Quality for performance and durability.

Windows influence the characteristics of a building in many ways. Factors such as thermal insulation and living comfort, but also the possibilities in architectural design, depend on the performance of the profile system – and thus ultimately on the quality of the window profile. High profile quality also enables smooth manufacturing and installation. VTITE windows and doors are manufactured only from quality profiles with high Class A wall thicknesses that offer measurably better performance. To ensure this outstanding quality, the entire production chain is controlled more strictly and more closely than required.

WINDOWS ARE HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDING ELEMENTS

Allowing daylight and, if necessary, fresh air into the building: these were the essential functions of the first glazed windows. Today, the requirements are much more extensive and diverse. Building owners expect effective thermal insulation and lasting protection – against wind and weather, drafts, ambient noise and, last but not least, burglary. Of course, the windows should also be beautiful and offer a high level of operating comfort.

Beyond the wishes of the building owner, there are additional, specific requirements in architecture and window production. Architects and planners, for example, appreciate the wide range of design options offered by high-quality profile systems. Window manufacturers, on the other hand, attach particular importance to stable, highly compatible profiles that allow economical production and smooth installation. With all the different focuses, it must of course also be possible to implement the specifications in laws and other regulations without any problems.

The wall thickness makes the difference

European quality standard DIN EN 12608 describes the classification of the main profiles according to the thickness of the outer walls, especially at the visible surfaces and in the rebate or connection area. It is the interaction of these vertical and horizontal walls that essentially determines the mechanical stability of a profile – and thus its dimensional stability under load and serviceability.

According to the minimum thickness of the outer walls, the standard distinguishes three classes. No requirements are imposed on class C window profiles. To achieve class B, the walls of the visible surfaces must be 2.5 mm and the walls in the rebate or connection area must be 2.0 mm or more. The highest requirements apply to class A profiles. The visible surfaces must have a wall thickness of at least 2.8 mm, and the outer surfaces in the rebate or connection area must have a thickness of at least 2.5 mm.

Class A profiles offer measurably more performance

Our window and door profiles have outer wall thicknesses of 3.0 mm on the visible surfaces and 2.7 mm in the rebate or connection area (tolerance 0.2 mm in each case). According to DIN EN 12608, these are therefore profile systems of the highest class. The fact that the higher wall thickness of class A profiles actually results in higher performance is proven by extensive measurements. The series of tests in material testing showed that windows made of class A profiles have 15-20 % higher corner strength compared to those made of class B profiles. Dimensional stability is also greater, as shown by 10-12% less deflection under load. Also measured was the force required to pull bolts out of the profile: this is up to 20% greater for Class A profiles than for less strong-walled Class B profiles.

More profile performance means better quality

How should these results be interpreted from the point of view of the groups of people mentioned at the beginning? The building owners and users benefit directly from the fact that window frames made of class A profiles can better support heavy functional glazing without noticeable deformation. They therefore experience the best room comfort and lasting first-class ease of use, even with large-area elements. The high dimensional stability also means reliable tightness even under high wind loads. And in conjunction with tighter-fitting screw connections, the effort required for forced entry also increases – and with it burglar resistance.

Class A profiles also open up particularly wide design scope for architects. This is because the high stability, even with small face widths, enables designs with generous glass surfaces with low frame proportions for rooms flooded with light. The technical advantages of the high-quality profiles are complemented by the unique diversity of our color and decor range.

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