LEADING THE WORLD IN VACUUM INSULATED GLASS TECHNOLOGY AND WINDOW & DOOR SYSTEMS
26,000 sqm
Factory area
1,200 sqm
Production per day
42
Number of IP rights
3.3 M x 2 M
Max size of a single piece of Vacuum Glass
Superior Thermal Insulation Performance
Superior Sound Proofing Capabilities
Prevents Condensation
Light and Durable
Long Life Span
Prevents Infrasound
An Introduction
Werkman Tech stands at the forefront of the vacuum insulated glass industry, significantly shaping the future by continually transforming industry standards with new component additions and manufacturing techniques. Our vacuum glass operational hub covers 26,000 sqm with a daily capacity of 1200 sqm of vacuum insulated glass units.
Our world-renowned research and development department, led by our Scientific Director Prof Liam Liu, enables us to lead the world in vacuum glass manufacturing and we specialize in oversized, irregular shaped and curved vacuum insulated glass units. We are continually pioneering new techniques such as clear ceramic micro spacers and our unique low temperature sealing technology, which has successfully solved the problems of tempered/toughened glass annealing during production, and results in a much higher vacuum than competitors, and an even longer life span.
Our vacuum glass also complements our GVG90 window and door systems, the most advanced windows and doors in the world with a combined Ug + Uf value as low as 0.64 W/m2K. Our products gained PHI certified component status in Germany in 2019 and the winner of the prestigious Component Special Award at the 23rd International Passive House Conference. Werkman continues to shape an impressive trajectory by pioneering innovation and transforming industry standards around the world. From our base in Asia, we cover the Far East, Australia, North America and now here in Europe.
Vacuum Insulated Glass
Vacuum Insulated Glass, sometimes shortened to VIG, was invented at Sydney University in 1995 after 70 years in concept, and first produced in Japan in 1997. Because of a large face mounted extraction port and clearly visible spacers, VIG was slow to catch on and for many years the technology stood still. Under the direction of Professor Liam, who worked alongside the original inventors at Sydney University, we started to develop our own brand of VIG units, and over time, with our new developments and patents, we pushed ourselves to the forefront of the vacuum manufacturing world. We hold 42 worldwide patents and invention patents.
So what is VIG and how does it work? The concept is simple, heat cannot transfer through a vacuum because there is nothing physical for it to pass on. Basically, there is nothing there, no molecules or particles, so in effect no conductors, and meaning heat or cold cannot cross the vacuum barrier. This means that a vacuum is the best form of insulation you can get. There is one disadvantage with creating a vacuum, and that is that the vacuum pulls the two pieces of glass together and if they touch then you lose your vacuum. To keep the two pieces of glass apart and maintain the vacuum, micro spacers are used, which are tiny round spacers around 0.15mm in diameter. They are usually made of steel and painted black, white or grey to blend in with the majority of backgrounds. We have invented clear ceramic micro spacers to replace these and further reduce any visual impairments. Most manufacturers use tempered, toughened glass and a 0.1mm edge strip to balance the spacers. This is heat sealed and the vacuum is complete. We invented a low temperature seal technique to reduce toughened glass annealing during manufacture through heat. Now that you have a finished vacuum unit you find that natural forces are always pushing the two pieces of glass together, acting with the vacuum, so it has an incredibly long life span, anywhere between thirty to fifty years, manufacturer dependant, and with the vacuum achieving an incredibly low U value from 0.7 W/m2K downwards to 0.4 W/m2K and even less.
Compare any VIG unit to slim-line, double and triple glazing units, which have U values between 2.2 W/m2K down to 0.8 W/m2K and only last from one to ten years and there is absolutely no comparison. VIG is the future of the glazing industry and is best not only for the planet, with no gas, mastic, silicones or plastic spacers being used, but financially too, when you consider the cost of replacements and heating bills, and the amount of glass thrown away every five or ten years.
Vacuum Glass Specifications
4mm TL + 0.15v + 4mm T
UG Value 0.48 W/m2K
- Port Free
- Clear Ceramic Spacers
- Low Temperature Edge Sealing
SOLAR Vacuum Glass
In these fast-changing times, where advancements are made before you can blink, we have made giant leaps forward in the technology race and can now turn your windows into clear solar panels. You might want to sit back for a moment, and let that sink in.
That’s right, the glass in photo opposite is solar glass and can achieve up to 80% of the electrical generating efficiency of a standard solar panel. Let us try and explain how it works. Sunlight is composed of visible spectrum and infra-red rays. When they pass through our Solar glass, it is illuminated on the glass assembly with 70% of the visible light entering the room. At the same time ultra-violet and infra-red beams hit our special refractive light path where they are then absorbed by photovoltaic cells with more than 90% luminous flux and converted into electrical energy which can be used, stored or sold back to the grid.
We couple our Solar glass into a vacuum unit to achieve the best U value, 0.48 W/m2K, which can then be mounted in our GVG90 range or any other suitable frame, such as a conservatory roof for domestic use, large green houses for agriculture or in a glass envelope for a skyscraper for large construction projects.
Window & Door Systems
Every year window and door companies shout about their advancements in design and impressive U values, but what is the reality? Standard aluminium or UPVC frames, no matter how many air pockets or thermal breaks they claim, will still have a U value of at least 2.0 Wm2K. The best triple glazing on the planet will only have a U value of 0.8 W/m2K. If you add the U values together in a standard type of window, say two full height casement openers, the actual U value of the window as a whole will be at least 1.6 W/m2K. Will it be draft proof? Yes, it should be. Will it be around in 30 or 40 years? The frame yes, if it’s really good quality, but the triple glazing answer is no, that will have been changed 3 or 4 times to maintain the 1.6 U value. So how do we improve on that while creating a greener product and a better world?
That was our problem back in 2014, and our answer is our GVG90 range of windows and doors. Because we already had our vacuum glass with a U value of 0.5 W/m2K as standard, we just needed the right frame to put it in. We looked around but none were good enough for vacuum units, so we teamed up with a leading frame manufacturer in Germany and designed our own. Firstly, we thought that draft proof wasn’t good enough, so we wanted it to be airtight with four separate gasket barriers and a locking system that pulls in. Next a U value of 2.0 wasn’t good enough either, we wanted an insulated frame to reduce the U value down to 1.0. With security, we wanted a very high level of protection, to guard against experienced burglars using power cutting tools and drills, so we chose an RC 3 security level locking system, which means it would take a professional burglar up to 20 minutes to break in. Finally, and most importantly, it had to take our super thin vacuum insulated units and also accept our much thicker vacuum solar units, so we designed a multi-jamb trim system to suit all options. Put together we had come up with the Werkman GVG90. We sent it for testing at the Passive House Institute and received a certified U value as low as 0.66 W/m2K for the entire window. Our system became a PHI certified component in 2019 and we were the winner of the prestigious Component Special Award at the 23rd International Passive House Conference.
We have priced the GVG90 window and door system to price match any good quality aluminium window or door in the UK, even though it will far outperform all other window and door systems sold in the UK, in every department.
