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Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) vs. Original Equipment Equivalents (OEE) – Auto Glass

But I thought you said this windshield was original equipment?
This is a common story for a consumer. A person has a new or leased vehicle and a window is damaged. They call an auto glass company and tell the consumer that OEE is an original equipment equivalent replacement part for their vehicle. But when the auto glass technician shows up to complete the replacement, the glass piece doesn’t actually have the vehicle manufacturer’s OEM logo on it.

OEM – Original parts installed by the vehicle manufacturer during the assembly of your vehicle.

OEE – Parts produced for installation in the “aftermarket” by third party companies.

What is OEM auto glass? (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
When designing a new vehicle, the vehicle manufacturer may use an existing windshield part from an older vehicle model, or may create an entirely new windshield and part number. If the decision is made to create an entirely new windshield, the vehicle manufacturer contracts with a glass fabricator to create the part. The glass manufacturer and the vehicle manufacturer create a unique mold and a unique molding/baking process to produce the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) windshield. Parts are installed when the vehicle is assembled at the vehicle manufacturer’s factory.

OEM parts are available for purchase through your local dealer or through an auto glass company. Please note that OEM installations through a dealer will be priced significantly higher than choosing a third party company for replacement. OEM parts are usually more expensive than OEE. In fact, the OEM can cost 100% more. Although Carlite (Ford) windshields are extremely affordable!

What is OEE or OE Auto Glass? (Equivalent to original equipment)
After a new vehicle has reached dealerships and is sold to consumers, third-party glassmakers will purchase OEM glass and reverse-engineer a mold to make their own. aftermarket glass parts This mold is created after they digitize an outline of the part. The companies then create a firing process to bend and shape the glass. Aftermarket OEE parts are slightly different in size, have slight differences in the curvature of the glass, and the glass may have significant distortion when viewed from a side angle. All of these differences can be minimal or dramatic depending on the manufacturer. The cheaper the glass, the cheaper it was to manufacture.

Removal of the manufacturer’s logo
Some auto glass installation companies remove the manufacturer’s logo from their windshields to trick consumers into thinking it’s actually an OEM. Remember to never buy glass without a manufacturer’s product label. The label is typically approximately 1 square inch in size and is located on the lower areas of the windshield, just above the painted black ceramic band. The manufacturer’s logo includes information about where the glass was made and has information for the Department of Transportation. Removing the logo is illegal.

What are the main differences between OEM and OEE?

1. Clarity of side view – All glass that is bent during manufacturing has some distortion when viewed from a side angle. This can be described as waves or ripples. Aftermarket glass is pressed, molded and fired during manufacturing in a slightly different way than the original process established by the vehicle manufacturer. As a result of the difference in manufacturing, the aftermarket process generally creates more distortion in the glass when viewed from a side angle. Sometimes it is much more!

2.Security – Both types of glass meet all federal safety standards and are also tested by places like AMECA, Automotive Manufacturer’s Equipment Compliance Agency Inc. Because both types meet certain safety guidelines, many auto glass installation companies Automobiles defend the argument that the aftermarket is equivalent to the vehicle manufacturer’s original replacement equipment simply based on this similarity.

3.Glass thickness – The federal government actually has mandates on the thickness of a windshield. Most windshields are between 2 and 3 mm (millimeters) thick. OEE glass may have a difference in thickness of 0.01mm or more. This can give rise to the idea that the aftermarket is cheaper. Although this is still as safe and OEM equivalent, I believe it is different and may have a higher risk of cracking from debris impacts.

4. Black ceramic painting design. – Both types of glass usually have the exact same paint designs around the edges of the glass, although there are some unique OEM windshields. This black design only hides areas from view (eg under the dash, behind the side pillars) and protects the urethane glass adhesive from the sun’s emitted UV rays. UV rays will degrade the adhesive, causing the glass to flake or loosen. One of the few differences found in the paint stripes may be the vehicle manufacturer’s or vehicle model’s logo embedded in the design. An example is a Ford Mustang windshield. The OEM windshield includes an image of the Mustang logo above the rear view mirror bracket on the third visor.

5. The logo of the manufacturer/vehicle manufacturer – OEM windshields have a logo that matches all other glass parts on your vehicle. This is the easiest way to see if a piece of glass has been changed before, or to confirm if an auto glass company has ordered the right glass for you. The logo will have either the vehicle manufacturer’s logo or the original supplier’s logo.

6. Rear view mirror mounts and sensors – Aftermarket (OEE) windshields use a different process to adhere the mirror brackets to the glass. I find that its quality of adhesion and placement is not as precise as the OEM parts. In fact, aftermarket dealers repeatedly drip glue onto the glass under the bracket, which can stain the black ceramic band on the inside of the glass. When it comes to sensor components, like rain sensors, the problem is not so slow. But on a BMW windshield, a mirror bracket that isn’t properly aligned can make it difficult to reinstall the plastic mirror cover assembly that hides the sensor and bracket.

So which windshield should I choose, OEM or OEE?
The biggest impact on your decision will be the budget. OEM parts are almost always priced higher. Most consumers simply choose OEE because they don’t have a choice, they all need to save a few bucks. However, don’t be afraid to choose aftermarket glass because safety is primarily affected by the technician installing the windshield correctly, not the glass itself. But if you really love your vehicle and expect the best quality, you should choose OEM. And if you’re leasing your vehicle, your dealer may have restrictions on what type of glass is acceptable when returning the vehicle. You may get an additional fee if you have aftermarket glass installed. Call your dealer for more information.

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