Group standard PV 8203

Issue 2014-03
Class. No.: 8FG00

Descriptors: optical reflection characteristics, reflection, vehicle window glass, curvature, deflectometry

Vehicle Window Glass

Testing of Optical Reflection Characteristics

Preface
The glazing's optical reflection characteristics (the distortion of the mirror images of its surround‐
ings) affect the exterior aesthetics of vehicles and, under certain circumstances, vehicle functions
such as how well windshields can be wiped.

Previous issues
PV 8203: 2013-03

Changes
The following changes have been made to PV 8203: 2013-03:
– Section 3.4, text adapted
– Appendix A, sample images revised

1 Scope
This Test Specification (PV) describes measuring and evaluation methods that ensure the reprodu‐
cible quantitative evaluation of optical reflection characteristics. It applies to all types of vehicle win‐
dow glass.
The specifications in this document are to be implemented in addition to those concerning optical
reflection characteristics in PV 2501 and Technical Supply Specification TL 957.

2 Description
Optical reflection characteristics test as per PV 8203

Always use the latest version of this standard.

This electronically generated standard is authentic and valid without signature. Page 1 of 12
The English translation is believed to be accurate. In case of discrepancies, the German version is alone authoritative and controlling.

Technical responsibility The Standards department

EKDV/4 Wolfgang Tiefenbach EKDV
EGNM/G Dr. Boris Thielbeer Tel.: +49 5361 9 40212 Tel.: +49 5361 9 75357 Maik Gummert

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be provided to third parties or reproduced without the prior consent of one of the Volkswagen Group’s Standards departments.
© Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft VWNORM-2012-05r
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3 Terms

3.1 Curvature
Curvatures are the reciprocals of the radii of circles that follow the contour of the surface or of an
intersection curve at the surface point being analyzed as tightly as possible. If the surface or the
intersection curve at the point being analyzed is convex, the corresponding curvature (and the radi‐
us) will have a positive sign by definition. If it is concave, the curvature (and the radius) will be neg‐
ative. A curvature of zero describes an infinite radius, i.e., a perfectly flat point. In contrast, an infin‐
ite curvature would describe a radius of zero, i.e., a sharp point.
The local curvature of a surface does not vary relative to the position or direction of observation or
relative to the rotational position or displacement of the object being measured in space provided
the object being measured is a rigid body.

3.2 Normal curvature CNORMAL

Curvatures that run in all possible tangential directions centered on a selected surface point are
referred to as "normal curvatures" (all the curvatures centered on the normal vector).
If the principal curvatures are known, they can be used to calculate any normal curvature for the
corresponding surface point (normal curvature formula, Euler):

CNORMAL = Cmax cos2 α + Kmin sin2 α (1)

where α = angle between and

3.3 Principal curvatures

If one draws intersections in all possible tangential directions at a selected surface point, there will
normally be exactly one intersection that has the smallest osculating circle and one intersection
that has the largest osculating circle. These two intersections are perpendicular to each other and
characterize the principal curvatures' contour. In other words, the surface's normal vector and the
vectors corresponding to the two principal curvatures form a vector trihedron in which the vectors
are orthogonal to each other. The two principal curvatures are called the "maximum curvature" and
"minimum curvature" and, accordingly, are the normal curvature's extrema. The absolute values of
these principal curvatures are always accompanied by the direction of curvature.

3.3.1 Maximum curvature Cmax

The maximum curvature at a point is characterized by the fact that the smallest possible osculating
circle (minimum radius) is located at the intersection curve – for this surface point – on the plane
defined by the surface's normal vector and the tangential vector (the direction vector of the maxi‐
mum curvature). In other words, the maximum curvature corresponds to the minimum radius.
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3.3.2 Minimum curvature Cmin

The minimum curvature at a point is characterized by the fact that the largest possible osculating
circle (maximum radius) is located at the intersection curve – for this surface point – on the plane
defined by the surface's normal vector and the tangential vector (the direction vector of the mini‐
mum curvature). In other words, the minimum curvature corresponds to the maximum radius.

3.4 Derived curvatures, principal direction of bend, and transverse direction of bend
The Gaussian curvature and mean curvature can be calculated on the basis of the principal curva‐
tures and are independent of direction. However, under certain circumstances, parts found in the
individual principal curvatures may be neutralized by the method used to calculate a Gaussian or
mean curvature on their basis. Because of this, an analysis in two separate directions of curvature
is preferred as a basis for evaluation.
Instead of analyzing the Gaussian and mean curvatures, the local principal curvatures are used to‐
gether with the normal curvature formula to calculate a globally horizontally oriented curvature and
a globally vertically oriented curvature. These two global directions are referred to as the principal
direction of bend and the transverse direction of bend. The principal direction of bend is oriented
along the coordinate axis, together with which the mean direction of all maximum curvature vectors
encloses the smallest solid angle. The corresponding local curvatures are labeled as CMAJOR (princi‐
pal direction of bend) and CMINOR (transverse direction of bend).

3.5 Curvature difference, standardized curvature difference

If sets of raw curvature data for a window glass and a reference window glass are available, curva‐
ture differences can be computed in order to determine the differences between the two data sets
(for a reference specification, see section 6.3).
When the difference is computed, the local direction of curvature must be taken into account and
adapted to the principal direction of bend and the transverse direction of bend. One data set de‐
fines the TARGET characteristic (reference), while the other defines the ACTUAL characteristic.
The following calculation convention is agreed upon so that the sign will be clearly defined when
calculating the curvature difference CDIFF:

CDIFF = CACTUAL - CTARGET (2)

In addition, a standardized curvature difference CMEANDIFF is calculated by dividing the curvature dif‐
ference CDIFF by the absolute value of the local mean TARGET curvature. This ensures that devia‐
tions in flat areas will be weighted more than deviations in areas that are more curved:

(3)

3.6 Deflectometry
"Deflectometry" refers to the measuring method used to measure curvatures on reflective surfaces.
This measuring method obtains the raw curvature data that is processed as per this PV.
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4 Requirements

4.1 Measuring system requirements related to the object being measured

Window glass dimensions that the system At least 1 500 mm × 1 000 mm × 300 mm
can handle
Variation of surface normals Maximum ± 90° in all directions (hemisphere)

4.2 Vehicle window glass setup and position

Since vehicle window glass is normally not stable enough by itself, it must be mounted or stabilized
in such a way that it will match the as-installed position in the vehicle during the measurement. It
must be possible to adjust the measuring fixture in such a way that the window glass can be set up
in its as-installed position (vehicle coordinate system) without the mount producing additional cur‐
vatures in the window glass that will not exist when the window glass is installed in the vehicle (in‐
herent load, warping).

4.3 Requirements for the raw data being obtained

The distance between measuring points is ≤ 1 mm. This measuring point distance must be main‐
tained across the window glass' entire surface (all the way to the edge, i.e., the distance between
the point and the edge is ≤ 1 mm). Ideally, the measuring points will be distributed in an approxi‐
mately equidistant grid.
At least the following information must be provided for each measuring point, in a readable ASCII
format:
– X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis coordinates, in mm, in the vehicle coordinate system [expanded
measurement uncertainty (k = 2) for the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis coordinates: ± 1.0 mm]
– Surface normal direction (X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis coordinates in the vehicle coordinate system;
absolute value = 1)
– Maximum and minimum curvature in m-1 [expanded measurement uncertainty (k = 2) for the
curvature data: ± 0.05 m-1]
– Direction of maximum curvature (X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis coordinates in the vehicle coordinate
system; absolute value = 1)

5 Measuring and providing raw curvature data

5.1 Measuring a window glass

The surface curvature is measured with a deflectometric measuring system that meets the require‐
ments described in section 4. The window glass' entire surface (normally the one corresponding to
the vehicle exterior or the one corresponding to the vehicle interior as well) must be recorded in the
vehicle coordinate system. If the window glass cannot be recorded in one single view, the individu‐
al views must be combined in such a way that exactly one single data set that meets the require‐
ments in section 4.3 is produced for each window glass (normally the side corresponding to the
vehicle exterior or the side corresponding to the vehicle interior as well).
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5.2 Reconstructing curvature data on the basis of CAD surface descriptions

Surface data (CAD) available in CATIA or IGES format must be prepared in such a way that exact‐
ly one single data set that meets the requirements in section 4.3 is produced for each window
glass (normally the side corresponding to the vehicle exterior or the side corresponding to the vehi‐
cle interior as well).

6 Evaluation

6.1 Graphic representation formats

Curvatures and curvature differences must be represented both as grayscale and pseudo-color
two-dimensional images (or as isolines instead of as a pseudo-color image). The limits are adjusta‐
ble. The pseudo-colors comprise eleven colors (see 8-bit RGB values in table 1). The grayscale is
continuous.
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Table 1
Pseudo-color image Grayscale image

R G B Description Color Description

0 0 127 Concave outside Blue Concave outside limit
limit
0 0 255 Concave, major deviation Black Concave, major deviation
0 127 255
0 242 242 Concave, deviation Dark gray Concave, deviation
0 204 127
0 178 0 No deviation = 0.0 Standard gray No deviation = 0.0
153 204 0
247 247 0 Convex, deviation Bright gray Convex, deviation
255 127 0
255 0 0 Convex, major deviation White Convex, major deviation
127 0 0 Convex outside Red Convex outside limit
limit

The limits and the intermediate values between the color limits/isolines must be specified on a
scale. The percentage of measuring points that fall within the selected limits and the percentage of
measuring points that fall outside must be specified. The distribution of measuring points must be
represented in a bar graph. For more graphic representation formats for analysis, see appendix A.

6.2 Graphically representing the absolute curvature, curvature difference, and standardized
curvature difference
Curvatures must always be compared relative to a reference (for the reference specification, see
section 6.3).
Curvatures and curvature differences must always be represented in the principal direction of bend
and transverse direction of bend. The corresponding curvatures CMAJOR (principal direction of bend)
and CMINOR (transverse direction of bend) are always calculated with the normal curvature formula:
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CMAJOR = Cmax cos2 α + Cmin sin2 α (4)

The curvature in the transverse direction of bend CMINOR is orthogonal to it (tangential to the sur‐
face).

Table 2
Principal direction of bend Transverse direction of bend
Absolute curvatures CMAJOR, TARGET CMINOR, TARGET
in the TARGET data set
(reference)
Absolute curvatures CMAJOR, ACTUAL CMINOR, ACTUAL
in the ACTUAL data set
Curvature differences CMAJOR, DIFF = CMAJOR, ACTUAL - CMAJOR, CMINOR, DIFF = CMINOR, ACTUAL - CMINOR,
TARGET TARGET

Standardized
curvature differences

The variables listed in table 2 must be documented in the measurement report. Appendix A shows
examples of graphic representations.

6.3 Limits and reference specification

For each window glass, Volkswagen and the window glass manufacturer will jointly define a sur‐
face data set as a reference for comparing curvatures and for calculating the curvature difference.
Normally, this reference data set will match the window glass' CAD data set. In exceptional cases,
a reference surface data set may be derived from a window glass evaluated as being OK.
The maximum permissible curvature difference relative to the reference is 0.2 m-1 at any point on
the window glass.
The maximum permissible standardized curvature difference relative to the reference is 0.75 at any
point on the window glass.
For areas with extremely little curvature that have a mean target curvature below the measuring
system's measurement uncertainty of ± 0.05 m-1 (radii with an absolute value ≥ 20 m), standar‐
dized curvature differences greater than 0.75 are permissible. These areas must be marked in the
reference data.

7 Applicable documents
The following documents cited in this standard are necessary to its application.
Some of the cited documents are translations from the German original. The translations of Ger‐
man terms in such documents may differ from those used in this standard, resulting in terminologi‐
cal inconsistency.
Standards whose titles are given in German may be available only in German. Editions in other
languages may be available from the institution issuing the standard.
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PV 2501 Vehicle Glass Panes; Optics

TL 957 Silicate Glass for Vehicle Windows; Quality Requirements
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Appendix A (informative)

A.1 Sample report

A.1.1 Absolute TARGET curvature

Table A.1
Principal direction of bend Transverse direction of bend

A.1.2 Absolute ACTUAL curvature

Table A.2
Principal direction of bend Transverse direction of bend
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A.1.3 Curvature difference

Table A.3
Principal direction of bend Transverse direction of bend
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A.1.4 Standardized curvature difference

Table A.4
Principal direction of bend Transverse direction of bend
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A.2 Additional graphic representation formats

A.2.1 Cross-sectional view

Table A.5

A.2.2 Representation of the radii at a point

Table A.6

Example of a curvature difference limit in the principal direction of bend = ± 0.2 m-1:
At point X = +594.3 mm; Y = -567.2 mm; Z = +901.4 mm
The TARGET radius is = +2.645 m
The limit for the radius in the convex direction is = +1.730 m
The limit for the radius in the concave direction is = +5.616 m
And the ACTUAL radius is = +1.333 m.
Accordingly, the ACTUAL radius at this point is located outside the convex limit.