Cardinal Glass Industries just expanded its CLiC On-Demand Privacy Glass to panes up to 50 square feet with a 9.9mm thickness across the full size range. The thinner, lighter spec unlocks switchable privacy for a far wider slice of window, door, and architectural partition designs.
A Second-Generation Launch, Not a Line Extension
Cardinal Glass Industries used the final week of September to roll out a next-generation version of its CLiC On-Demand Privacy Glass — a product that only entered full-scale production earlier this year — with a materially different dimensional envelope and a reduced thickness that changes how fabricators can integrate it.
The headline numbers from the September 29 announcement: CLiC is now available in panes up to 50 square feet, with a maximum height of 10.75 feet and a minimum width of 7 inches. More consequential for the fabrication floor, CLiC engineering has reduced the glass thickness to 9.9mm across the full size range, making the product thinner and lighter than ever before, and easier for manufacturers to incorporate on-demand privacy into a wider variety of window and door designs.
Context matters here. Cardinal only launched full-scale production of CLiC earlier this year following more than a decade of R&D and a manufacturing line addition at its plant in Tomah, Wisconsin, with initial sizes ranging from 1.8 to 50 square feet. The 50-square-foot ceiling isn't new — but hitting it at a reduced, uniform thickness is.
Why PSCT, and Why It Matters for Specifiers
Switchable glass has existed for years, but the installed-performance reputation has been mixed. The dominant chemistry — polymer-dispersed liquid crystal, or PDLC — relies on films sandwiched between glass plies, which has historically introduced haze, slow switching, and failure modes that scared off premium window manufacturers.
Cardinal's bet is on a different chemistry. CLiC uses an all-new, film-free PSCT technology to shift from clear to private in milliseconds, eliminating the haziness and common failure modes associated with older PDLC-based switchable privacy products. The underlying mechanism: PSCT uses a cholesteric liquid-crystal helix stabilized by a thin polymer network instead of thick polymer matrices or plastic interlayers; in default mode, the helix scatters light to provide privacy.
The practical implications are specific and worth noting on a spec sheet:
- Switching speed under 100 milliseconds — CLiC glass switches from clear to private in under 100 milliseconds and integrates with smart home technology.
- Power draw comparable to an LED — CLiC consumes less than 1/3 of a watt per square foot in clear mode, and when private, requires no electricity whatsoever. That failure-safe-to-private default matters for healthcare and executive-suite applications.
- Laminated security and acoustic performance — its double-laminated construction offers sound insulation, UV fading protection and structural security against storms or forced entry.
What Changes for Architects and Fabricators
The 9.9mm thickness is the detail that unlocks real design flexibility. Most residential and light-commercial window systems are optimized for IGU builds that top out around 1 inch overall, with specific sightline tolerances for the sash and frame. A thinner laminated switchable component means less re-engineering of the frame, less weight on the hardware, and fewer concessions on glazing pocket depth.
For architects, three practical scenarios open up:
- Larger interior partitions without blinds or film retrofits. The expanded dimensions open new possibilities for applications where larger expanses of privacy glass are desired — from residential windows and doors to interior partitions and architectural features, manufacturers can offer privacy on demand without relying on blinds, shades or other coverings that interrupt the appearance of the glass.
- Exterior fenestration with on-demand opacity. A 50-square-foot pane at under 11 feet tall is now within reach for ground-floor hospitality, executive conference rooms, and primary-suite bathrooms where exterior privacy has historically meant film, blinds, or sacrificing the glass entirely.
- Fewer fabrication exceptions. A uniform 9.9mm across the size range means fabricators don't need separate laminated-build procedures for small versus large CLiC lites.
The Competitive Read
For premium window and door brands already offering switchable glass as an upgrade — Kolbe has been the most visible Cardinal partner — the expanded dimensional ceiling makes CLiC viable in product lines (multi-slide doors, oversized awnings, wall systems) where it previously couldn't be specified. For specifiers writing hospitality, healthcare, and class-A office projects, the thinner profile removes one of the last defensible reasons to default back to mechanical shades. The question now is how quickly the fabrication ecosystem — IGU assemblers, door manufacturers, and architectural glass shops — picks up the new SKUs.