MB-78EI Fire-Rated Aluminum Windows

MB-78EI is Aluprof’s certified fire-rated aluminum system available in EI30 and EI60 fire resistance classifications, used for fire-rated windows, glazed partitions, corridor screens, and door assemblies. The system uses 78 mm thermally-broken aluminum profiles with intumescent and ceramic seal technology, fire-rated locking hardware, and fire-rated glazing to achieve the rated fire performance.

The 78 mm build depth uses a 3-chamber polyamide thermal break geometry similar to the MB-86N SI residential aluminum line. The thermal break provides thermal performance under normal conditions and adds fire performance through the polyamide’s behavior under heat — it chars and forms an insulating residue that contributes to the EI insulation criterion.

The fire seal system combines two technologies. Intumescent perimeter strips expand rapidly above approximately 200°C, swelling up to 30 times their volume to fill the gap before the assembly begins to fail. Ceramic seals at high-temperature points maintain integrity where intumescent expansion has completed and EPDM has burned away. Standard EPDM perimeter gaskets handle normal-condition sealing.

Fire-rated glazing is required on all glazed sections. Compatible thicknesses are 20–45 mm and 47–49 mm depending on configuration and rating. Options include clear laminated fire-rated glass with intumescent interlayer (most common for commercial), frosted fire-rated for privacy, traditional wire glass for industrial/warehouse, and tempered laminated fire-rated for impact-plus-fire. Thermal performance of Uw = 1.6 W/(m²K) is appropriate for the fire-rated range; it is higher (less favorable) than residential aluminum because the assembly prioritizes fire performance over thermal optimization, and most installations are interior fire-separation assemblies that do not span the exterior envelope.

Certified hardware is required for the EI rating — locking, hinges, closers, and handle hardware must come from the certified compatible list for the assembly dimensions and rating; substituting non-certified hardware invalidates the certification. Push bars, panic hardware, electronic strikes, and access control are available in fire-rated certified versions for institutional, commercial, and life-safety applications.

Color options include 200+ RAL colors in matte and gloss powder coat, anodized finishes for industrial applications, and specialty structured finishes; neutral colors (white, gray, anthracite) are standard for code-driven commercial work. Application range includes multi-family corridor screens, boiler and mechanical room separations, stair-tower glazing in mid- and high-rise buildings, building separation walls, industrial and warehouse fire compartmentation, and office/retail fire zones. Rating selection (EI30 or EI60) is per the building’s fire compartmentation plan, the building code, and the local fire marshal. Certification documentation — certified hardware list, glazing compatibility schedule, installation manual, inspection package, and third-party certification report — is delivered with the quote and updated for the specific configuration at order confirmation.