While glass gets most of the attention in the production of windows, an insulated window unit is only as good as the small components that hold it all together. Without the correct spacer bar, sealants, and assembly connectors, an IG unit will not be properly sealed from the elements, and will contribute to higher energy bills, unwanted heat loss or gain, and generally poorer climate and UV control.
Coniston distributes everything you need to construct a window or IG unit with spacer and optional muntin bar — including assembly connectors. The term “assembly connectors” may be used to describe any small connecting component designed to assist in manufacturing IG units and maintaining their structure over time.
The primary use for assembly connectors is to help keep the spacer bar in place within the IG unit, and to close off any corners left from the cutting process. Window assembly connectors are designed to work in conjunction with glass, spacers, and sealants, to manage the stability of the entire unit. Assembly connectors come in a variety of styles designed to integrate as smoothly as possible with different types of spacer, such as plug-style connectors, which slot into existing grooves in the spacer bar. Assembly connectors may be made from plastic, metal, or a combination, and metal assembly connectors may also be welded or soldered in place to enhance the airtightness of the corner seal.
Spacer bar is generally extruded in a straight line, as a long strip of metal or plastic material (or in the case of TGI spacer, a combination of the two). In order to conform to the dimensions of a square or rectangular window, corners need to be created. One way to do this is to bend the spacer bar — this can be done with metal or certain types of TGI spacer. The advantage of bent-corner spacer bar is that bending the material under correct manufacturing circumstances doesn’t create any gaps or fissures by which air or gas may escape.
Bent-corner spacer is widely understood to be more energy efficient than cut-corner spacer, however, even in a window with bent corners, at least one of those corners will need to be sealed off with an appropriate assembly connector. In insulated windows where all four corners are cut, well-fitted assembly connectors are crucial for maintaining the seal, keeping cold weather and moisture on the outside of a building, and keeping denser gasses such as argon and krypton inside the IG unit to further hamper the transmission of unwanted solar radiation and heat energy.
Coniston distributes assembly connectors to suit most types of spacers, sealants, and window projects. Assembly connectors are available in a range of configurations to suit different manufacturing standards and assembly methods, allowing you to choose the corner or connecting unit that will provide the optimal seal for your needs and budget.
