Making you more Efficient in the Age of Industry 4.0

What is the Value Chain?

EPLAN and sister company Rittal are both part of the German owned Friedhelm Loh Group – a leading global manufacturing and services group. Together, we offer the complete value chain for your entire enclosure manufacturing process – from electrical design through to automated machining – the perfect combination for Industry 4.0. The first stage of the value chain is EPLAN’s electrical design computer aided-engineering (CAE) software solutions for automation, control and switchgear manufacturing projects. Engineering disciplines can work together as each software solution within the EPLAN Platform is integrated. In addition, EPLAN integrates with the Rittal Thermal Design Integration software, the Rittal Enclosure Configurator and the Rittal Automation Systems (RAS) machines – giving you access to consistent, reliable and up-to-date data at all times. By combining EPLAN Electric P8, EPLAN Pro Panel and the EPLAN Data Portal, there is seamless integration.

The second stage of the value chain is Rittal’s made-to-measure solutions to customers in each industry worldwide with their high-quality industrial enclosures, power distribution, climate control, IT infrastructure and software & services. All of their products and parts can be found on the EPLAN Data Portal – giving customers easy access to the most relevant data at all times and allowing it to be simply dragged and dropped into a project, which saves a significant amount of time because all of the necessary data is already there.

Rittal's new VX25 enclosure

Last but not least is RAS, which allows companies to automate panel building by supplying you with machines and devices that make enclosure assembly easier, faster, more accurate and reusable. By exporting the models straight from EPLAN Pro Panel, you can quickly automate the drilling and cut outs in just a few clicks – giving you clearer cut lines, identical panels and no human error.

By using a combination of the EPLAN software, Rittal enclosures and RAS machines, you can completely redesign your processes, reduce the complexity of your workflow and standardise your processes. In addition, you will have shorter throughput times because your production time is reduced through automation, which leads to a faster delivery time. Another benefit is that you can respond more flexibly to customer requests.

Electrical Design for Engineers of the Future 

Are you, as an engineer, beset by manual, repetitive tasks? Do your change processes still rely on marker pens and sticky tape? Do you produce sketches that have to be redrawn by a draftsperson? If the answer is yes, it sounds like you need to invest in a good computer-aided engineering (CAE) package that will help you remain competitive in the future. 

EPLAN Electric P8 is an electrical schematic design software for consistent project management, documentation and administration. It automatically produces detailed reports based on wiring diagrams to give you high quality documentation. Not only does it generate detailed reports, but it also produces documentation for production, assembly, commissioning, servicing and maintenance, and it manages project data – providing you with everything you need in one place. It is also links to EPLAN Pro Panel – a 3D software solution for the design of control cabinets, switchgear and flexible power distribution systems. By using EPLAN Electric P8, you can design devices into the schematic. A navigator is also available in EPLAN Pro Panel of all the devices in the project schematics, which allow the devices to be dragged and dropped onto the mounting panel of the enclosure and door with all of their pre-defined detail e.g. drilling. 

EPLAN Electric P8 

Would you like to find out more about how the value chain can revolutionise your control panel design and manufacturing?