Expanding production requires space, yet physical space is often limited or constrained by fixed boundaries. Growth in the glass industry may involve new site development, expanding or reorganizing existing facilities, or optimizing processes—all of which require substantial investment to achieve optimal results. This scale of change also demands a valid business case, often built through extensive, time-consuming analysis and simulations involving multiple parties. Synchronizing data across multiple layers can lead to inconsistencies and makes agile, accurate planning challenging. Additionally, the complexity of order sets and glass mix requirements can create further obstacles, especially when relying on a traditional ERP system.
A virtual demonstration facility, like our A+W Glass Lab, allows to take a first step toward integrating a Digital Twin within the Production Planning System. With this Digital Twin approach, there’s no need for separate simulations with extensive maintenance requirements; instead, the Production Planning System directly models shopfloor layout changes, showing real-time effects on the live environment. Snapshots of the shopfloor layout enable users to explore new configurations by adjusting machine parameters, adding or removing equipment, and introducing partial or fully automated sorting.
The innovation comes from extending our Service-Oriented Architecture with an instanced Flow and Layout Service, which accesses live order data directly. This “Glass Laboratory” environment allows manufacturers to test and refine shopfloor configurations digitally, facilitating the most efficient iteration for production planning and performance. When analyzing the benefits of such a simulation, it allows us to empower glass manufacturers to visualize and implement strategic changes faster, aligning facility capabilities with evolving production demands.
