Automated inline quality inspection systems for flat glass – defect detection, distortion and stress measurement.
Softsolution GmbH
Waidhofen/Ybbs, Austria · Burnsville, MN, USA · Querétaro, MexicoNew on Amplifa
About Softsolution
Softsolution GmbH, headquartered in Waidhofen/Ybbs, Austria, develops and manufactures automated quality inspection systems for the flat glass industry and operates jointly with LiteSentry LLC and Strainoptics under the Glassquality brand. The portfolio includes inline scanners such as the LineScanner, BowScanner, CulletScanner and LineScanner Reflection, the Osprey 10 and Osprey 25 distortion measurement systems, the Owl 5 and Hawk 4 defect detection systems, TemperQC, TS sensors for thickness and coating, the GASP polarimeter from Strainoptics, and the xandi for Glass software. The systems inspect every individual lite 100 percent for inclusions, bubbles, scratches, roller waves, distortions and anisotropies – on float glass, toughened glass, laminated glass, insulating glass, solar glass and coated glass. The value chain extends from development through manufacturing and software to installation, commissioning, training and remote support. More than 3,000 systems are in operation worldwide, including at AGC Interpane, Vitro, Saint-Gobain India, Press Glass and Weber + Wagener. In addition to the headquarters in Austria, there are locations in Burnsville (Minnesota, USA) and a sales office in Querétaro, Mexico.
- Site
- Waidhofen/Ybbs
- Processes
- Deflection measurement of glass (BowScanner), White haze detection on tempered glass (LineScanner Reflection), Optical distortion and anisotropy measurement (Osprey), Recipe selection and defect detection system for furnace control (Owl 5), Scratch and defect inspection for IG / double glazing, tempering and coating lines (Hawk 4), Tempering quality control with integration of systems and third-party equipment (TemperQC), Digital template digitization (VirtualDigitizing), Measurement of glass surface stress using a polarimeter (GASP)
- Materials
- Glass (flat glass), Float glass, Toughened safety glass (ESG, thermally tempered), Laminated glass (laminate), Insulating glass (IGU), Solar glass, Coated glass (Low-E), Toughened safety glass (thermally tempered)
- Certificates
- ISO 9001
- Industries
- Glass industry, Flat glass processing, Architectural glass / façade construction, Insulating glass production, Solar / PV glass, Automotive glass
- 01
Development
- 02
Manufacturing & Software
- 03
Installation & Commissioning
- 04
Training
- 05
Remote Support & Service
Inspected glass types & system technologies
Float glass
Inline final inspection on the LineScanner in float glass processing, e.g. at Weber + Wagener.
Toughened safety glass (thermally tempered)
Detection of white haze, roller waves and anisotropies on tempered glass.
Laminated glass (laminate)
Inspection of surface and edge defects, including on inaccessible interior surfaces.
Insulating glass
Inspection of the complete IG structure including dimensions and coating sides.
Solar glass
Osprey distortion measurement to ensure flatness of solar panel glass.
Coated glass (Low-E)
Detection of low-contrast coating defects thanks to 16-bit image analysis.
Locations
Waidhofen/Ybbs
ATHeadquarters of Softsolution GmbH: sales, support, development
- Materials
- Flat glass inspection systems
- LineScanner
- BowScanner
- CulletScanner
- Osprey 25
- xandi for Glass
Burnsville, MN
USLocation of LiteSentry LLC / Strainoptics
- Materials
- Distortion measurement and stress measurement systems
- Osprey 10
- Owl 5
- Hawk 4
- TemperQC
- GASP Polarimeter
Querétaro
MXSales office of LiteSentry LLC for Central and South America
Systems & assemblies
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Testing | – | – | – | – | Glass, Float glass, Toughened safety glass (thermally tempered), Laminated glass, Insulating glass, Solar glass |
| Deflection measurement of glass (BowScanner)Testing | – | – | – | – | Glass |
| Testing | – | – | – | – | Glass |
| White haze detection on tempered glass (LineScanner Reflection)Testing | – | – | – | – | Toughened safety glass (thermally tempered) |
| Optical distortion and anisotropy measurement (Osprey)Testing | – | – | – | – | Glass |
| Recipe selection and defect detection system for furnace control (Owl 5)Testing | – | – | – | – | Glass |
| Scratch and defect inspection for IG / double glazing, tempering and coating lines (Hawk 4)Testing | – | – | – | – | Glass |
| Tempering quality control with integration of systems and third-party equipment (TemperQC)Testing | – | – | – | – | Glass |
| Digital template digitization (VirtualDigitizing)Testing | – | – | – | – | Glass |
| Measurement of glass surface stress using a polarimeter (GASP)Testing | – | – | – | – | Glass |
| Digital in-house quality control as a web application (xandi for Glass)Testing | – | – | – | – | Glass |
| Testing | – | – | – | – | Float glass, Toughened safety glass (thermally tempered), Laminated glass, Insulating glass |
| Testing | – | – | – | – | Glass |
| Testing | – | – | – | – | Toughened safety glass (thermally tempered) |
12 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LineScanner (inline quality inspection system) | Softsolution LineScanner | – | – | – | Waidhofen/Ybbs, Austria |
| BowScanner (deflection measurement) | Softsolution BowScanner | – | – | – | – |
| CulletScanner (fracture pattern analysis) | Softsolution CulletScanner | – | – | – | – |
| LineScanner Reflection (white haze detection) | Softsolution LineScanner Reflection | – | – | – | – |
| Optical defect detection / recipe selection system | LiteSentry Owl 5 | – | – | – | – |
| Scratch and defect inspection system | LiteSentry Hawk 4 | – | – | – | – |
| Tempering quality control system | LiteSentry TemperQC | – | – | – | – |
| Thickness and coating sensor | LiteSentry TS 4000 (TS Series) | – | – | – | – |
| Surface polarimeter (edge stress measurement) | Strainoptics GASP | – | – | – | Burnsville, MN, USA |
| Distortion / anisotropy measurement system | LiteSentry Osprey 10 / Osprey 10 Complete / Osprey Distortion | – | – | – | – |
| Distortion, anisotropy, edge stress and surface inspection system | Softsolution Osprey 25 | – | – | – | – |
| White haze scanner | Softsolution LineScanner White Haze | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
The systems automatically inspect every individual lite 100 percent, archive all scan data without gaps and generate per-lite inspection certificates. AI-based defect categorization and annual system validation under the Customer Care contracts ensure measurement accuracy.
| Evidence | Waidhofen/Ybbs |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 2023
Vitro invests more than USD 180 million in converting the Meadville plant to solar glass; LiteSentry Osprey systems are part of the modernization.
- 2025
First installation of the Osprey 25 at AGC Interpane Plattling; LineScanner installation at Devglass Group; Osprey 10 at United Plate Glass (North Carolina).
- 2026
Tim Bushaw introduced as new CEO of LiteSentry, Softsolution and Strainoptics; John Spitzer as CFO; participation in GlassBuild America and glasstec Düsseldorf.