Artificial intelligence (AI) dominates discussions these days, including at GlassBuild America, where software companies have begun to promote the use of AI for value-adding features. The show has its evergreen topics—labor shortages, energy-efficiency requirements and manufacturing challenges—all of which can be impacted by the technology.
“You say, ‘Alright, what are the use cases that matter to my customers and how do I harness that?’” explained Don Busiek, general manager for Cyncly. “How do I make their lives easier?”
While Cyncly and other software makers are exploring how to deploy application programming interfaces (APIs) in their products to add features and improve efficiency, a current focus among software companies is one of the industry’s more tedious operations: order entry. Even in the era of AI, many door, window and glass companies still rely on fax machines to send orders, requiring vendors to enter data manually. On the show floor, software companies demonstrated how AI-driven import technologies can automatically process incoming orders submitted by email, PDF, image or fax.
“You can send a photo to the general email. You can send an email. You can send a PDF. You can just take a picture of a drawing on a napkin, send it in, and it’ll figure it out,” said Chris Kammer, marketing lead for A+W Software North America.
The company’s AI bot, Mira, reads customer emails and attachments and populates the data in its A+W Business ERP system. The system can learn each customer’s terminology over time.
Some versions of AI have existed for years, said Ryan Anderson, chief marketing officer of doors, windows and glass at Cyncly.
“Applied AI is the AI that’s always been around with software automation,” Anderson said, citing dynamic bills of materials and automated machine routing. With the latest platforms, a Model Context Protocol (MCP) API layer allows manufacturers to integrate their preferred AI models, he said.
AI-related developments were not the show’s only technology story. As triple- and quad-pane insulating glass units (IGUs) and thin-glass configurations gained attention, equipment and material suppliers showcased technologies designed for those products, including new tools from EDTM that detect and report coatings. EDTM’s devices do not yet use AI, but Bluetooth connectivity will soon allow them to network and share information, said Mark Imbrock, EDTM’s vice president and co-owner.
As manufacturers expand their standard double- and triple-pane insulating glass (IG) offerings and adopt thin-glass configurations, including thin triples and quads, machinery suppliers are responding with more versatile equipment. Erdman Automation demonstrated a flexible thermoplastic spacer (TPS) production line capable of producing dual-pane units in 45 seconds, triple-pane units in 70 seconds and thin-glass quad-pane units in 100 seconds. Morgan Donahue, the company’s president, said the line is compatible with Corning’s thin-glass technology.
“It’s really just a very flexible line,” Donahue said, noting that the equipment can switch between standard glass, duals, triples and quads.
Erdman also introduced EnviroWrap, a peelable protective film designed for window frames, glass and finished units. Donahue said black painted surfaces are helping drive demand for peelable protection, along with regional requirements for recyclable packaging. The film can be applied by a new, robotic work cell introduced at the show.
Vitro took a different approach with EcoArmor, a protective coating that has been expanded to its Solarban 70 glass line. The coating is baked onto the glass during the furnace process, eliminating the need for peelable films and the associated labor, equipment and plastic waste.
Ryan Scarpino, a spokesperson for Vitro, said the coating provides labor and environmental savings while leaving no harmful byproducts.
Vitro also showcased InstaView, a switchable privacy film that changes from opaque to transparent at the flip of a switch for interior and exterior commercial applications. FlexScreen/RiteScreen introduced its own disappearing product: a version of FlexScreen with a white perimeter that blends into white window frames. The company’s marketing emphasizes the effect by calling it a “ghost” screen.
GlassBuild runs through Friday. Watch for additional coverage in next week’s newsletter.