Windshield Recovery & PVB Separation
Automotive windshields are a composite: two glass plies bonded by a PolyVinyl Butyral (PVB) interlayer. They require dedicated delamination to separate into two distinct output streams — clean glass cullet and reclaimed PVB polymer.
The Laminated Glass Composite
A windshield is not a single material — it is a sandwich of glass and polymer that must be separated before recycling.
Outer Glass Ply
Soda-lime-silica float glass (typically 2mm–2.5mm). Contains silica (SiO₂), sodium oxide (Na₂O), and calcium oxide (CaO).
PVB Interlayer
PolyVinyl Butyral film (0.38–0.76mm). Bonded between glass plies to prevent shattering. Contains plasticizers and UV stabilizers.
Inner Glass Ply
Second soda-lime-silica glass layer. Together with the outer ply, comprises ~95% of windshield weight. Recovered as cullet.
Two-Path Recovery Flow
Aavishkar's mechanical-chemical delamination separates windshields into two distinct, traceable output streams.
Input Acceptance
Laminated windshield feedstock verification
Whole or broken laminated windshields are received and logged with weighbridge verification, radiation scanning, and photo documentation. Each batch is traceable to vehicle OEM or architectural source.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Accepted Material | Automotive laminated windshields, architectural laminated glass |
| Rejection Criteria | Tempered glass, ceramic/porcelain, mirror glass, wired glass |
| Traceability | Batch number, source, receipt date, weighbridge ticket |
Mechanical-Chemical Delamination
Separating glass from PVB interlayer
Windshields are crushed, then subjected to controlled mechanical agitation with chemical wash to dissolve the PVB bond. Glass fragments are liberated from the interlayer film under temperature-controlled conditions.
Output A: Clean Glass Cullet
~95% of windshield weightSeparated glass fragments pass through magnetic and eddy current cleaning, air classification, and optical sorting to produce furnace-ready cullet.
Output B: Reclaimed PVB Polymer
~5% of windshield weightRecovered PVB film is washed, dried, and compounded into pellets for downstream industrial applications — coatings, adhesives, impact modifiers, and plastic blending.
Compounded PVB Polymer Products
Reclaimed PVB from windshield recovery is further processed into these industrial-grade polymer products.
Recycled PVB Granules & Compounded Pellets
Purified PolyVinyl Butyral pellets compounded with stabilizers and impact additives for paint, coating, adhesives, and polymer blending.
View SpecsPVB Impact Modifier & Footwear EVA Masterbatch
Specialty compounded PVB resin tailored as an elastomeric impact modifier and cost-saving EVA extender for footwear soles and molded goods.
View SpecsWindshield Recovery: Input & Output Specifications
| Stage | Parameter | Specification | Test Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input | Accepted Material | Laminated windshield / architectural glass | Visual + composition check |
| Input | Rejection Criteria | Tempered, ceramic, mirror, wired glass | Visual inspection |
| Process | Delamination Method | Mechanical-chemical separation | Proprietary process |
| Process | Temperature Control | Controlled wash temperature | Thermocouple monitoring |
| Output — Cullet | Size Range | 2–30 mm | Sieve analysis |
| Output — Cullet | PVB Residue | < 0.05% | Gravimetric / LOI |
| Output — Cullet | Metal Contamination | < 5 ppm | Magnetic + eddy current |
| Output — PVB | Glass Contamination | < 0.1% | Melt filtration analysis |
| Output — PVB | Moisture | < 0.5% | Karl Fischer / LOD |
| Output — PVB | Form | Washed film scrap → Extruded pellets | Visual + MFI test |
Discuss Feedstock Supply or Joint Venture
Whether you have windshield scrap to supply or need clean cullet and PVB for your process — let's talk.