mbitious goals demand measures that EPLAN is pursuing relentlessly and single-mindedly.With the further expansion of the sales network, new offices in Italy, China and the USA, theintroduction of a 17th software language, Japanese, and last but not least, with a new

product, EPLAN Harness proD – the recently acquired 3D/2D engineering tool – the dream of afunctioning wire harness design, without prototype experiments, will come true.

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EPLAN magazine 2/2012

On board to new shoresExpansion is moving full steam ahead

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Dear Readers,

The world-wide consolidation ofheterogeneous software solutionsand system landscapes is currentlya major talking point as more andmore engineers and designerswish to, and must, work withuniform design documents acrossdepartments, companies andcountries. The consequence:decisions about software solutionsare becoming more strategic.International companies in particu-lar are increasingly choosing asingle system and are tidying upthe “general store” approach ofcountry-specific solutions. Theconditions are now ideal with our17 software languages, and therecently expanded broad portfolioaround the EPLAN Platform nowincluding the new EPLAN HarnessproD wire harness software. InEPLAN you have a partner provi-ding everything you need aroundthe world from a single source –including consultancy and services.

Maximilian BrandlPresident of the Management Board

“We are ready to invest”Italy, Japan and the world – EPLAN'sexpansion plans are encapsulated inthese brief words. Thus back in April,EPLAN Italia, previously a dealer, wasacquired and the preparations formarket entry in Japan were moving fullsteam ahead. The seventeenth languageversion of the EPLAN Platform, Japanese,is now available and it underpins EPLAN´sgreat objective; to support customers allaround the world with end-to-endsoftware, consultancy and services at thehighest level. Further offices are beingestablished in the USA, China and SouthAmerica. This global outlook securesuniform software and full support forthe 90,000+ EPLAN users in theirday-to-day business.

Wire harness design now in 3D Internationalism and a strong protectionof investments for the future are decisivesuccess factors for companies as thesedays one aspect of consolidation is oftenthe global introduction of an engineeringsolution. The EPLAN Harness proD soft-ware, which lifts wire harness enginee-ring onto a new level of performance,extends beyond national and disciplineboundaries. The new software – acquiredfrom its developer Linius Technologies –incorporates 3D functionality so thatusers can both import 3D harness geo-metries from 3D systems and also designa wire harness from scratch in 3D/2D.This means that geometry changes canbe simply imported back into the 3DCAD system.

Multitalented for a new use EPLAN Harness proD extends the breadthof the solution provider's portfolio so that itagain covers more engineering require-ments in the world market. This new multi-talented solution is a welcome additionto the EPLAN Platform and offers theopportunity of addressing additional targetgroups such as apparatus engineering,rail and special vehicle technology,aerospace, telecommunications andmedical technology. Wire harnesses arealso being fitted more frequently in auto-mation technology, a plus point whichdirectly benefits the users. They benefitfrom an end-to-end process integrationthat supports all phases in engineering,from planning through engineering towire harness design and production.

he breeze has always been somewhat stiffer in the north than thesouth of Germany. Instead of bending over into the headwind,men link arms and set off in a new direction together. This creates

a tailwind for new projects and innovation – in maritime systemsengineering, for instance. Aurich-based Rolf Janssen GmbH usesEPLAN Electric P8 and other tools for automation in the electricalequipment for ships. The goal: continuous optimisation ofproduction processes by means of automation – provided thatthis results in improved efficiency and a competitive advantage.

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By land and seaMore than 1600 ships on the seven seascarry Rolf Janssen technology on board,including a large number of high-techcruise ships. Less glamorous, but no lesshigh-tech, are the control systems onwhat are known as LNG tankers. Fromlight and energy distribution, and switch-gear for traction motors to entire on-board power systems: the Janssen Groupdemonstrates considerable expertise inthe areas of energy engineering, andautomation and process control systems.Rolf Janssen GmbH has relied for manyyears on EPLAN Electric P8 in these areasand in the electrical equipment of ships.

The company is currently working on theintroduction of EPLAN PPE and EPLANP&ID to allow it to implement completeelectrical, instrumentation and controlsystems in the future.

Perfect interaction: Database solutionsWhen Rolf Janssen decided to replacethe existing CAD system with a moderndatabase system, ”we looked for a solu-tion with which we could draw quicklyand easily, and also deal with very largeprojects in an extremely structured way,“reflects Achim Corsten, Head of the

Automation and Process Control Systemdepartment. During the introduction ofEPLAN Electric P8, a uniform operatingmethod was laid down precisely incompany-wide planning guidelines. Theaim of the continuously updated manualis to clearly define the workflow that isneeded for the design processes. Theeffective interaction of all employees anddepartments involved is only possible withthese company-wide principles, whichprovide efficient, reproducible processingwith a high degree of productivity andquality. For example, when a new projectis created, copying basic project datafrom existing projects must be avoided,

contrary to widespread practice. Recurringschematic diagram typicals and symbolmacros for project planning with EPLANElectric P8 are maintained company-wide and made available to all usersusing the modular principle.

Interfaces to resource planning andproductionThe b2 ERP system generates a com-plete and ready-to-order bill of mate-rials from the P8 schematics. EPLANhas programmed an individual inter-face during the course of software in-

tegration for this purpose. ”We inte-grate the CAE system seamlessly intoour company-wide resource planning –from purchasing to warehouse logistics,all the way to delivery,“ says Corsten.The designers ”feed“ the company’sinternal sheet metal processing with alldimensions for the edges, holes andpunching from EPLAN Electric P8. Thedegree of in-house production is nee-ded to manufacture unique, made-to-measure switchboards or consoles,and on the other hand it has led tostandardised in-house development.The company has been successful allaround the world with the TopDrawplug-in module system for energy dis-tribution systems. Corsten commented,”The automated interfaces are precisely

what we need because we produce inlarge quantities.“

A tailwind for the futureHow is the engineering company and its400 or so employees going to develop?The answer is simple: “More automationwill make us more effective.” EPLANElectric P8 is already importing MicrosoftExcel spreadsheets into the engineeringenvironment via the API interface. Thefirst schematics for the orders concernedare then automatically created fromthese basic lists. “Documentation at the

press of a button – that is our vision,”stressed Managing Director, DieterJanssen. EPLAN Electric P8 providessufficient degrees of freedom for addi-tional productivity gains in manufactu-ring automation. In the future, thecompany will be working in an evenmore networked way: EPLAN PPE willbecome an increasingly important toolin process technology. Complete elect-rical instrumentation and control sys-tems can be planned and implementedtogether with the P&ID module. The lo-gical conclusion for Corsten is, ”Step-by-step introduction of the entire EPLANengineering environment for the fore-seeable future.“

The principle is clear: Full steam ahead!

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Achim Corsten, Head of Automation and Process Control System dept.

“Documentation at the press of a button – that is our vision. EPLAN Electric P8 offers sufficient degrees of freedom for further productivity gains.”

Managing Director, Dieter Janssen

TailwindEngineering: Increasing efficiency brought in on the ”winds of standardisation”

Picture: Meyerwerft

EPLAN Platform 2.2Sprint support for precision cable design – from the control system to the field

Direct routing: EPLAN FieldSysInformative and complete projectdocumentation is absolutely essential inautomation technology. This documen-tation is indispensable, not only inengineering, but also for installation,commissioning and service. It is evenbetter if the field cabling of a machineor plant, which is becoming more andmore complex, can also be directly

documented in the EPLAN project. Thisdocumentation becomes an integralpart of the EPLAN project with the newFieldSys module. Cables can auto-matically be routed through a networkand the lengths calculated from anunderlying 2D shop layout. The wel-come outcome is the best possible datafor cost calculations and comprehensiverouting information for the installationteam on site. Connections between

controller and field components can beplanned efficiently and documentedsustainably in this way.

The world thinks in imagesThere has long been talk of standardi-sation of project engineering by re-using partial circuits in the design – andwe have been thinking about it fora long time, too. But how can we

implement a standard of this kindeffectively? How can designers navigatecomprehensive macro selections? Thesolution is simple: graphical macroselection. The new graphical macroselection in version 2.2 specificallyexploits this fact. Informative graphicsand a clear structure make access tothe predefined circuit templates abreeze. Complicated clicking throughdirectory structures is replaced by

graphically supported navigation. Thisallows the technical sales staff to drawup the initial schematics in a dialoguewith their customers as early as the ini-tial project brief.

Terminals represented graphically Clear circuit diagrams are one thing –informative reports another. EPLANcontinues a series of improvements and

extensions to functionality in terminaldesign. Version 2.2 focuses on the eva-luation of terminal data. The switchingstates of the terminals stored in thecircuit diagram can automatically beillustrated graphically in reports. This isan important topic in the power engi-neering sector in particular, as here theswitching states and the detailed structureof the terminal blocks are a centralcomponent of project documentation.

Once the terminal data has been storedin the schematics, EPLAN can auto-matically generate these high-qualityterminal documents.

Smart Connecting acceleratesWhat do designers do when theschematics page is overflowing withinformation? When there is no morespace, or the document simply is tooovercrowded to read? Here, too, thenew EPLAN Platform 2.2 has a helpfultool available. Termination points arenow automatically set between con-nections that become separated whencircuit sections are moved by Copy&Paste from one schematic page toanother. All electrical connections arenow retained without the designerneeding to do anything. Tidying up orredrawing schematics has now becomereally fun. Colleagues in the down-stream project phases will be gratefuland can now make their contributionto optimum project progress thanks toshort installation and commissioningtimes as a consequence of clearlycomprehensible documentation.

ull concentration. Get everything out of yourself. Stay at the front. These are the principles needed to keep ahead during asprint – and it is no different in business. Translated into the engineering this means; a rapid installation is only ensured if data isdesigned from end to end and seamlessly passed from engineering to production. The new version 2.2 of the EPLAN Platform

follows these principles and in EPLAN FieldSys offers an expansion module for the complete design of field cabling. “Get everythingout of yourself” is also true for the new graphical macro selection, smart terminal analysis and automatic termination pointswhen copying sections. Designers receive a solid engineering system which simultaneously provides a basis for standardisation.

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Project engineering sets the pace; extra graphical support for macros and terminals and deep process

integration with add-on modules such as EPLAN FieldSys.

Innovations in version 2.2:

Rapid filters in the projectdata navigatorsFlexible input of criteria for fil-tering project data

Determine editing modeEasily protect template projectsagainst unwanted modification

Embedded formulaeSingle focus on the currentpage

Computerised parts data ex-change via EDZEPLAN Data Zip: Import andexport of parts including all re-ference and supplementary data

Functional extensionsExample: New line types forgraphical primitives etc.

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Professor Verl, according to yourobservations, how is engineeringranked in companies nowadays?Verl: The more complex products be-come, the more important are processesthat are clearly defined and an inno-vative development department. Engi-neering is becoming increasing digitaland the use of data is becomingever more universal. Simulation is animportant driver in this process, as itoffers great benefits. The productcreation process can be significantlyaccelerated and quality considerablyenhanced by simulations of strengthand other properties as well as virtualcommissioning, not to mention testingin software. These effects are so greatthat it is possible now to have theimpression, at least in the case ofproducts nearing production readi-ness, that products that cannot bedigitally simulated are no longer builtat all.

How do you make a developmentprocess as efficient as possible?Verl: Structuring and a planned proce-dure are the keys to efficiency. Thesedays we too often encounter the mana-ger as a fire-fighter, only worrying aboutputting out the fires instead of thinkingbefore the start of the process itselfabout the journey and not just thedestination.

The opportunities that strategic variantmanagement, modularization and wellthought-out modular systems offer arenot being exploited. Experience andknowledge from a project are not madeavailable for subsequent tasks. Theerrors that were made in the design arenot revealed until production andcommissioning. We should be exploitingthese experiences to make the nextgeneration better. Instead, frequently asimilar, completed project is copied toform the basis of the new project – withall its inadequacies.

Is functional engineering a way outof this?Verl: Mechanical engineering andelectronics developers simply thinkdifferently. In mechanical engineering,thinking is spread across parts lists and3D models, thinking in objects or infunctions as is found in systems en-gineering has been pretty rare up tonow. This approach does have greatbenefits: start by thinking what routecan be taken to arrive at the destina-tion. It is practically unavoidable thatthis approach leads to the creation of acomponents library or a configurator –and hence to a structured process.

Why are configurators not usedmore often?Verl: Many companies are simplynot aware of what can actually bemodularized, and what benefits arisefrom this. Complete models can bebuilt up very quickly, and animations

created, for instance, from modules asearly as the quotation phase of a pro-ject. Preconfigured simulations simplifythe analysis of a plant. The effects extendas far as the documentation.The text and plansare composedautomaticallyfrom

modules as themechanical modules

are put together. There iseven sales potential in the service

and spare parts sector: if the customerhas a customized electronic spare partscatalogue with an ordering functionavailable, he will be more likely to orderfrom the manufacturer than from thirdparty suppliers. This all depends on thecorrect processes in engineering,however.

You have mentioned the highranking of simulation, what fields ofapplication do you see for this?

Verl: Throughout the development pro-cess. It begins with simulation of thefunctionality, continues through finiteelement simulations to the optimization

of components and plants, right upto the simulation of the com-missioning of complex manu-facturing processes wheresimulation is like the spar-ring partner of the controlsystem. One example is the

monitoring of robots: the load in thegearbox can be calculated from thecurrents consumed by the drives. Simu-lation can also contribute to safety; themovement of the robot can be calculatedin advance, for instance. This meansthat the controller can ”see” a fewmilliseconds into the future and detectcollisions before they occur. But simula-tion also means: true efficiency onlycomes with well planned processes inwhich pre-prepared simulation templa-tes automate the tedious definition ofmarginal conditions, for instance.

How capable are modern CAx andPLM systems of supporting thedesign process?Verl: There is no PLM system cur-rently on the market capable of trulycomprehensively mapping mechatronicdevelopment processes. In addition,the processes are rarely completelyconsistent, as the workflows are partlydesigned in the PLM system and partlyin the ERP system, but are not linkedwith each other. This is a consequenceof the fault line often still to be foundbetween the technical and commercialdepartments, which is also reflected inIT. When companies are faced with anew problem, they often react by in-stalling the next software tool, con-sequently creating new interfaceproblems. It would be better to take aclose look right from the start todetermine which company-specificprocesses will have to be implementedso that these can then, subsequently, beput into place as comprehensibly as pos-sible based on the capabilities of existingstandard systems. The objective mustbe to minimize company-specificcustomizing as far as possible. This isbest done with competent, independentadvice that takes an approach to resol-ving the problem in which a concretesystem with which this solution can beput into place is not selected until asecond step.

rof Dr-Ing. Alexander Verl heads both the FraunhoferInstitute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation(IPA) and the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine

Tools and Manufacturing Units at the University of Stuttgart(ISW). The institutes, in their interaction, represent one of thelargest and most renowned institutions in their sector. Prof Verllooks at the present and into the future of machine and plantengineering for us.

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“Structuring and a planned procedure are the keys to efficiency … The opportunities that strategic variant management offers are not being exploited.”

Prof Dr-Ing. Alexander Verl

“Engineers maintain our advantage”An expert’s view of the future of engineering

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What IT trends do you currently seein the engineering sector?Verl: In automation we see a trend to-wards using consumer products ins-tead of expensive special components.This has enormous cost benefits. Youdo have to consider, however, howyou are to ensure that the functionalityis still guaranteed over the long life-cycle of the machines – 20-30 yearsare not a rarity, after all. The use oftablets such as the iPad as a user in-terface on machines is just one exam-ple of this trend. The use of mobiledevices for data capture and visualiza-tion will certainly increase. We willalso see methods developed in theconsumer sector cropping up in pro-fessional software. I am thinking ofApp Stores which will allow the designerto quickly and easily upgrade anyfunctionality required. The subject of ITsecurity has come to the foregroundwith the Stuxnet virus which targetedSiemens controllers. Mechanisms suchas encrypted data transmission andaccess or whitelisting preventing mal-ware from being installed on the con-troller from any source will certainlybecome part of control technology.

And what do you see for the profes-sion of engineer in the future?Verl: Good engineering is the best salesmedium. A supplier who provides CADdata that the buyer can deploy in hisplant blind will be preferred over sup-pliers who are unable to offer this. Weengineers are right on the frontlinewhen it is a matter of keeping our coun-try in the lead. China has defined thedevelopment of ever more complexproducts as a national objective. WhenChina reaches this target, we willalready have to be one step ahead.

What do we need to maintain thisadvantage?Verl: Our advantage is thinking in net-works and our capacity to cooperate.Engineering processes are very oftencontinually improved in cooperation.We create a foundation in educationwith team working and interdisciplinaryprojects. In the world of work, custo-mers and suppliers often work togetherextremely closely, even in engineering.External consultancy and collaborationare prized and process thinking isparticularly well-developed here. Thisprovides the German machine andplant engineering industries with all theopportunities they need to strengthentheir competitiveness through enginee-ring. It is necessary to exploit this.

Biography:

Professor Dr-Ing. Dr h.c. Alexander Verl studied electrical engineering in Erlangen and then worked as a developmentengineer in Siemens’ automation technology division. During his time working at the DLR (German Aerospace Centre)in Oberpfaffenhofen he earned his doctorate in robotics and mechatronics. He established and managed a companyworking in the same area before taking up the role as Director of the ISW in 2005. The following year he was appointedas one of the two directors of the Fraunhofer IPA. He teaches in the Faculty of Engineering Design, Production Engineeringand Automotive Engineering at the University of Stuttgart where he is also Dean of Mechatronics.

“Good engineering is the best sales medium. We engineers are right on thefrontline when it is a matter of keeping our country in the lead.”

Prof Dr-Ing. Alexander Verl

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Italian design for the global marketBased in Abbiategrasso in the provinceof Milan (Italy), Miramondi Impianti ispart of the Moss Alliance Group, whichwas established in January 2010.Focusing today on building industrialautomation lines for the white goodsindustry, Miramondi has expanded sig-nificantly over the years, shifting from itsinitial mechanical repair activities in the1960s to the manufacture of plants,equipment and moulds for the electricalappliance industry, and subsequentlyearning a reputation as a manufacturerof baskets, cabinets and front panelsfor washing machines. Incorporatedas Miramondi Impianti in 2012 follo-wing its acquisition by Sares and Scamm,the company has built up an interna-tional reputation for the manufactureof plants for converting sheet metal, witha focus on the washing machine anddryer industry. The company exports itswide-ranging output to markets aroundthe world and its clients include well-known brands such as BSH Home

Appliances, Whirlpool, Indesit, andElectrolux.

Long lasting relationshipMiramondi Impianti’s technical depart-ment has been working with EPLANproducts for some years. The softwareis used for the company's highly com-plex design work, in which the masterplan, materials and cabling have tomeet precise specifications that differfrom one project to the next. Within thiscomplex operating environment Mira-mondi Impianti relies on the EPLANPlatform with EPLAN Electric P8 andEPLAN Fluid. In 2008, the companyseamlessly migrated from the formersystem to EPLAN Electric P8. MaurizioGardiolo, technical manager at Mira-mondi Impianti´s electrical office,explains: “It took us a little over amonth to start implementing the newdevelopments available in this newsolution. We used the online manualsand demo version projects and wereable to undertake the transition on our

own.” The use of EPLAN's professionalsoftware and the partnership betweenEPLAN and Miramondi has enabled thecompany to offer tailored solutions forthe white goods market. EPLAN ElectricP8 will now be updated to the latestversion 2.2, which is packed with newdevelopments that will further enhanceits already considerable technical andoperational assets.

Making work easier and fasterMiramondi Impianti decided to imple-ment EPLAN Electric P8 because thecompany wanted a solution that wouldallow it to almost immediately generatea database of parts and apply the masterplan to the line, bringing together allelements required for installation,cabling included, under one project.Maurizio Gardiolo explains: “EPLANElectric P8 makes it even easier tomanage the parts of the line that atvarious times need to be adapted tomeet customer requirements. Before, itwas necessary to modify details at given

points in order to amend a project.Now we can make modificationswithout having to go into the graphics;all you have to do is select the correctvariation, there’s no need to alter in-dividual data.”

The next stepSince their last project, MiramondiImpianti’s engineers have been workingon gradually integrating EPLAN ElectricP8 and EPLAN Fluid by sharing theirpart and symbol libraries and associatedmodifications via an interface betweenthe two project platforms. Their goal isto be able to use one set of data for thesame project as it is worked on bymechanical and electrical engineers.Maurizio Gardiolo concludes: The in-stallation of EPLAN has resulted in 80 %to 90 % improved performance in majorengineering tasks such as project or-ganisation, graphical processing, partslists and rack layout data. Additionally,the quality of the overall documentationhas improved substantially and is nowperfectly consistent and enables us tocreate customer-specific documentationin all required languages to the samehigh standards.

Efficiency gains across borders!

Customer requirements can be easily met by selectingthe correct variation instead of modifying the graphics.

Master plan for efficiencyEngineering industrial automation lines for the white goods industry

nergy efficiency is one of themain sales arguments forwashing machines and

dryers. This is one reason whywhite goods and domesticappliances have become moretechnically complex over the lastfew decades. Manufacturers havebeen forced to become more andmore efficient, and their suppliersof the white good manufacturersare facing the same situation.Miramondi Impianti successfullymastered this challenge by takingadvantage of the efficiency andperformance of EPLAN Electric P8and EPLAN Fluid as part of itsthorough, customer-orienteddesign projects.

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Connecting worldsMechatronics: Exclusive data package by Festo for CPX terminals speeds up engineering

A clear goal: Increasing customerbenefitWith its pneumatic and electrical drivetechnology, Festo stands for innovationin factory and process automation –from the individual product to the readysolution. Its subsidiary Festo Didactic isa world leader in industrial foundationand further education and is the exclu-sive distributor of the EPLAN Educationpackage. For some years, Festo andEPLAN have worked together to deve-lop solutions with the aim of makingengineering easier for their commoncustomers. For instance, Festo's mecha-tronic components can be designedand documented simply thanks to thedirect connection between EPLAN Fluidand the product catalogue of Festo.The next step has been taken with thenew predefined data packages for CPXterminals – exclusive to EPLAN users.

Totally flexible: CPX valve terminals Valve terminals are a milestone in easierworking in the pneumatics sector andhave been indispensable to the world ofautomation for some time now. Thanks

to an individual combination of differentfunctions, the valve terminal's configu-ration can be matched to the applica-tions precisely – a wide range ofapplication are guaranteed. The CPXterminal of Festo is perfect here: elect-rical and open to all current field busstandards as well as all customer-specific

installation standards. Customers bene-fit from ease of handling: simply out ofthe enclosure – into the plant – and net-work electrics and pneumatics at astroke, saving installation effort.

Perfect interplay The new exclusive macro collection forEPLAN brings together the configurationsof Festo in electrical and fluid projectengineering. The final type code of theconfigured valve terminal is the linkhere. It comprises two ID codes, one forthe electrical and one for the pneumatic

section. One example: CPX configura-tion 50E-F06GCQSEX-Z- consists ofmodule 1 = F06GCQS and module2 = EX. Benefit: Both modules may befound in the EPLAN components data-base and can be used with just a fewclicks. The designer can use the ID codeto select the module appropriate to the

current configuration from over 2000predefined device modules with con-nection point logic and function tem-plates and place them in the docu-mentation in the representation type ofthe devices via Drag&Drop. This meansthat 2D overview drawings, electricalwiring schematics, pneumatic circuitplans and PLC overviews can be createdin no time at all.

Simply easier All valve terminal combinations can bedesigned in the defined workflow across

disciplines via Drag&Drop. The benefitsof the guided configuration using Festo'stools are combined with logic-baseddocumentation in EPLAN. The EPLANdata for CPX terminals is available fordownload as a complete package fromwww.festo.de/eplan and in the Festoproduct catalogue under 2D/3D CAD.Availability through the EPLAN DataPortal is also currently in preparation.

Summary of the CPX macros ofFesto for EPLAN Electric P8 andEPLAN Fluid:

Valve terminal types implementedCPX (electrical peripheralequipment and field bus nodes)MPA (pneumatic components)

Electrical design and engineeringStructural overview with individualmodule feeds and order codesSchematics in all-polerepresentation, terminal plans andPLC overviewsPanel overview with type codes andin a scale of 1:1

Material master data for drawing up billof materials

Use the QR-Code to view the video:

onnecting the electrical and pneumatic worlds – this is where Festo sees potential for innovation. This maxim coincides with EPLAN'sstrategy – mechatronic solutions have been pushed hard for years. The close cooperation between the two companies thanks tothe interface to the product catalogue of Festo in EPLAN Fluid and the sales of EPLAN Education by Festo Didactic now has a third

string to its bow: a data package with over 2000 smart device macros – specially developed by Festo for EPLAN users – adds extrastrength to the mechatronic orbit of the CPX terminal.

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The 2000 or more smart macros fuse together electrical and fluid power design.

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The benefits at a glance:

Complete: all CPX componentsavailable Versatile: over 2000 smart moduleconfigurations with connection pointlogic and function templates International: German, Chinese,English, French, Korean and SpanishIndividual: CPX configurations canbe put together via Drag&DropDetailed: 2D drawings included

ire harnesses appear extremely complicated at firstglance. But if you look at the task of engineering thesewire harnesses more closely, the multi-layered complexity

of the process in which geometrical and connection technologydata must be given equal consideration becomes clear. The solutionfor this not-quite-so-simple task is called EPLAN Harness proD. The new software works with the data from the mechanical 3Dworld as well as with the electrical connection information. It can both work with existing 3D models as well as create them itself.Another plus point: the system comprises 3D and 2D functionality – flexibly for virtual 3D/2D prototype creation and for thederivation of production data.

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Optimum use of spaceWherever there is little space remainingto connect electrical and electroniccomponents together, the wire harness ismore than just an option for the designer.What has long been accepted as thesolution in vehicles because of therestricted space, is also of interestfor normal machine cabling on thesensor/actuator level. Finally, thenumber of PCB-based units in switchcabinets and devices is rising steadily.

Layout space is also important in con-sidering electronic components andsubassemblies in specialist machinesmachines. EPLAN Harness proD – thenew 3D/2D software for wire harnessengineering – is an engineering toolespecially designed for the task of wireharness design. The system has foundsuccess thanks to its ability to seamlesslyintegrate mechanical and automationtechnology.

One workflow: mechanical and wireharness designEPLAN Harness proD is an easy-to-usesoftware suite that fully supports allaspects of wire harness engineering.The software is versatile in offeringdifferent approaches to the design of awire harness. Typical route: import of a3D model from common 3D CADsystems. This will check both the routingitself and also aspects of the designsuch as fasteners/clips, any protectivemeasures required and determine thelengths in the digital model. This makesthe building of time-consuming andcostly prototypes unnecessary. As analternative to importing data, there isalso the option of the reverse path. A

wire harness created in an imported 3Dmodel can be passed back to me-chanical design for configuration. Thebenefit: obstacles to the cable routingarising from the design are detectedin the complete virtual model andcorrective actions can be introducedimmediately – doing away completlythe building with physical prototypes.

Totally versatile – even without a 3DmodelShould no 3D model be available be-cause of the process or organisation, acomplete design for a wire harness canbe generated quickly and easily in theEPLAN Harness proD editor – completelyindependently of the CAD system. This

Time and cost savings: Complete planning and design of the entire wire harness in the

engineering phase – without physical prototypes.

The benefits of EPLAN Harness proD at a glance:

Space and weight in the layout space are optimized

Time and cost saving by 3D/2D rapid prototyping

Workflow integration with interfaces to MCAD and ECAD

Fully automatic routing of wires and cables

Production integration (wire and cable fabrication automation)

Numerous test routines ensure correct results

Management of variants and options

More information from: www.eplan.de/harness

Branched – not knNEW: E f f i c ien t

What is a wire harness?

The wire harness is a bundle of wires. Connectors/terminalsat the ends of the wires generally make the electrical connections to components and devices. A wire harness is a passive device.

The individual wires are made into a harness by suitable fasteners– such as wrapping in tape, enclosing in conduit or protectivehoses or in cable channels – and are fitted similarly to cables.The wires are also protected against dirt, heat and mechani-cal stress with the aim of protecting the electrical characte-ristics such as insulation and conductivity over the entirelifecycle of the product.

Unlike commercial (sheated) cables, the wire harness isdeveloped specifically for the project or applicationaccording to the connections required.

Quality improvement: Check routines ensure correct results for diameter, lengths and bending radii

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otty3D/2D wi re harness eng ineer ing wi th EPLAN Harness p roD

brings enormous freedom to the process,especially for wire harness suppliers,which frequently have to get by withouta 3D model. They get the connectioninformation from the schematics (elect-rical circuit diagram) which they cancreate in EPLAN Electric P8. In this way,both the connection data and therouting information can be associatedwith each other. The result is theunification of all the data necessaryto design the wire harness. This canthen be validated, the bundle thicknesscan be checked against the bendingradius, for instance. Where appro-priate, any corrections required can bemade interactively in the system. It isalso possible to check whether wireshave been created without connectiontechnology, i.e. without a connector orterminal.

These comprehensive and practical tes-ting and inspection functions for bendingradii, rate of filling, cable lengths,bundles without wires and connectorsmake quick results available. The ob-jective is to detect possible inconsis-tencies and errors early, i.e. beforeprototype production, making cor-rection of such errors easy. Additionally,EPLAN Harness proD determines theparts required and develops a bill ofmaterials for costing and ordering. Finally

the system generates a 1:1 nailboarddrawing that can be used as the base forthe production of the wire harness.

Evaluation at the press of a buttonEPLAN Harness proD automaticallygenerates a variety of reports requiredfor costing, ordering and productionfrom the 3D or 2D wire harness layout:complete or individual bill of mate-rials, connector and splice lists, wireand connection lists and reports con-cerning the operations to allow deter-mination of time and costs. The datacan be passed directly to cable assem-bly machines. Users benefit from thisend-to-end process integration thatsupports all phases in engineering, fromplanning through engineering to wireharness design and production.

Complex systems easily controlledTerberg Control Systems in IJsselsteinoriginated in the 1940s. The companystarted out selling washing machines,and quickly grew to become a multifa-ceted fitting contractor. The installationof systems for swimming pools andcombined heat and power plantsled to the addition of enclosure con-struction. Terberg got into generatorsaround 20 years ago. The control systemsdeveloped by the company for the ge-nerators of Caterpillar Power Systemsstand out for their simplicity for the user,despite the fact that they are capable ofcontrolling extremely large and complexsystems of up to 250 MW.

Challenges efficiently masteredAround 10 years ago, Terberg foresawan increase in competition from Asia.They weren't better at development, butthey were cheaper at building enclosu-res. “It was getting harder and harderto find technical staff,“ says Erwin Althof,manager of the hardware department

at Terberg Control Systems. “As a lotof knowledge is required for ourproducts, getting an enclosure builderup to speed took us half a year, andan engineer, a year. That had tochange.” Terberg invited various part-ners – including EPLAN – to thinkabout a solution.

The result was a clear future vision:making products and processes simplerin all aspects. The first step was takenin sales. The product was cut up intostandard modules. Using a handy salestool, the sales staff can now put to-gether a custom product from modules.Althof: “This resulted in a huge effi-ciency improvement. With a singlemouse click, the salesperson creates aquotation, including technical descrip-tions. This ensures that the customersees exactly what he is getting. If the

order goes ahead, the engineer fills inthe technical details, on the basis of thesame data set. Customer-specificcustom work is kept to a minimum.“

One step ahead: CAM Terberg went further and connected thesystem to the machines for the custommanufacture of boards, wiring and labels.The entire logistics process was thenconnected to the system. The objectivewas to achieve error-free and leanproduction.

These last steps made Terberg one ofthe first enclosure manufacturers touse Computer Aided Manufacturing inpractice. The direct connection withproduction is made possible via EPLANPro Panel Professional in combinationwith EPLAN Electric P8.

Less knowledge on the shop floor“We have shifted the knowledge fromthe people to the system,“ Althof ex-plains. “Everything now comes fromEPLAN: from the instructions for theCNC machines through to the workinstructions for the enclosure builder.This person no longer has to deal witha thick book, they just get a single set ofinstructions for each action. The wiresare automatically custom-producedand labelled. The whole process ensuresthat we supply an error-free product.“

Top efficiency and turnoverThanks to this standardisation usingEPLAN, Terberg has also removed agreat deal of repetitive work from theengineering process. Althof: “We havenow anchored a wealth of knowledgein the system. This saves our engineersa great deal of time. In 2001, we pro-

duced 40 control units per year. Thishas increased to 720 this year – withthe same team of eight people! As aresult, Terberg has experienced hugeturnover growth during the past 10years. This indicates that a high degreeof automation does enable you to pro-duce competitively in Europe. It is thesolution.”

Long-term partnership The engineering team at Terberg havebeen working with EPLAN software sincethe 1990s. “The software has becomemuch more for us than just a handydrawing program; EPLAN forms theheart of our engineering,” says Althof.“In addition EPLAN played a role as asparring partner in this entire efficiencyimprovement process,” he continues.“They brainstormed with us, suggestedalternatives, took care of the imple-mentation and provided live instructionto our engineers in IJsselstein. EPLAN ismore than just a supplier; they taughtus how to engineer as optimally aspossible.”

Result: Staying on course!

Switching over to the right track Automation is the efficient answer to challenging markets

omplicated products and processes. Lack of technical personnel. Increasing competition. These were the main challenges theDutch company Terberg Control Systems was facing some years ago. To get a clear future vision the company invited variouspartners for brainstorming sessions. Today the specialist in controls for complex Caterpillar generators supplies more and better

products with fewer specialist personnel, due to the fact that the high level of knowledge has been anchored in the EPLAN Platform.In addition, EPLAN Pro Panel Professional has been launched to achieve large-scale automation of the production of switch consoles.

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Increased efficiency: From 40 control units a year to 720 – with the same team of eight people.

The first step: StandardisationThe foundation for automation is wellstructured standardisation. Today´sstandards are generally comprehensivedesign guidelines and specimen dia-grams which have to be adapted ma-nually. This manual activity leads to asituation where standards are not con-sistently observed and the quality ofthe documentation suffers – there isroom for improvement.

”Proper” standardisation in the ECADdepartment might look like this: projecttemplates are defined once and storedwith their document structures on thebasis of the EPLAN Platform (electricalengineering: wire and terminal dia-grams, fluid engineering: hose listsetc.). Partial circuits (macros) – that isre-usable primitives – are also putunder the microscope. Here the designercan benefit from the standardisationpotential in the EPLAN Platform. Forexample, a macro, a motor controllerfor instance, can be defined in differentvariants. Value records can also bedefined, e.g. the motor output and itsdependent parameters for the technicaldesign of the motor cable or the ter-minals used. Centralized storage andavailability from a macro library arenow the foundation and the first step inthe automated generation of projectdocumentation. Standardisation isrounded off by the definition of the de-sign guidelines (regulations) in an Excelfront end within EEC One.

Excel: The internal valuesThe designer has the capability via theExcel front end to combine input data,for instance motor or parts lists fromupstream departments, with the partialcircuits (macros). All Excel functionalityis available here. This makes the lear-ning curve shallow and ensures a rapidstart. The user has visual support in thistask from the macro navigator: allmacro variants, presentation types ormacro types remain firmly in view –allocation to the input data is easier.Metadata, such as the project information,can be exchanged in both directions, orimported directly through third partysystems – saving on manual input routinesand the management of redundantdata. What i s more, the EPLANEngineering Center One supports theactivation of values sets that the de-

signer has previously defined in thestandardisation phase. Thus the samegraphical presentation can easily beused, although different values areassigned each time. One example: theuser has defined two values sets, e.g.one 3 KW and one 11 KW output motor,with the associated technical informa-tion for the cross-sections of the cables,the motor protection switch and parts.

The quick route to the schematicIt is not only the value set that is se-lected in the EEC One, the appropriatevalues are then automatically added tothe parameters in the macro – perfectlyintegrated. Once configuration is com-pleted it is time to generate the fluidand electrical schematics. The user cangenerate individual machine or systemparts (e.g. the supply) or even the entireproject automatically at the press of abutton in the EPLAN Platform. Thepages are generated individually app-lying macros precisely in accordancewith the user's specifications. There is nomanual editing. Naturally, the reports,such as the hose lists in fluid power en-gineering, cable lists for electrical en-gineering or bills of materials for theordering process, can be generated di-rectly in the EPLAN Platform via the EEC

One. Support for scripting in theEPLAN Platform provides an additionalplus in automation. The designer isable to generate an automatic transla-tion of the project directly through EECOne or output the completed project asa PDF.

Just in time for automation!

he new EPLAN Engineering Center One (EEC One) arrivedat the "international station" of the Hanover Fair in 2012under the motto "Automate your engineering". This is

where it was presented to the public for the first time. Sincethen it has travelled to many countries at high speed. Someinternational companies are already on board, not just inGermany, but also in India, Korea, Belgium, Austria, Turkey,USA, Hungary and the Netherlands. They have all recognisedthat the EEC One is a central building block in an end-to-endautomation strategy.

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The macro library is the basis for the automated generation of project documentation.

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All aboardEPLAN Engineering Center One: The automation express is ready to depart

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Product configuration withoutintegration gap“We need to know exactly what productscan be combined in what ways andoffer the accessories specifically for thecustomer and application at the sametime, with verified plausibility” says DrThomas Steffen, Director of Research &Development at Rittal. “We do notbuild switchgear, but we do supply ourcustomers with all the products andaccessories they require to allow themto implement it as efficiently as possible.”What is needed is variants manage-ment, standardization and smartconfiguration, so that both sales and

order processing can operate at highlevels of efficiency.

He adds: “The knowledge of the rulesof products and production must bemapped and clearly separated,” theR&D Director went on. From the IT-side,this can be achieved with the combina-tion of two solutions: the knowledge ofproduct rules is stored in the EPLANEngineering Center (EEC), while theknowledge of the rules of production isheld in the SAP ERP software. MIND8like EPLAN and Rittal themselves is partof the Friedhelm Loh Group and providesthe expertise in variants management.

Those in the Group also trust their ownsolutions. Rittal has had an electronicproduct catalogue for a long time andeven the concept of configuration is notvirgin territory; the customer can, for in-stance, already put products togetheron the Internet.

“However, there has thus far been anintegration gap at this point since, alt-hough a list of product exists, productionand logistics still operate more or lessindependently of one another,” conti-nues Steffen. To this we should add thatthe range of accessories alone comprisesmore than 5000 items.

“Here we need transparency and wehave to build in a plausibility check whichautomatically shows the accessoriesfitting the base application selected –active accessory sales are possibleonly in this way.” RiPrio was thereforelaunched in 2009, because it becameclear that end-to-end configuration isa precondition for this.

In the first phase, the in-house salesteam will use the new configurator forthe small enclosure range thereby alreadycovering some 10% of Rittal's product

range. All the other products are nowbeing modelled step-by-step until itbecomes possible to configure thecomplete product range consistently.To achieve this goal the engineersresponsible will have to define thepossible variants, agree the rules withall the participants and store theknowledge in the EEC so that the websiteand the electronic product catalogue aregradually based on the configurator'slogic. Some of the fundamental taskswill also be taken on in parallel withthis, from process cost calculation,through to the introduction of PDM andthe integration of the marketing tool.

ittal talks of the largestorganization project –apart from the introduc-

tion of SAP – in the company'shistory: the RiPrio project willbuild up an end-to-end confi-guration solution with whichthe company wants to bettermanage the high complexityof its products. The knowledgeof product rules has beensuccessively mapped in theEPLAN Engineering Center(EEC), while the knowledge ofthe rules of production conti-nues to be found in the SAPERP solution. This clear divi-sion of labour prevents theredundant storage of theknowledge of rules and per-mits efficient configurationwith automatic job handling.

R RiPrio – more thaProduct variety in hand

The RiPrio project is all about the digital mapping of the productrange. There are three principle objectives:

Rittal will influence the product range in the right direction in Research &Development – will means: continue to develop both basic products andaccessories in accordance with customer requirements under the motto“Rittal – The System”, but at the same time manage the resulting comple-xity and wide range of variants, and where possible reduce these. This isnot an easy task when starting from an original 10,000 products.

In future knowledge of the product rules will be anchored in end-to-endsystems – to date it has existed only in the heads of the staff. This meansthat the accumulated know-how will be available in the future to all par-ticipants uniformly and across disciplines.

Reliable delivery is ensured with the shortest possible delivery deadlines.For this reason, order processing is to become more efficient on the basisof the digitally mapped range of products – from the initial enquiry to theautomatic generation of all documents – with configuration being the keyword.

Dr Thomas Steffen, R&D Director, Rittal

“The knowledge of the rules of products and productionmust be mapped and clearly separated.”

Dr Thomas Steffen, Director of Research & Development at Rittal

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Prevent the product range growingwildlyIn the first phase, Rittal began by que-rying the variety of parts. The developmentdepartment will then be surveyed in asecond step. It was given the task ofrevising the product range with a viewto simplifying assembly, accessoryfunctions were to be integrated directlywhere appropriate. An on/off switchalways goes with a lamp in the enclo-sure, plinths can also help with cablemanagement. This step has alreadybeen completed for some core products,for the standard IT rack, for example:

the study began with 465 items acrossthe world in all possible variants –today 110 products are sufficient; thecorresponding range of accessories hasbeen reduced to a little more than athird. This process was supported by Dr.Wüpping Consulting GmbH who hadbeen brought in as the external projectpartner. “This has led to us reducing ourseries production range by 43 percentin three stages.” Starting with 10,000items in 2009, we now have only 5700and the target for the next catalogue is5000.

Selection of a suitable systemlandscapeA further step involved the issue of ofstoring the product know-how. WhileSAP's LO-VC variant configurator, anintegral component of the ERP solution,already supports configuration, thisis more from the point of view ofproduction – and less with regard to therequirements on product development.In this context EPLAN's EEC was prefer-red as the control centre to check inparticular what accessories went withthe base product selected. “It is notsensible to generate 3D data in SAP, justas conversely it makes no sense to mapevery production process in the EPLANEngineering Center”, explains Steffen.“A hybrid approach that exploits thestrengths of the two systems is sensible.”MIND8, a sister company to Rittal, hada consultancy role in the overall design

of the processes, the organization andIT implementation. A modular systemwith all the dependencies between theindividual modules can be mapped inthe EEC, and furthermore, the centralaccess (single source of truth) to all therelevant data means that a high degreeof standardization is achieved.

Ultimately, the more consistently data isstandardized, the simpler it is to imple-ment configuration solutions.

Configurator is implementedstep-by-stepThe in-house sales team has nowbegun with the configuration of smallenclosures to gain experience with theconfigurator built into the EEC. It is thenpossible to select base variants andplausibility-tested accessories from whichan order list is generated with the partnumbers and sent directly to the stores.Products ordered by this route arrive indispatch without delay. It is also anadvantage that the users in the in-housesales team can configure the productsfrom their SAP client as usual, but nowwith graphical, more intuitive userinterfaces that support configurationworkflows. The assembly processes arealso launched automatically, followedby the capability to define break-outs inthe control cabinet from the configura-tor. Further products are to follow in a

subsequent step. “What is more, we arealready building up new productsdirectly following the RiPrio configura-tion logic”, said Steffen in conclusion.

This means, among other things: Thesooner a high degree of product des-cription is achieved, the more the effortfor changes and order processing isreduced – the customer can rely on thedelivery times, even with highly complexproducts.

Part for part: Short delivery times and high deliveryreliability thanks to digital product configurator

n the sum of its partsthrough knowledge of the rules: End-to-end configuration management with automatic order processing

The variants management experts in the RiPrio project

MIND8, the specialists in managing variants in machine-buildingand plant engineering, had a consultancy role in the overall designof the processes, the organization and IT implementation. Thecompany has already implemented end-to-end process from salesto production using modular-based configuration solutions at anumber of companies in conjunction with EPLAN Software & Service.MIND8 is a sister company to Rittal and EPLAN and has been amember of the Friedhelm Loh Group with a total of 11,500 em-ployees world-wide since 2007. More information:www.mind8.com

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New freedom for copper rails Even though the technology is availa-ble, on far too many occasions theknowledge for correct planning, design,manufacturing and assembly of aswitchgear is inside the heads of theemployees, not in the system. The result:The majority of solutions are more orless unique. In other words, a real pro-totype of an individual solution, basedupon customer specifications and thewealth of experience of the employee.This means continuous documentation,reproducibility and re-use are difficult toachieve. This is precisely where EPLANPro Panel Professional and the ”Copper”expansion module come in. The conti-nuity of the engineering starts with thedesign of the switching systems andtheir assembly in 3D. Housings and ac-cessories, operating materials and therequired copper rails are put togetherfrom an online component library usingEPLAN Pro Panel Copper and turnedinto a virtual prototype. Beneficial forusers: Bent copper rails and connectingelements can now also be freely defi-ned within the 3D assembly. Individualadaptation to the installation situation

takes place when the copper rail isinstalled. This provides unprecedentedflexibility during construction. At thesame time, the provision of a definableform library helps to reduce the numberof variants. The degree of standardisa-tion for manufacturing and assemblyincreases, and provides significant finan-cial savings. The innovative eTouch

technology supports the user in the in-tuitive positioning of copper bundlesand allows individual processing to takeplace: Material characteristics andmanufacturer recommendations aretaken into consideration on the systemside.

Planning reliability includedConstruction and manufacturing-related information such as manu-facturer recommendations for minimumpermitted bending radii or company-specific bending rules can be stored in

the EPLAN platform and are usedduring construction and when proces-sing the components for creating thedrawing. The information that is neededfor bending the components can alsobe provided from EPLAN Pro PanelCopper for actuating NC-assisted ben-ding machines. In combination withappropriate test runs of the EPLAN

platform and the integrated collisionexamination, the entire virtual prototypeof the switchgear can be checked forplausibility. Potential interfering varia-bles are detected at the earliest possiblestage of product development. Delayeddelivery because of subsequent cor-rections on manufacturing and assem-bly is therefore a thing of the past.Holes or cut-outs can be defined for alltypes of copper part connection in 3Dassembly – either as a drilling patternaccording to the standard or by meansof individual positioning. Whenever a

hole or cut-out is made in a connection,it is automatically sent to all compo-nents to be connected. A major advan-tage – if a change is made, alldependent components and theirproduction drawings are automaticallyupdated.

Material procurement acceleratedWith the help of the system, users be-nefit from a multitude of evaluationsfor material ordering and dispatch.Qualified item information can be puttogether in material, cutting or as-sembly lists and directly used for mate-rial procurement, order preparation,order dispatch and manufacturing – acontinuous workflow for all areas ofproduct development.

Result: A checked, virtual prototype, before the firstcomponent has been ordered or manufactured.

Turning copper into hard cashEPLAN Pro Panel: New ”Copper” module for low-cost planning and manufacturing

opper rail bending anddrilling information is animportant factor for ef-

fective panel building. Indi-vidual copper rails andconnecting elements can befreely constructed using EPLANPro Panel Professional and the”Copper” expansion module.The entire 3D assembly isdigitally simulated andchecked for plausibility. Manyparameters can therefore bechecked before manufactu-ring takes place. Interferencevariable determination andother aspects of continuousquality control are movedback into the developmentphase. Error sources are eli-minated at an early stage,and manufacturing receivescorrect data for processingthe copper rails – savingtime, money and material.

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STEP by STEPEPLAN Fluid Professional: 3D in two-step with mechanical construction

eTouch technology brings 3D into theprojectEPLAN Fluid Professional directly combi-nes well-tried fluid power design withnew 3D technology in EPLAN. Compo-nents such as valves or cylinders thathave been put into the fluid circuit dia-gram can be assembled in 3D using asimple method that is not unlike theLEGO principle, and put onto moun-ting surfaces. The eTouch technologyprovides automatically generated hand-les for each component, and thereforeallows fluid circuits to be quickly andeasily designed in 3D. In-depthknowledge of 3D is not required, andthe 2D derivations and productiondrawings are automatically generatedas part of the documentation. This meansthat valuable manufacturing documen-tation concerning design space, drillholes and hose lengths is available atan early stage.

An ideal sequence of steps withmechanicsEPLAN Fluid Professional keeps an eyeon integration in the existing workflow ofthe mechanical design: With design

space concepts and the neutral exchangeof 3D data using the STEP format, theknow-how of the fluid power engineercan be utilised during the 3D model de-sign stage. What does a workflow suchas this look like? An example of how therotary indexing system works is in themechanical system, where the 3D modelis produced first. For the pneumatic com-ponents and their central compressed airfeed, a design space is defined in themechanical system and exported toEPLAN Fluid Professional using the STEPinterface. The fluid power engineer thenplans the selection of components andtheir direct connection to the electricalsystem. Automatically generated partlists and hose lists are immediately avai-lable.

EPLAN data to 3D mechanicalsystem programs via STEP For example, if the fluid power engineerimports a mounting panel, he can placethe component planned in the schema-tic directly in the intended design spaceusing Drag&Drop, and assemble it im-mediately in 3D (the handles automatic-ally connect the components). The manu-

facturing information is created by meansof dimensioning, e.g. for the mountingclamps of the pneumatic maintenanceunit. The fluid power engineer returns the

result to the mechanical system model ofthe overall machine via STEP – includingitem numbering. The know-how of thefluid power engineer is therefore utilisedwhere it is needed: for selecting and di-mensioning the components, makingfluid power engineering connections andputting them in the right position. Aspectssuch as hose lengths, heat generation,energy efficiency, mechatronic interac-tion and reducing the design space canbe calculated right from the start.

Standardisation simplifies the processA considerable amount of potential isavailable to the fluid power engineer:standardising fluid project configurationand storing and re-using frequently usedsubsystems in the form of macros,

directly in the design phase. This safeguardsthe special knowledge of the fluid powerengineer, and it can be retrieved at anytime. This speeds up planning and safe-

guards quality across all disciplines. Inconjunction with the electrical planning,the workflow also provides the opportu-nity to avoid errors, particularly in view ofthe increasing complexity of mechatro-nic components such as valve terminals.

Summary:The engineer has a priceless advan-tage: 3D data, fluid power symbols andelectrical actuation are directly associa-ted with the bill of materials and thetechnical data of the devices. The costof planning and documentation is reduced.

Please see our video formore information ...

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s anyone who has been on a dance floor with their partner is aware: Each step must be coordinated. Correct interaction bet-ween everyone involved is also decisive on the shop floor. Solution provider EPLAN is now taking the next consistent step andpresenting EPLAN Fluid Professional, a 3D solution that harmonises perfectly with mechanical construction. The new integra-

tion in the MCAD workflow using a STEP interface has intensified the interdisciplinary mechatronic engineering. The competenceof the fluid power engineer in the overall project is also enhanced.

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Saves time, improves quality: Uniform workflow in fluid technology and mechanical systems.

MCAD system 3D

via STEP

via STEP

ImprintEPLAN Software & ServiceGmbH & Co. KGAn der alten Ziegelei 2D-40789 Monheim am RheinPhone: +49 2173 3964-0 Fax: +49 2173 3964-25info@eplan.de . www.eplan.de

Concept::Layoutteam::mt gmbh (www.team-mt.de)Pictures: Clients, shutterstock, istock, fotolia, a.m.

nterface management often holds the balancein the product engineering process. Companiesthat are on top of this are the innovators in

their sector. Because it is the end-to-end data flowsthat ensures transparency in the product engineeringprocess and permitts interdisciplinary thinking andacting – beyond company boundaries.

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Perfectly networkedEADN: Interface encounters end-to-end process

Two sources for data flowEPLAN has taken two routes from theoutset to smooth the path to stan-dardized interface management. Fi r s t :the development of speci f ic inter-faces in the EPLAN Platform for Engi-neering and Production – for exampleto PLC programming systems such asSiemens, Schneider Electric or RockwellAutomation, or to drilling machinesand labelling systems produced by variousmanufacturers. The second source forend-to-end processes is the EPLANApplication Developer Network – EADNfor short. ERP, PDM or PLM vendorsaccess standardizedproducts via theEADN. EPLAN's API(Application Pro-gramming Interface)or the EPLAN ERP/PDM Integration Suiteguarantees a con-sistent data flow tothe EPLAN Plat-form. Existing me-thods of working,such as the manualexchange of projectdata or bill of mate-rials are replaced byautomated configuration. Familiar work-flows, e.g. archiving projects in the fileexplorer, are replaced by modern me-thods such as checking in and checkingout of a PDM system.

To sum up: a fabulous outlook for anoptimized product creation process.Users can already access more than tenstandardized interfaces from the ERP,PDM or PLM environments of partners.Here are some brief extracts explainingEPLAN's connectedness:

SAPEPLAN's longstanding partner, ILCGmbH, meshes the world of engineeringwith SAP through its 4PEP ConnectEPLAN integration tool. The user-friendlysolution integrates EPLAN Electric P8 andEPLAN Fluid, i.e. electrical engineeringdesign with the creation of fluid powerengineering documentation (hydraulics,pneumatics). Data from EPLAN ismade directly available to the PLM andERP environments; parts, bill of materialsand documents management modules inparticular are impressive with their fluentprocesses that speed up engineering.

Enovia SmarTeam Data Solid GmbH offers Smart ECAD tomanage all EPLAN projects directly in theSmarTeam PDM/PLM system and ensuresa bidirectional exchange of projectproperties. Revision processes ensure thatmodifications to EPLAN projects aretransparent and traceable at all times.Using the archive functions in EPLANmeans that project statuses can berestored again fully.

TeamcenterEPLAN's partner CAE Consulting GmbHis a specialist in the Teamcenter PLMsystem environment with its Integratesolution. New projects can be createdor reused in the PLM system directlyvia the EPLAN user interface – includingthe check-in and check-out functionalityfor secure data synchronization.

CIM database PLM vendor Contact Software GmbHintegrates a powerful bill of materialsfunction with its module linking toEPLAN. Its capability comprises the

automatic derivation ofbill of materials (quan-tity), a multi-level usagetrace and the graphicaldisplay of the productstructure in the CIM DA-TABASE. Project admi-nistration is supportedby freely definable work-flows and edit locks, bythe exchange of newstatuses and the deriva-tion of multilingual PDFformats.

ProCosThe ProCoS ERP sector solution byBlauhut & Partner with its bidirectionalCAD/CAE interface is deeply integratedinto the EPLAN Platform for suppliers inplant engineering and specialist ma-chine design. Online access ensures up-to-date master data and stockinformation from the ERP database.Design and administrative departmentswork on a common database – with noredundancies. This ensures outstandingdata consistency.

EPLAN takes part in numeroustrade fairs around the world – welook forward to meeting you. For more information visitwww.eplan.de/events

Blauhut & Partner / C A E c o n s u l t i n g

CONTACT Software / D a t a S o l i d

D o c w a r e / D r. M a i e r C S SF.EE / GAIN Software / ILC / PMSCompelec / proALPHA / VESCON

Find out more about integration variety on our website:www.eplan.de/interfaces