FLACHGLAS Wernberg's product range is very complex, as it also includes the areas of exterior walls and interior glass. The company has more than 600 employees and produces glass for the ambitious glass project, and only a few companies can provide this quality, especially the expected delivery reliability. The company's most important markets are Germany, the Benelux countries, Austria and Switzerland.

The market is constantly changing, and the demand for functional glass is increasing, which was hardly demanded a few years ago. Only extremely innovative processes and technologies can realize ever-changing fascinating ideas-this is what people at Wernberg understand. This includes Wernberg thermal damping, a unique coating process that can coat insulating glass weighing up to two tons; this process can also apply post-coating to already bent glass.

In-depth research has enabled FLACHGLAS Wernberg to produce window modules for rail cars, which are approximately 40% lighter than most current modules. For ordinary ICE, this can reduce the weight of the train by 3 tons and make a significant contribution to reducing its carbon dioxide emissions.

One of the most important current developments for this glass processor in Upper Palatinate is FLACHGLASconnect®, a glass system for rail cars and architectural glass that ensures perfect mobile phone reception and excellent Internet connection without Additional router. This powerful function can only be achieved due to the laser pattern in the metal low-emissivity coating of the hollow glass unit, the so-called "mosquito net"

This requires complex technology, planning and control processes, and complex logistics. Not only put forward high requirements for the machine park, but also put forward high requirements for the control software.

Increasing internal demand and existing software that has been pushed to its limits prompted the company to take a decisive innovation step in 2017. Since May 2017, the project team composed of FLACHGLAS Wernberg colleagues and A+W software experts has been working at the fastest speed to implement continuous software solutions suitable for the future; one should seamlessly map all company processes, from the office To all production, and then to the control of the delivery process. The FLACHGLAS Wernberg project is a huge challenge for both partners-throughout Europe, and possibly other parts of the world, there may be no other flat glass finishers with comparable harsh and complex structures.

During the project, the entire organization was put on the test bench. The goal is to tighten all processes and make all processes dynamic. FLACHGLAS Wernberg hopes to save valuable materials and ensure the highest quality by increasing automation and reducing manual operations.

After careful process analysis and target definition, A+W built a complete system environment in Wernberg. First, it is used as a test system for the implementation of all project steps. In addition to the server environment, the core of the new system is more than one hundred control computers and monitors and PDC scanners to ensure information visualization, real-time machine control, and process step registration.

The process step is registered. At the same time, all master data were checked and partially reorganized, the entire article structure was adjusted, and the product name was unified. In the future, items will be defined and entered in accordance with the A+W BOM concept-order entry is more secure, and the integration requirements for technical order entry are higher. Services purchased externally, such as the installation of glass in hollow glass units or railcar frame systems, can now be more easily integrated into the production and order process ("extended workbench").

The new software system "knows" FLACHGLAS Wernberg's highly complex product range down to the last details-business and technology. It controls the entire machine environment. Through close cooperation with machine manufacturers, A+W has developed the best and most advanced interfaces in the industry to make the production process faster and safer: because every machine is as good as the software that controls it.

Of course, during the entire project, day-to-day business must continue-especially for the members of the project team. This is an operation to "open up" the company. The project team members from FLACHGLAS Wernberg and A+W fulfilled their responsibilities as homesteaders and broke their limits-they were rewarded for successfully completed projects. The excellent cooperation between partners is responsible for this. Rudolf Fleischmann, IT FLACHGLAS Wernberg’s team manager, said: “During the entire project, the Wernberg and A+W teams worked very well and professionally. It’s a bit like in a good marriage: sometimes we quarrel, but we are also very fast. It’s reconciled again. In this way, we always advance the project in a constructive way and actively participate. The most important constraint is trust."

Monika Schmid, A+W project manager, emphasized this statement and pointed out that the pandemic is an additional challenge. “The project is challenging due to the complexity of the product range and the sheer scale of the location. The introduction of A+W software simplifies the business. Process, transparency, and reduce the complexity of the interface. The project goals were achieved under difficult pandemic conditions, thanks to the outstanding performance of the team. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all participants again."

The switch to the new software did not cause any production downtime; the cutting went smoothly from the start. However, the huge complexity of the project caused some frictional losses in the time after the conversion, which often affected the delivery reliability of FLACHGLAS Wernberg. Today, all these problems have been eliminated except for some minor problems. Combined with the basic systems A+W Enterprise and A+W Production, a continuous networked system consisting of a control computer, a control monitor and a PDC scanner can ensure information visualization, real-time machine control, and process step registration. Production documents are becoming obsolete. Because the input of each individual lite is consistent, the order processing staff can reliably respond to customer inquiries at any time.

In addition to FLACHGLAS Wernberg, there are three other high-performance companies that belong to the Flachglas Group; they complement the manufacturing and delivery of innovative glass well and deliver them quickly and reliably within the group. A+W software is well known by the Flachglas Group-tempered glass experts GLASPROFI and Flachglas Schweiz have successfully cooperated with it.

The new system will provide more opportunities, but it also brings challenges: it will no longer control a single company, but will network the entire group of companies and ensure structural continuity after the deployment is complete. This is why other locations have been considered in Wernberg's system-a structure is being prepared that when the expansion is completed, it will ensure that the process between branches is more reliable. Due to the long-term use of A+W software, employees of GLASPROFI and Flachglas Schweiz provided important support for Wernberg's project implementation. With all this, the Flachglas Group has achieved a certain degree of automation and digitization, which only a few glass finishers and insulating glass manufacturers can achieve in the world.

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