Glass as datacarrier

iWin®

The insulating glass with RFID

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iWin®- DIGITAL GLASS

MAKING PAPERWORK A THING OF THE PAST

When will the glass you ordered arrive? Does the glass delivered match the order? And which insulating glass was used in the old facade way back when? The more complex building projects and supply chains become, the more paper is required to keep track of all the details. This approach isn’t just error-prone and time-consuming. Now, it’s completely unnecessary, too: Insulating glass using iWin® technology can be tracked in detail online from production to assembly, clearly identified even after years have passed and itemised based on all parameters, from glass structure and coating to processor and order data. Glass has never been so transparent.

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iwin's work process

How digital are you?

The executor's file remains a favourite tool to this day: details on all the stages of the project can be stored here – including plans, orders, permits and information on materials. And if the office archives have plenty of metres of shelving up for grabs, you’ll still be able to find order documents in the old folders a decade later when insulating glass from an old building project needs replacing after storm damage. At least, in theory. In practice, responsibilities and points of contact switch around, manufacturing processes change and planning offices close. And then what?

It should have been over for paper, at least when the BIM era began: all relevant project data should be accessible in a central and digital location so that every project stakeholder, from the planner and the project owner to the trades carrying out the work, can access it at any time. That saves time and money – and avoids inefficiency.

The solution: it’s about time.

There are plenty of flagship projects worldwide that prove the huge competitive advantage offered by digital working processes, particularly in high-rise construction. When the entire life cycle of a building project is modelled digitally, from design and construction to operation and maintenance, every stakeholder can access the latest relevant information at any time. This streamlines and accelerates planning and alignment processes, enables swift adjustments and can help make major savings on time and costs.

To make sure this works, this data has to exist in the first place – and be permanently available for everyone involved in the process to use. With iWin®, technology market leader SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS is offering the world’s first complete solution to do this for glass products. Behind the short and snappy name lies a lengthy development process. And a technology that is set to revolutionise the way we build today.

The intelligent window

iWin® stands for “intelligent window”. For good reason: Each piece of iWin® insulating glass is equipped with a hidden RFID transponder that is assigned a unique identification number (ID) and can be read using standard RFID readers. This ID is stored in a secure database where planners, processors and customers can access information on the product: on the glass structure and coating as well as order and delivery data. Each piece of glazing gets its own digital twin that makes all information available at all times for every user, every task and every piece of software: just touch the reader to the facade, read the information, and you’re ready to go. It’s that simple. Once the ID is known, the glass status and location can of course be accessed online without direct contact with the product – which comes in very handy when tracking an order.
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Access made simple

The iWin® system’s innovative power is revealed in the interaction between the RFID tag in the insulating glass and the information stored in the database. This data can be accessed via web browser, app or API, making it available everywhere and suitable for seamless connection with other data in suitable applications. This gives you a detailed overview of your projects and relevant order status at all times. You can also edit the information yourself and upload documents such as plans with installation locations in order to reduce the amount of paperwork on building sites.

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BIM bam boom

The iWin® plug-ins allow all project-related glazing data to be imported into your BIM model as if by magic. That doesn’t just save a whole lot of paper. It also massively accelerates and simplifies the target/actual comparison between planning, tendering, production and delivery – in building operations as well as the construction and warranty phase.

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Reorders

iWin® digital services really come into their own when insulating glass requires repair years after installation. Instead of the laborious process of calling up old contacts to find out the product origin and model, the facility manager can simply touch their reader to the frame and instantly find out who produced it where, when and how. It's never been easier to reorder the right glass.

programme iWin®

BENEFITS

papier

Bidding paper farewell

Orders, delivery notes, logistics information: this is now available on a permanent and reliable basis in the cloud. This clears out your archive.

control

Full control

Keep track of product and project parameters for every single piece of glazing at all times – even after years have passed.

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Your standard workflow

From planning and orders to construction, your tried-and-tested workflows won't change. They just get faster and more transparent.

cloud

Easy import

The iWin® plug-in lets you import all project-related data into your BIM model with ease and without specific software requirements.

stay secure

Stay secure

All product data is securely protected and closely monitored in a demilitarized zone (DMZ) on a central server in Europe.

Discover iWin® now!

Find out more

As the world’s first such solution of its kind, iWin® offers real digital modelling of all recorded insulating glass. Thanks to an invisible RFID transponder with a unique ID number built into the insulating glass, each piece of glazing can be modelled in a central database with all the details, from product specifics such as coatings and types of glass to order benchmarks, and tracked with ease along the entire value creation process. This simplifies the planning process, enables BIM integration, accelerates alignment, avoids errors and helps with maintenance even after years have passed. A revolutionary step for every stakeholder – from the architect and main contractor to the facility manager, from the investor to the glass-worker.



If you’d like to find out more about how you can benefit from iWin® digital services, just get in touch:

andreas.bittis@saint-gobain.com



SAINT-GOBAIN BUILDING GLASS

iWin® Digital Services

Tour Saint-Gobain

12 Place de l’Iris

92096 Paris-La Défense

www.saint-gobain.com