th to 15th June 2009.