July 2023 / Vol. 75 / issue 7 CUTTING TOOL ENGINEERING magazine (ctemag.com) included an article by Trevor Peters titled; WORLDS WHITEST PAINT WINS AWARD. The article details the development of the world’s whitest paint by a team of scientists from Purdue University led by Xiulin Ruan professor of mechanical engineering. Why is this of interest to us in the door and window manufacturing business and those who use our products in design and construction? Read on and I’ll make the connection.

The effects of solar heat gain and Ultraviolet light on the various surfaces of building facades, doors, and windows can be difficult to contend with. Thermal expansion, fading and chalking of painted surfaces, and product stability are expensive and disruptive forces we contend with. The team at A.J. Manufacturing, Inc. (AJ) not only designs products and selects finishes and materials to combat these effects, we consider the packaging an important element of “value” we deliver.

Harmony™ and Main Street™ vinyl windows manufactured by AJ feature material formulations that resist the effects of the sun, rain, extreme cold when installed. Our custom paint systems feature polyurethane paint formulations that are designed to reflect solar rays, cooling the surface of the windows, reducing thermal expansion, and assuring owners of easy operation and consistent fit and finish of the assembly. We have even go so far as to Patent the use of Vinyl EZv™ on vinyl windows because it is necessary for uniform expansion and contraction of the window and trim. Metal or Aluminum have significantly different rates of thermal expansion and will cause interference or failure of the window performance over time.

There is no dispute or misunderstanding that before a vinyl window is installed, it is at its most vulnerable to damage. Damage can occur from banding/strapping on trailers, storage on uneven surfaces, storage of windows laying flat or stacked on other materials or other materials being placed on the windows. These conditions and the effects of solar heat gain and exposure can cause the windows to warp or twist. When properly handled, strapped, stored, and installed the window will not succumb to these forces and when installed will provide years of excellent service.
What is the connection to the whitest paint ever? AJ, to our knowledge, is the only supplier providing vinyl windows protected with a SOLAR REFLECTIVE and VENTILATED carton! The window is suspended within the carton, supported top and bottom in large custom blocks of styrene, the white carton reflects solar heat gain and with the vents in the package allow for air flow to reduce and eliminate the risk of damage from overheating. We learned this lesson when we were kids walking with bare feet…..blacktop and dark surfaces are hotter than concrete or light surfaces. Now you know the connection.

Read the article by Trevor Peters and see the potential impact of these specialized materials and finishes can have on our environment. Here at AJ, before the development of such amazing materials, we have been applying practical approaches to solving the problems associated with the sun’s rays. For nearly 10 years we have been applying solar reflective coatings to doors and windows and packaging our windows in such a way that they are protected like no other window available in the Post Frame industry.