Technology

AI Risk Considerations

Much to the chagrin of a science fiction author existing in the 1950s, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming an integral component in the modern workplace. It can help revolutionize operations, enhance productivity and foster innovation. 

Embracing the Future

For many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the glass industry, spreadsheets and paper have been the backbone of their operations for decades, but this technology comes with some drawbacks with regards efficiency and human error. Learn how software can improve outcomes.

Deep Learning

Integrating artificial intelligence will help the flat glass industry to optimize processes, reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions, and increase international competitiveness. 

Leveraging Available Technologies for Today’s Challenges

Professionals can utilize various new technologies to face increasing demands and challenges in the commercial glass industry.

Bridging the Labor Gap

Can software revolutionize operations and help bridge the workforce gap in an industry shortage?

A World of Innovation, on Display in Germany

An interview with Lars Wismer, director of glasstec.

Play it Smart with AI

Heavily promoted as an effective way to improve business efficiency, generative AI strategies can aid your company.

Hey ChatGPT, Can We Talk?

I invited AI to describe its capabilities and address the risks companies face when using this new technology. What follows is a transcript from a conversation with ChatGPT, the language model by OpenAI.

Micro-aluminum profiles

The adhesion of sealants to polymers is typically not as good as to aluminum, and primers are often needed to support adequate adhesion. To enable more thermally advanced aluminum fenestration solutions, it’s therefore important to address this adhesion challenge.

Building for the Future: Part II

The Future of AI in the Glass Industry

AI is already finding applications to enhance human capabilities, automate tasks and extract insights from vast data, thus reshaping our technological frontiers.

Building for the Future

The AI revolution is at our doorstep. This two-part series will look at what AI can do for your manufacturing business.

Your 2024 Social Media Farmers’ Almanac

Research confirms that even more people are using social media than ever before. As we move into 2024, it's important to understand how platforms and user behavior is shifting so you can best present your product and brand presence online. 

Industry Leaders Talk Mega Trends

What's ahead for the glass industry? "Industry Trends to Watch," a panel kicking off GlassBuild 2023, welcomed four leaders from all parts of the industry to discuss labor, the advent of AI, and other major trends to be aware of.

Tackling Glass and Glazing’s Technical Challenges

As glass and glazing grow increasingly sophisticated, ensuring next-gen professionals maintain technical expertise will be critical.

3 Free Graphics Websites for Beginners

It's harder than ever to capture attention spans, but using graphics is one way to elevate your written message. Check out three free online resources.

Advanced Window Technologies: The Latest on Thin Glass

Interest in thin glass and “skinny triples” is picking up and drawing the attention of commercial builders eager to install energy-efficient products.

Harnessing the Power of AI

Artificial intelligence has the potential to streamline design, bidding, procurement, safety and scheduling.

Implementing Software Systems to Maximize Efficiency

Successful software adoption by glazing companies can improve staff and business performance, making the organization more efficient and profitable.

Fishing for the Phishers

Scam emails seek to infiltrate business systems and take information. Considering the average office worker receives over 100 emails daily, it's easy to get fooled by phishing emails. Here's 10 signs that an email might not be legitimate.

Get ahead of the competition by mining your data

In the second part of this blog series, we’ll look at how companies can expand the data collection they already do to add deeper analysis and get feedback that can lead to better productivity.

Why Data-mining your own company can help your business

All organizations generate a large amount of data. Data analytics allow those businesses to compile and review that information in order to improve processes and make better business decisions.

Secrets of AI-Driven Marketing: How to Work Smarter, Not Harder

AI tools promise to revolutionize your business. And while there are many tools with applications for marketing strategy, it's best to understand how to collaborate with them to find success.

Hey Alexa, How Will AI Change the Glazing Industry?

Many are questioning the usefulness and accuracy of new artificial intelligence tech, such as ChatGPT. While I don't see AI replacing glazing experts, this machine-learning technology may offer glass industry companies efficiencies and greater accuracy in some processes.

Next-Level Performance

The latest technology from the glass industry: thermal products, including improved IGUs, vacuum insulating glass and thin-glass solutions; dynamic glass and building-integrated photovoltaics, which can provide on-site energy generation. Part of the series All About Glass & Metals.

Is a User Conference Worth Your Time?

Software user conferences have several advantages for companies. Users can learn tools and strategies from other users, who use the software every day. They also help to create a sense of community, allowing users to collaborate to create effective user strategies.

Taking Glazing Online: Glazier's Tool Field App For Service Glass Companies

A Q&A with Steven Albert, sales manager of the service and maintenance division for S. Albert Glass Co., a D.C.-area contract glazier, about Glazier’s Tool, an all-in-one app for the jobsite.

Ally Charlotte Center First in City’s Skyline With Polycarbonate Panel Glazing System

The 26-story, 750,000 square foot Ally Charlotte Center is the first building in Charlotte, North Carolina to be completed with a long-span, high-load polycarbonate glazing panel system.

Use Digital Tools to Get the Most out of Tradeshows 

From lead retrieval devices, to Facebook, there’s a wide range of ways that technology can change your tradeshow experience. Here are some industry insights on how to use digital tools to have a successful show. 

All that Glass Can Do | Next-gen technology

In addition to incremental improvements, the industry is also seeing the introduction of technologies that mark a larger step forward in performance.

Reducing Cyber Security Risk for a Remote Workforce

The pandemic work experience can create unique vulnerabilities for companies, as employees’ home networks may not be as secure as traditional business networks. Employers and employees can reduce risk by observing these practices.

Companies Launch New Online Tools during COVID

Pilkington UK, Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope and Laurier Architectural Services are some of the businesses that have released online tools in recent months to make information more accessible to online traffic and potential customers.

Booting Up: Your guide to adopting new software and digital technologies

A glass industry guide to adopting new software and digital technologies, for manufacturers and contractors.

2020 Industry Trends | Part 6 | Software & Digital Tools

2020 has challenged glass companies across all segments of the industry, but it hasn’t stopped the pace of innovation and evolution across the industry. This six-part series presents Glass Magazine’s complete Industry Trends report.

Reflecting on the Future of Work

Time to Adopt New Technology

Commercial glass and glazing professionals must be continuously adapting, utilizing these technologies to meet evolving demands. Depending on a company’s role in the industry, doing so might require reengineering glass packages, swapping in new higher-performance component parts, or learning new…

YKK AP Seeks Academic Partnership to Develop Construction Tech

YKK AP America is looking to make Industry 5.0 a reality, with some help from academia. The company began a partnership with Carnegie Mellon University’s Computational Engineering and Robotics Laboratory last May with the purpose of developing technology to counteract the entrenched skilled labor…

Do’s and Don’ts for New Machinery in 2020

The future factory features high-speed, efficient, automated machines whirring away, connected by the Internet of Things. Shop floor workers, rather than piecing together products with their hands and tools, are busy working with software to ensure that all processes are flowing as they should.…

Future Enhanced Remote Service Based on IoT Data

In the context of a modern, globalized and highly digitalized world, the success of glass processing plants to a great extent depends upon how well they embrace the latest IoT-based technologies. The amount of automation and smart data enabled by IoT are two primary factors that define a company’s…

Introducing the New Glass Magazine Website

Glass Magazine rings in the New Year with a relaunch of its website, GlassMagazine.com. The new website offers essential glass industry content and news in a more organized, accessible and mobile-friendly format. It is designed to better connect readers with the information they need to meet…

Software as an Investment, Not a Cost

Do you recognize this scenario? An employee armed with pen and paper wanders through the warehouse checking supplies. If supplies are low, the employee returns to the office inputting an order via telephone, email or fax. Valuable time is lost jeopardizing…

Guide to Industry 4.0

Photo courtesy ofA+W Software North America More About Industry 4.0 Infographic: The history of industry manufacturing, from Industry 1.0 to today Machinery and equipment products Ready or not, automation is the future of manufacturing. Companies today have no choice but to…

Automate Your Business to Stay Ahead

C.R. Laurence Co. developed the Storefronts Online estimating software to enable users to design, quote and order storefronts and entrances. The software is mobile accessible, allowing users to access project information from anywhere. Technological advances are helping glazing contractors…

A Smart Future in Glass

The future of the glass industry is smart—smarter glass for smarter buildings in smarter cities, according to presenters and organizers at the 2019 Glass Performance Days, June 25-28 in Tampere, Finland. “Smart cities, smart buildings and smart glazing are our future,” said Jorma Vitkala, chair of…

Fired Up: A Little Reminder About How Awesome Glass Is

If you haven’t been to Seattle in the summer, you should. It’ll kick your visions of hippies drinking coffee in the rain to the curb. Eighty-degree weather, sun until well past 8 p.m., mountains, trees, water, ferries – the list goes on. It’s so stunning, you might not even notice our grunge scene…

What does 1 million loads mean to you?

Putting digitalization into practice in the glass processing industry has taken some time. But now the momentum has picked up and the number of users is accelerating rapidly. Why is this? Glaston has helped fuel the demand for greater digitalization by educating customers about the benefits,…

User Beware

Software is king. Today’s business environment relies on global platforms that are available to all users on an instantaneous basis. This environment is most obvious in the modern growth of “Software as a Service,” or SaaS. The range of SaaS offerings includes things used every day, such as…

Fired Up: Are you customer-centric?

I’m writing this blog post in the middle of a snowstorm that Seattle news reporters have dubbed “Snowmageddon.” (It’s extreme, I know. I’m from Michigan.) We normally get one to two inches of snow per year in the lowlands. Snow in the rainy Pacific Northwest is a complete and total disruptor. So…

The Risks of Innovation

For many years glass and glazing were considered passive participants in a building’s performance. Innovation is changing that approach. Today, the use of glass in active and dynamic energy management systems is growing. Now, glazing integrates variable opacity and shading elements that are…

Future of Glass—From Transparency to Technology

What’s driving future glass trends? Transparency, performance and technology, according to Lisa Rammig, senior associate for Eckersley O’Callaghan. Rammig spoke Jan. 23 during the 2019 National Glass Association Annual Conference in Naples, Florida. To meet next-generation demands, players from…

Wearing Tech on the Jobsite

Construction may be going bionic. Sarcos Robotics, a global technology firm that designs robotic systems, announced in November 2018 that the company developed a" full-body, powered industrial exoskeleton robotic system," the Guardian XO Max, according to a company release. The technology,…

Inventory Communication

Supply chain management is a massive part of doing business. Yet, for many managers, it does not get the focus or appreciation it truly deserves. In addition, with supply oversight comes one of the scariest words: inventory! That word and needed process can bring an absolute panic to those who…

A New Era of BIM

Building Information Modeling has been a large part of the architecture, engineering and construction communities since the early 2000s. It has been heralded as a hallmark of systems integration and simplification. It has also been challenged for increasing the risk imposed on design professionals…

Seven Steps to Protecting Against Ransomware and Hackers

Glaziers and glazing manufacturers have large amounts of electronic personnel and project data ranging from information about financials, employees, and sensitive project files. Access to, and use of, this information is essential. Ransomware—malicious computer programs that lock data—can hold…

Drones in Construction Offer Benefits, Present Risks

Top companies are always looking for a technological edge over their competitors. One burgeoning technology being incorporated into construction is the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), more commonly known as drones. As UAS use increases for quality assurance and project assessment, it is…

The Future of Float Glass Points to Advancing Technologies

Technological advances are changing the float glass industry. Market demands for higher performance glasses along with pressures to reduce the environmental impact of production have led to notable advancements in technology for both float products and processes. Regarding the first, the push for…