WINDOW COMPONENTS
Homeshield Offers Finger-Jointed Primed Mouldings
Homeshield has added finger-jointed primed mouldings and component parts to its offerings. According to the company, the adhesive used with the mouldings is water-resistant, making the mouldings suitable for interior or select exterior applications. Likewise, there are few finger-joints per piece, which makes a more uniform surface for finishing, according to the company.

The mouldings are available in lengths up to 19 feet in any profile offered by Homeshield’s Colonial Craft, Fenestration Components and Imperial Products brands. www.home-shield.com

Build Better Windows 
with Lamatek’s Eco-Blocks
Want an eco-friendly alternative to your current setting blocks? LAMATEK Inc. has the answer in its newly-introduced Eco-Blocks™. The company says these will serve as a replacement for conventional rubber or PVC setting blocks that are made from a proprietary post-consumer rubber blend. A company representative says that its Eco-Blocks have been tested and found to be compatible with glazing and insulated glass (IG) sealants. “Only LAMATEK has the tested product that will meet our customers’ stringent application needs and save our customers money,” says a company rep.  

The Eco-Blocks are supplied with or without adhesive kiss-cut on 3-inch cores. They are also available without adhesive, and are die-cut.

They are and bulk packaged in cartons, but the company also offers customized options such as supplying Eco-Blocks on pads or half rolls for easier handling, cutting wavy edges to differentiate quickly between like-sized blocks, and using special cuts to simulate molded parts. www.lamatek.com

GLASS PRODUCTS
Guard Against Climate Conditions with ClimaGuard
Guardian Industries’ line of ClimaGuard products, which includes ClimaGuard Low-E and ClimaguardSPF, are ideal for residential window applications, according to the Auburn Hills, Mich.-based company. 

According to company representatives, the low-E product provides 50 percent more insulation over standard clear glass and blocks up to 50 percent more unwanted solar energy than standard clear glass, and up to 40 percent more than dark tinted glass. Likewise, ClimaGuardSPF is designed to block 99.9 percent of ultraviolet (UV) radiation without any visible change in daylighting.

“When it comes to UV protection, ClimaGuard SPF is in a league of its own,” says Tim Singel, director of residential glass products for Guardian Industries. “High-performance low-E coatings offer some UV protection, but not nearly enough and while there are other window technologies available offering increased UV protection, these products require a range of undesirable tradeoffs such as reduced natural daylight and a non-traditional window glass look.” www.climaguardglass.com  or www.climaguardspf.com 

DISPLAYSK
nock ’Em Down with Latest Updates from DAC
DAC Products has introduced new improvements to its knockdown (KD) display. The previous caster system has been replaced, and the display now has a reinforcing steel U-channel foot with casters made of steel and hard rubber. According to the East Bend, N.C.-based company, this latest upgrade will allow use of the display in more mobile applications such as mall shows and fairs. DAC has also incorporated a new cam lock fastener system, allowing for quicker and easy assembly over the previous version of the display. The instructions have also been simplified with many illustrations.

The KD display is available in blue and black and can be purchased with customized graphics in a quantity of only one. DAC also offers custom designs. www.dacproducts.com

HARDWARE
Extend Your Jambs with SuperJamb
FEN-TECH Inc.’s new SuperJamb extension jambs are designed for high-moisture applications and are made from co-extruded composite material. The core is a combination of wood (wood powder) and proprietary blend of thermoplastic resins, while the cap is an ultraviolet-stabilized, ASA acrylic polymer that is extremely colorfast.

 SuperJamb is water-resistant, cuts like wood, is machined easily and is paintable, according to the company. It is available in five widths, and is 5⁄8 inches thick with 16-inch lineals. www.fentechinc.com

Enter the New Age with Ribanta 5
American Douglas Metals, the North American distributor for Italy-based Savio, has introduced the Ribanta 5, which it calls “the new age for tilt and turn windows.” Company representatives say the Ribanta system is fast, sturdy and simple, and offers several different capacities, ranging from 220 to 375 pounds. Those mounting the system only need brief training and two simple tools—three screws and a screwdriver. In addition, no cutting is required with the Ribanta 5, according to the company. www.americandouglasmetals.com

Play It Safe
To aid in child safety and security, Mighton Products, with U.S. operations in Orlando, Fla., developed Ventlocks, which allow a sash to be left open a few inches for ventilation without compromising security. According to information from the company, a special key, supplied as part of the system, releases an inner barrel, which prevents the window from being moved; the barrel revolves freely, preventing it from being cut.

The company is pursuing ICC certification and approval. www.mightonproducts.com

COATINGS
LA409I from ICA is Transparent and Resists External Agents
Need a wood coating that protects against various external agents? Then check out the newest water-based exterior wood coating from Italy-based ICA Group. The company says the coating combines transparency with resistance to external agents. The LA409I coating is designed specifically for the coating of exterior fixtures and utilizes nanomaterials to deliver the transparency and resistance of which the company boasts.

ICA Group’s new coating can be applied, both on the level and vertically, using a spray gun with canister or using the airmix, airless or electrostatic techniques. During application, this coating enables the user to achieve a film with uniform thickness, even in hard-to-reach places, according to information from the company. www.icaamerica.biz

FRAMING SYSTEMS
A Blast from the Past: Pocket Doors
The FUTURA pocket door framing kit from Häfele North America provides for a simple installation for an old-fashioned door style that is coming back into style. The system from the Archdale, N.C.-based company is designed for installation of the company’s HAWA Junior 40/Z and 80/Z sliding hardware.

Hafele officials say that the cold-formed, zinc-plated steel studs utilized in the framing kit ensure a stronger pocket wall that won’t warp. As an added bonus, the exposed part of the wood header is laminated to match the color of the sliding track, creating a professional look. www.hafele.com/us 

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT
Bystronic and Urban Introduce High-Speed Friction Corner Welding™
Bystronic Solution Centre and Urban Machinery have announced a partnership to introduce a new, high-speed method of sash corner joinery for door and window manufacturers. The companies are combining Bystronic’s patented Friction Corner Welding Technology˜ and the corresponding Friction Corner Welding™ equipment developed by Urban to offer this technology.

The base technology utilizes corner webs, which are used to bridge and bond the profiles together. The webs are loaded in batches into a magazine, where they are automatically cued by the machine into a clamping device. Profiles then are directed into the web to create pressure and while a constant pressure is applied, the web itself is vibrated back and forth at a high rate of speed.

According to company literature, the combination of the pressure and vibration action creates heat energy, fusing the components together in a few seconds. The clamping then is removed, leaving a complete and welded square ready for secondary processing or assembly.

Beta testing of the system is expected to continue through the summer with the first production run of this equipment to be available for sale toward the end of 2008. www.urban-usa.com 

SOFTWARE
WWP Software Can Calculate 35 Different Shapes
WWP Enterprises’ software package is designed to calculate special-shaped radius and raked window units. According to the company, the software works for virtually any type of frame material, including wood, clad, aluminum, vinyl or composite. Three packages are available, the WinArch, Wintrap and Comparch, which calculate 35 different shapes with numerous variations for each shape. The programs develop cut angles, overlap angles (on radius products), miter angles, pitch and radius and all remaining manufacturing information, according to literature from WWP. www.wwpent.com 

DWM
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