LCG® Smart Glass
LCG® Switchable Glass
Manko is proud to partner with Gauzy to provide switchable liquid crystal, LCG® (light control glass), smart glass. This technology developed by Gauzy allows glass to change from transparent to varying degrees of opaque on demand for privacy, custom shading, solar control, and transparent displays in the spaces where you spend your time most. Common applications include office partitions, conference rooms, healthcare facilities, hotels, and residential. Manko produces this specialty laminated glass in its Manhattan, Kansas location.
Product Features
- Maximum glass dimensions of 58" x 142" (grey hues), 69" x 142" (white hues), and up to 50 ft2 max
- Minimum glass dimension of 20" long
- Interlayer is embedded for durability, reliability, and low maintenance
- Due to the nature of this product, inherent haze will be visible, which will increase at off-angles.
- Switching times of 10 ms
- All films are controlled by Gauzy's patented CE/UL certified controllers with 110/220VAC input, 70 VAC output, and 50/60 Hz
- Controllers operate up to 10 m2 (~107 ft2) of switchable glass
- Added sound control with lamination properties
- Custom configurations available, including patterns, colors, sizes, shapes, "blinds", and compatible with IGU's
- Ideal for new construction and retrofit
About Gauzy - Pioneering Light Control
Gauzy offers architects, designers, builders, and homeowners new and innovative smart glass solutions with its active glass technologies. Gauzy is the only material science company in the world that works with two (of the three) active light control technologies: PDLC (polymer dispersed liquid crystal) and SPD (suspended particle devices). Both films allow glass to change from clear to various levels of opaque on demand in milliseconds, controlling various forms of light. Manko currently works with the PDLC technology.
Liquid Crystal films are laminated between two pieces of glass, to create LCG® (light control glass), also known as smart glass, switchable glass, or privacy glass. With the flip of a switch, glass changes from opaque to clear. When opaque, glass acts as a privacy partition or HD projection surface, and when transparent, a simple window.
Smart glass is easily integrated into various types of partition systems and IGU’s, making it ideal for interior and exterior applications in offices, hotel, residences, and healthcare facilities.
This technology is shaping the future of glass windows and privacy partitions, creating versatile and dynamic spaces.
While commercial clear float glass is often described as colorless, it naturally exhibits a slight green or blue-green tint. For applications requiring maximum color neutrality, low-iron glass should be considered. Many laminated interlayers block ultraviolet light and may also slightly reduce visible light transmission, which can result in a subtle yellow appearance—particularly in thicker laminates or multi-ply constructions. When low-emissivity (low-e) or reflective coatings are incorporated into laminated glass, placing the coating in contact with the interlayer can alter its refractive index, potentially causing a perceived color shift. As a result, a coating may appear differently in a laminated assembly than in an insulated glass unit.
Optical distortion—both reflected and transmitted—may result from heat treatment, glass thickness variability, framing system stresses, and changes in exterior wind or interior building pressures. Laminated glass assemblies often incorporate multiple plies of heat-treated glass to meet performance requirements. Inherent characteristics of heat-treated glass include bow, roll wave, and picture-frame distortion. While fabricators take steps to minimize these effects, they cannot be eliminated. Distortion is further accentuated when reflective coatings or tinted substrates are used. Manko strongly recommends evaluating a full-size mock-up under actual project conditions.
Under certain lighting or viewing conditions, laminated glass may exhibit iridescent patterns or dark shadowing, commonly referred to as strain patterns or anisotropy. These patterns are caused by stresses introduced during the heat-treatment process and are inherent to heat-treated glass. While typically not visible, strain patterns may become more pronounced at extreme viewing angles or under polarized light. Thicker laminated assemblies may increase the visibility of these patterns. This phenomenon is not indicative of discoloration or material inconsistency.
Due to the technical complexity of laminated glazing systems, early collaboration between design professionals, fabricators, and suppliers is essential. Understanding the construction and inherent characteristics of laminated glass is critical to achieving optimal performance in safety, security, hazard resistance, and acoustic applications. As laminate thickness and ply count increases, the potential for optical distortion also increases. Full-size mock-ups are strongly recommended to evaluate appearance under project-specific lighting, environmental, and viewing conditions, particularly in applications involving visual movement behind the glass.
