IGMA to Finish Work on Important Technical Documents in 2012

The Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance (IGMA) is working to complete three technical documents that are expected to be published this year.

Documents Update
The Design Guidelines for Multiple Cavity IGU’s has been approved by IGMA’s Technical Services Committee and will be balloted to IGMA’s Technical Policy Committee. The document will then proceed to legal review, with final approval at the IGMA Board of Directors, and is expected to be available this fall.

IGMA’s Thermal Stress Task Group has completed work on the document, Guidelines to Reduce Incidences of Thermal Stress, and it will be balloted to Technical Services Committee. Additionally, The Guidelines for Use of Capillary Tubes is also expected to be balloted to the Technical Services Committee. IGMA anticipates that any negative comments on either ballot will be resolved, and both documents will proceed through the remainder of the technical approval process.

Task Group Update
The scope for IGMA’s Gas Permeability Task Group has been amended and expanded. The original objective of the task group was to develop a test method for the determination of gas permeability through various edge-sealing systems. Now, the task group will focus on developing a standard for gas loss. The following revised scope was proposed:

• Develop a test protocol to determine gas loss with the base test method as ASTM E2190
• Develop a research method to correlate gas loss, as determined by ASTM E2190, to field performance
• Test units to destruction to validate ASTM E2190
• Conduct a field study of gas-filled units; start with a select number of test samples and then expose them to field performance after ASTM E2190 testing

IGMA will be holding the Performance and Innovation in Insulating Glass Units educational seminar at GlassBuild in Las Vegas, NV, September 11-12, 2012. More information on IGMA and its activities can be found on the IGMA website.