Everyone can see that smart film switches glass from clear to frosted
but most people have no idea what you can and cannot do with privacy film.
Today I will cut, bend, damage,
burn and peel apart smart film so that you can really understand
smart film inside and out, how it can be damaged and how to handle it properly.
Every piece of film has busbars.
As you can see here there is one busbar on this side and another on the other side.
The busbar is attached to the film using conductive silver paste
to increase conductivity of the film. Watch as I connect the film to a power source.
Now it switches from clear to frosted when powered on and off.
If the bus bars get pulled off the film
due to improper handling, the film will be no longer switchable.
Smart film is low voltage and works in the range of 30 to 60 volts AC.
AC stands for alternative current, which means there is no plus or minus.
It makes the wiring installation safer because you cannot burn the film by mixing up the polarities.
Our transformers come with a remote control.
You can use this remote or you can wire the film to operate with a wall switch,
button, home automation system or you can control the film with your smartphone Siri or Alexa.
Now I will demonstrate how you can easily damage the film.
You will create creases if you apply excessive pressure to the film.
Try to avoid bending the smart film and never fold it.
Why? Well let's bend this piece of film. Watch as I apply pressure to the film.
Boom. You see the places we applied the pressure are delaminated and damaged.
When the film is powered on, the delaminated spots fail to become clear.
See all these marks on the pdlc layer? This is where creases have been created.
This is what it looks on the inside.
See all these marks on the pdlc layer this is where creases have been created.
When a piece of smart film is small, it's pretty hard to damage it-
but with the larger pieces it can easily be damaged with improper handling.
Ideally two people should be handling the large pieces as this is the most common way that
smart film becomes bent and damaged. The person who orders the film is often not
the person who will be installing it, so it is important that whoever performs the installation
receives all the information they need for a successful installation.
We provide a detailed installation manual with all our orders.
Check out our video on 'How to Install Smart Film'.
Let's cut the film. You may need to cut the film on site, for example, when the
installation area is not perfectly square- like an arch window- or the film is too large.
To do that you will need a marker and a pair of tailor's scissors or a sharp knife.
To start- place the film with the adhesive side facing up.
Draw a line where you want to cut- now I will show you what happens with the dull blade.
See, I applied substantial pressure but the film is still not cut through. However,
you can see a mark where we tried to cut the film and the two layers inside the film have become
delaminated and this damage cannot be fixed. Only one layer was cut through and the
other layers were not cut. Let's do another cut with a sharp blade.
See- now we have a very nice and straight cut with no signs of delamination.
Another option that I would like to share with you is simply using a pair of tailor's scissors.
Again, first you draw a line and then use the scissors to cut along the line.
See- the cut is much cleaner and this is much easier.
Scissors are the best options because they cut the film without putting pressure on the layers
that could cause delamination. If it's necessary
you can cut the busbar just like you cut the smart film.
If you need to do any cut outs for handles or hinges or for any type of hardware, first you
apply the film to the glass and when it's properly attached you take a knife and cut the film.
Making cutouts and holes will not damage the film and it's still working.
Let's see what happens if the film gets burnt. I'm taking a torch
and applying the flame to the smart film. See the film melts, but does not catch on fire.
As you can see the rest of the film is still working.
Smart film does not catch on fire easily and that is why it is a safe electrical product.
Smart film is very reliable. We just painted,
burnt, cut it and it's still functioning despite the damage.
If the smart film is installed properly it will last a very long time.
Smart film that we installed nearly a decade ago is still working today.
The quality of smart film varies greatly from supplier to supplier as do the prices.
When selecting smart film it's important to prioritize
quality to ensure you have a durable product that won't delaminate or discolor over the time.
Thanks for watching this video. I hope you have a better idea of
what smart film is, how it works and how to avoid damaging it.
Subscribe to our channel and learn more about switchable glass technology.
Visit our website for more information and to start your order. Thank you for watching.