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FGIA: Report from the spring conference

The former Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance committees are now part of the FGIA’s Glass Products Council, led by Helen Sanders of Technoform, first vice-president, and Jeff Haberer of Trulite, second vice-president. The IGMA Certification Committee and the IG Technical Services Committee met at the Spring Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Here’s a report from the various task groups, focusing on the groups that had progress milestones to report.

Certification Committee
The Quality Management System task group reported that the quality manual, procedures, work instructions and forms for all four tiers of the IGMA quality management system are now available on the FGIA online publication store. This program constitutes a full ISO 9001:2015-compliant quality system specific to the fabrication of insulating glass units. No need to re-invent the wheel – we have your quality system right here. These also happen to be the last documents ever published singly under the IGMA brand.

The Fabricator Considerations for Large Glass Products task group has modified its scope to define large glass. Subjects to be covered in the document are application considerations and limitations, including storage, handling, transportation, installation, compatibility, standards, tolerances and applicable certifications. This is a joint task group working with the National Glass Association.

The Sealant task group says technical bulletin TB-1201 will be retired effective immediately. The task group will be working on a new document – TB-2500, “IG Fabricator Considerations for Non-Structural Edge Seal Sealant(s)” – which will include using the Section 4.0, TB-1400-91(11), IG Manufacturing Guidelines: Important Considerations as the content template. This document will not include in-depth discussion of glazing sealants. It will reference TM-2400 for testing methodologies, which will be a compilation of information from a number of other documents.

The Desiccant task group has developed a scope and will be updating TM- 2100-78(81), Test Methods and Performance Criteria for Desiccants and also developing a test methodology to determine desiccant type. Working jointly with the Insulating Glass Certification Council (IGCC), a fingerprinting methodology is being developed for desiccants similar to what was done for sealants.

Technical Services Committee
The IG Cavity Compensation task group reported its document, TM-3200-XX, is close to completion and was balloted to the task group in mid-December. The task group will meet to review the ballot comments and prepare the document for ballot to the GPC Technical Services Committee this year. This technical manual includes generic design alternatives for cavity compensation for insulating glass units and determines conditions that impact the pressure in the IGU cavity. Items included in the document are capillary and breather tubes; one-way valves; desiccant adsorption/desorption; pre‐inflating/pre‐deflating the unit; temperature manipulation during fabrication; and the use of bladders. The section on capillary and breather tubes is still under development.

“Prequalification Testing of Glazing Infill for Hurricane Products” is a joint FGIA-NGA task group. It has approved a new scope and is primarily focused on laminated glass to assure best practices for glass used in the hurricane impact market. The task group will be developing two documents: voluntary guidelines to ensure quality process management and an equivalency process. •

Save the dates:

• Summer Conference, June 22 to 25, Chicago, Ill.
• Fall Conference Oct. 5 to 8, Montreal
• IG Fabricator Workshop, Nov. 10 to 12, Plano, Texas