Acoustic Interlayer – this term relates to windshields that have been manufactured with an acoustic vinyl that makes vehicle interiors quieter and more insulated from outside noise.

Adhesion – the connection or bonding of two surfaces together. In auto glass it relates to the bonding of glass to the frame of the automobile.

Adhesive – the bonding agent used to connect the auto glass to your vehicle. Commonly referred to as urethane.

AGRSS – the Auto Glass Safety Council (formerly the AGRSS® Council) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the safe replacement of auto glass.

Air Bag – an inflatable plastic bag mounted under the dashboard or on the back of the front seat of a car: it cushions the driver and passengers by inflating automatically in the event of collision. Safe drive away times increase in vehicles with air bags (see Safe Drive Times below)

Air Noise – a condition common in incorrectly installed windshields. When the auto glass technician fails to run a continuous bead of adhesive around the pinch weld of the vehicle air can be heard coming from outside the interior of the vehicle.

ANSI Standards – health and safety standards set by the American National Standards Institute.

Antenna – a conductor through which electromagnetic waves are sent out or received, consisting commonly of a wire or set of wires in order to receive a radio signal. In many cases, the antenna will be located in one of the pieces of glass within the car. Most commonly located in the windshield.

Anti-Theft – an anti-theft system is a device used to prevent or deter unauthorized access to your vehicle. Often the sensor can be built into your auto glass or the glass itself can be laminated and tempered, which can deter break-ins.

Autoclave – a large oven used to manufacture laminated glass.

A-Pillar – the A-Pillar of a vehicle is the first pillar (or support) of the passenger compartment, usually surrounding the windshield.

Back Glass – back glass (or back car window)

Bug – trademark/logo sandblasted or painted on glass that provides manufacturer information.

Bull’s Eye – damage to auto glass caused by a rock (or other object) that is circular, typically with a cone in the outer layer of the glass.

Butyl – an adhesive used in earlier model vehicles for glass retention. It is a petroleum product that requires no curing or hardening.

Chip – damage to glass caused by a rock (or other object) that causes a small piece of glass to come off the windshield.

Combination Break – a break in a windshield involving more than two types of breaks.

Compass – compass in the rear view mirror.

Corrosion – the chemical reaction of air, moisture, or corrosive materials on a surface; also called oxidation. The process of wearing away the surface of a solid. This can result in rusting in vehicles in humid climates making windshield installation challenging if not impossible.

Cure Time – the time required for the auto glass urethane to dry or set at a given temperature and humidity. Cure time varies with the type of material used and the thickness of the application.

Curing – the process of drying and hardening over a given period.

Curing Agent – a chemical which is added to effect a cure in the auto glass urethane.

Date Of Loss – when reporting an auto glass claim to your insurance company, this is the date that the damage occurred.

Delamination – occurs when glass separates from the vinyl inner layer. (you windshield is 2 pieces of glass that are laminated together using PVB Laminate)

Distortion – a defect in an auto glass part which causes a haze, ripple, wave or other visual imperfection, which is more common in aftermarket parts.

Diversity Antenna – thin metallic line in or on the windshield.

Door Glass – the auto glass that rolls up and down in the door of the vehicle.

Drive-Away Time – safe drive-away time (SDAT) defines the amount of time that your car is required to remain out of service until the auto glass part installed can properly operate as a safety device.

Electrochromic Mirror – an electrochromic rearview mirror is installed on higher end vehicles. It consists of two lenses that sandwich an electrochromic (electronic color changing) gel. This gel, when charged with electricity, darkens. The mirror uses a forward sensor which measures the outside ambient light, and a rearward sensor to look for glare. When dark enough, it sends current to the electrostatic gel, darkening it a rate which is related to the level of ambient darkness and rearward glare. When the outside ambient light increases, the current decreases, until the gel is clear again at daylight light levels. The inside sides of the lenses are coated with a transparent, conductive layer, and the deepest lens has a reflective (mirror) coating. There is no tab to pivot the mirror.

Encapsulated Glass – glass parts surrounded by moldings or frames.

Flat Glass – glass with no curve to it.

Frit – windshield glass contains a black enamel band (called the frit) around the periphery that is baked into the glass. This black band includes a border of dots. The band has an etched surface to enable adhesive to bond to the glass. When car manufacturers install the windshield, they bond the windshield to the vehicle with adhesive placed on the etched part of the black enamel glass area (inside surface). The outside of the enamel band shades the adhesive from the sun and protects it from ultraviolet radiation. The band also serves a cosmetic purpose by covering up the adhesive and gives the windshield edge “a more finished look.”

Heads Up Display – this feature allows the dashboard readings to be projected up on the glass to prevent the driver from having to look away from the road to monitor vehicle performance.

Headliner – the fabric which lines the roof of a vehicle’s passenger compartment.

Heated Glass – auto glass with an invisible heater circuit on the full surface of the windshield for defrosting the glass. Vehicles equipped with a heated windshield will not require noisy air vents on the dash to blow defrosting air on the windshield surface.

Heated Wiper Park – heated area across the bottom of some windshields. In vehicles equipped with this feature, the heated wiper park can be turned on to melt ice that has accumulated at the bottom of the windshield where the windshield wipers sit while idle.

Impact Point – the place on the glass where an object hits the windshield.

ISO-Certification – Certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Worldwide federation of national standards bodies concerned with consistent rules or guidelines of technical specifications.

Keyless Entry – Vehicles with this feature have an antenna on the rear windshield for the keyless entry system.

Laminated Glass – glass construction with a plastic layer between two pieces of glass typically used in windshield applications.

Light Sensor – a sensor, usually located in the windshield, that senses the absence of light and turns the headlights on.

Mirror Bracket – a metal bracket attached to the inside of a windshield that connects to the rear-view mirror.

Mirror Button – hardware used to hold rear-view mirror on windshield.

Molding – rubber and/or metal trim installed between the auto glass and the frame of the vehicle.

Navigation – GPS or other directional hardware and software in the vehicle.

NGA – Founded in 1948, the National Glass Association is the largest and most influential trade association serving the architectural glass, automotive glass, and window and door industries. The NGA provides cutting-edge education and training programs that upgrade technical skills, improve management practices, and enhance quality workmanship. From state-of-the-art online training offered through MyGlassClass.com to professional development programs like the Glass Management Institute, the NGA is the industry’s preferred training resource.

NGA Certified – auto glass certification offered by the National Glass Association.

OEM – Abbreviation for “original equipment manufacturer.” OEM generally refers to the brand of glass that your car originally came equipped with.

On-Star – The safety communication system provided on some General Motors vehicles.

Overhead Console – Controls and/or storage compartments located over head. Vehicles with this option often require a different windshield part number.

Paint Band – black or gray paint band on perimeter of glass used to hide all the perimeter mechanics when installed in the vehicle. Typically ceramic.

Passive Restraint – a system of protection that requires no effort on the part of the occupants of a vehicle, i.e., self-retracting seat belts, airbags.

Pinchweld – the pinchweld is the part of the vehicle frame where the adhesive is applied to bond the auto glass to the vehicle.

Pit – the impact point from which, typically, a small piece of auto glass is missing.

Primer – a material used to prepare auto glass surfaces for bonding to ensure strong installation bond.

Privacy Glass – dark glass used on vehicles to prevent looking in. Also reduces ultraviolet and infrared rays and improves appearance.

Quarter Glass – glass part on the side of the vehicle, located towards the rear of the vehicle. Named for its location above the vehicle’s quarter panel.

Rain Sensor – a sensor, usually located on the windshield, that senses rain and turns the wipers on automatically.

Rain/Light Sensor – a combination rain sensor and light sensor integrated into one sensor.

Rear Windshield – this glass part stretches across the rear of the vehicle. It is also referred to as the back glass.

Regulator – a manually- or power-operated device which rolls a vehicle’s window up and down.

Resin – a liquid compound used in rock chip or crack repair. Once it has filled the chip or crack, it is cured with ultraviolet light to prevent further damage to the windshield and restore the structural integrity to the vehicle.

Safety Glass – a general term used for either laminated or tempered glass. Only glass which has been laminated, however, can specifically be called laminated safety glass.

Safe Drive Times – safe drive-away time (SDAT) defines the amount of time that your car is required to remain out of service until the auto glass part installed can properly operate as a safety device.

Slider – window and frame assembly which is generally used as the back glass for pick-up trucks, but can also be on vans. The window opens by sliding in a track within the frame assembly.

Solar Coated – glass that blocks out the sun’s harmful infrared and UV rays to protect the automobile interior, and keeps vehicle cooler. Windshields that are solar coated typically have a pinkish hue to them.

Stress Crack – a crack that occurs without anything hitting the windshield, typically due to a large variation in the temperature (such as when the car is sitting in the sun, and then you start it and use the air conditioning). It almost always starts at the edge of the windshield. Stress cracks will normally be a straight (or slightly bending) line, and will not have any sign of impact. A “pen test” is often used to determine if there is a stress crack — a ballpoint pen is run along the crack, and if it dips anywhere, it is not a stress crack. That is because with a stress crack, no glass actually comes off the windshield. Stress cracks can also be caused by an improper windshield install.

Structural Integrity – your windshield helps to support the structure of your vehicle in the case of an rollover accident. This is why it is so critical to have a properly installed piece of auto glass. If your windshield is improperly installed, you can be ejected in a rollover accident, the frame of your car can collapse and the airbags may not function properly.

Sunroof – an automotive sunroof is a fixed or operable (venting or sliding) opening in an automobile roof which allows light and/or fresh air to enter the passenger compartment.

Tempered Glass – a strong, type of safety glass that, if broken, shatters into small granular pieces.

Third Visor Frit – a large pattern of small dots or squares painted on the windshield in the top, center to act as a third, center sun visor.

Urethane – the adhesive used to bond the glass to the frame of the vehicle.

Urethane Bed – the area along the pinchweld where the bead of urethane is applied.

Vent Glass – this glass is often triangular in shape and found on the side of the vehicle between the front door glass and the windshield.

VIN – every car and light truck model year 1981 or later has a unique 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN). A VIN has many important uses, including unlocking important information about a vehicle’s history. The VIN is located in a number of places on a car, but most commonly on the dashboard (you can see it through the windshield) and the driver’s side door jamb sticker. On some vehicles the VIN is also placed on the engine, hood, and other parts. The VIN may also appear on car titles, insurance policies, service records and police reports for the vehicle.

VIN Etching – VIN etching is the permanent engraving of a vehicle’s federally registered vehicle identification number (VIN) onto its windshield and windows. VIN etching is often seen as a deterrent to thieves because it not only makes it nearly impossible for thieves to profit from selling windows and windshields, but it also makes it more difficult for thieves to find a way to dispose of the vehicle once it has been stolen. As a result, VIN etching is recommended by police and insurance agencies to protect against auto theft.

Vin Notch – a cut away in the paint band on a windshield to reveal VIN plate on vehicle dash board.

VIN Plate – the VIN number is stamped onto a small metal plate and is attached to the drivers side of the dash where it meets the window.