The American Architectural Manufacturers Association(AAMA)has released guidelines to assist architects,manufacturers,designers and owners,establish a model for aluminum composites utilizing polyamide thermal barriers.The QAG-2-12,"Voluntary Quality Assurance Processing Guide for Polyamide Thermal Barriers,"was created by AAMA's Thermal Barrier Task Group,QAG-2-12 and goes over handling and storage of polyamide thermal barriers,assembly equipment and machinery inspection,quality control and handling and care of completed and assembled profiles.
Thermal barriers create a thermal break between the inner and outer surfaces of aluminum fenestration,which allows for the reduction in heat loss or heat gain.Specifically,polyamide thermal barriers are comprised of an extruded thermoset material typically consisting of polyamide,reinforced with 25 percent of glass fibers for use in fenestration systems such as curtain walls,storefronts,windows,doors and skylights.
AAMA's QAG-2-12 references TIR A8-08,"Structural Performance of Composite Thermal Barrier Framing Systems"as well as AAMA 509-09,"Dry Shrinkage and Composite Performance Thermal Cycling Test Procedure."
"With the publication of the QAG-2-12,AAMA now has four documents dedicated to design,manufacturing and resultant composite properties of thermal barriers in aluminum fenestration,"says Patrick Muessig,chair of AAMA's Thermal Barrier Task Group."As energy efficiency has recently been,and will continue to be,an extremely important issue,the creation of these documents aid in the perpetuation of quality in thermally advanced commercial fenestration."
