A+W Software at Glasstec 2024: Digital Innovations and Automation in Focus

There were also numerous new features to discover at the A+W Software booth. The innovation corner was bustling with activity, offering visitors the chance to explore some special highlights. On large touchscreens, visitors could marvel at and even try out A+W Glass Lab – a 3D factory that explains the workings of the A+W Smart Factory in great detail. With A+W Glass Lab, A+W aims to analyze and improve the benefits of its products. Furthermore, there is the opportunity to expand the model to eventually use it as a digital twin for customer productions. Many visitors also saw the potential of using it as a training tool to explain glass processing in detail.

Another visitor magnet was the design prototype of A+W Smart Companion Dispatch. Developed in collaboration with customers, this app promises to simplify the shipping process and will enter development in early 2025. With this app, racks can be packed and sent off without accompanying physical paperwork. To demonstrate this concept, A+W presented a model to facilitate understanding, which stimulated visitor excitement and questions. 

The entire A+W Smart Companion product family can expect not only new features in 2025, but also a complete redesign, including a dark mode or high contrast mode. With the next update, users will have optimal visibility even in difficult lighting conditions, allowing for less eye strain. 

In addition to the new products, there was also significant interest in existing products, such as A+W Business, A+W Production, and A+W iShape – a digitalization solution for templates. Visitors could also test the webshop (a.k.a. e-commerce) solution A+W iQuote at a terminal. Similar to the A+W Smart Companion, this A+W Clarity product will undergo a comprehensive redesign in 2025. 

The leading trade fair for the glass industry attracted roughly 32,000 visitors from over 120 countries. The visitors to A+W’s booth had the opportunity to ask in-depth questions and receive knowledgeable answers aimed at solving their production bottlenecks. 

"Overall, we are satisfied with the trade fair. The visitors gave us fantastic feedback on our innovations, which is a clear sign for us that our developments are future oriented and customer focused," says Sebastian Dick, Manager A+W Clarity Innovations.