In times of tight deadlines, rising costs, and an acute shortage of skilled workers, enclosure manufacturers are looking for solutions that deliver real efficiency gains. An independent study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics now shows that with the right system architecture, assembly times can be drastically reduced – while at the same time achieving higher quality and flexibility. The results surprise even experienced industry professionals.
"It's crazy how fast the market is changing right now," says Marcel Birkenberger, production manager at gefeba Elektro GmbH in Gladbeck. The 46-year-old knows the industry from 30 years of professional experience – and is facing enormous challenges: rapidly increasing deadline and cost pressure, growing technical requirements, and the ever-increasing relevance of digital data quality. "A strong customer focus has driven our family business forward since its inception. If we want to keep it that way, we need to keep a keen eye out for innovations that will enable us to offer the increasingly sought-after customized solutions with short delivery times."
The change is affecting the entire industry
Birkenberger's situation is not unique. Enclosure manufacturers across the industry are facing similar problems: the installation of power distribution technology ties up valuable human resources, planning is complex, and there is a shortage of qualified specialists everywhere. Even the 60 mm busbar technology established since the early 2000s is increasingly reaching its limits in practice: complex design planning, loss of space during installation, manual cutting of protective covers – work steps that require time and expertise.
This realization prompted Marcel Birkenberger and his team to participate in a scientific study commissioned by Rittal. Under the independent leadership of the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics, the study investigated how modern system architectures affect assembly speed. The results exceeded even the expectations of the clients.
A quantum leap in technology
"We were amazed that such a quantum leap was still possible in busbar technology," reports the enclosure specialist. "We laid all the components out on a table and simply tried them out. It quickly became clear how easy everything works."
The new RiLineX busbar system platform is based on a tool-free "click & work" principle. Three base element lengths (54, 100, and 200 millimeters) with integrated insulation on the rear can be intuitively assembled by hand. The system specifies exactly how components are to be installed, virtually eliminating assembly errors.
Birkenberger sees this as a clear design advantage: "The system can only be assembled in one way and specifies exactly how devices must be hooked in." Unlike conventional systems, time-consuming steps such as manually cutting the floor tray and contact protection are completely eliminated. The individual design of brackets for short-circuit resistance is also a thing of the past.
Scientifically validated: up to 80 percent time savings
For the Fraunhofer study, various assembly scenarios were meticulously compared: purely manual and machine-assisted assembly with a CNC milling machine, prefabricated complete boards, and individual assembly of modular components. "For the study, we deliberately identified work steps that are necessary in almost all of our projects," explains Marcel Birkenberger. "In this respect, what we have done here is not just theory, but actually reflects the everyday work of many enclosure manufacturers."
Volker Schmidt, Head of Product Management RiLineX at Rittal, adds: "To ensure the relevance of the study, it was important for us to select a company with fully qualified professionals who have extensive experience in the efficient use of the old systems. gefeba was the perfect fit."
The results are clear and even significantly exceeded Rittal's estimates:
Prefabricated complete boards:
- 75 percent time savings for manual assembly
- 80 percent time savings with CNC-assisted assembly
Modular boards:
- 60 percent time savings with manual assembly
- 55 percent time savings with machine-assisted assembly
This is mainly because with RiLineX, the busbars are securely and completely integrated into the board. With complete boards, busbars and contact protection no longer need to be cut to size – the finished boards are simply unpacked and screwed together.
Dramatic advantage in series connection
The speed advantage is particularly impressive when connecting additional enclosures. Using conventional technology, the experts at gefeba needed more than 21 minutes to connect two separate busbar systems retrospectively – with RiLineX, it took less than three and a half minutes.
"For us, this is one of the decisive added values," says Marcel Birkenberger, assessing the time advantage gained. "When it comes to expanding power distribution in a manufacturing company, for example, we have less work to do. And, more importantly, our customer's production has to be shut down for significantly less time. Depending on the manufacturing environment, the cost savings for the factory operator due to shorter production interruptions are immense."
There were also considerable advantages in terms of device installation. The study measured the installation of connection adapters with and without feed-through, fuse disconnectors, circuit breakers, and device adapters. In the case of device adapters, for example, a time saving of 85 percent was recorded.
"Practically half a work shift per enclosure"
"It's more than amazing that so much time can be saved just by using the right busbar system," summarizes Marcel Birkenberger. "If I convert the percentages into working time, that means I can save practically half a work shift per enclosure. So the efficiency gain is enormous."
For enclosure manufacturers, this means more orders in the same amount of time, shorter project durations, lower personnel costs, and additional capacity for value-adding activities. The investment pays for itself after just a few projects thanks to the dramatic time savings.
The answer to the shortage of skilled workers
For Birkenberger, another aspect is at least as important as the time savings: "We can now even let semi-skilled personnel work with it. Given the shortage of skilled workers, this is of course a considerable advantage."
The intuitive "click & work" design makes it possible to deploy even less experienced employees quickly and safely. Assembly errors are virtually eliminated thanks to the clear design. It also makes work more enjoyable for trainees when they can achieve results quickly and easily. "Keeping young people motivated in the long term is a much greater challenge for employers today than it was just a few years ago," says Birkenberger.
Safety and flexibility without compromise
Despite the speed, safety remains at the highest level. RiLineX offers finger-safe touch protection in accordance with IP 2XB as standard, upgradeable to IP 3X. The system is tested in accordance with international standards and is short-circuit-proof up to 65 kA. It is suitable for AC applications up to 1000 V and DC applications up to 1500 V – ensuring safe working even under voltage.
The board can be mounted both horizontally and vertically, making it ideal for a wide range of applications. The cloud-based RiPower planning software supports you with sequential, traceable steps throughout the entire planning process. Alternatively, pre-assembled direct boards are available in the standard enclosure widths of 600, 800, 1000, and 1200 millimeters.
Open platform for maximum design freedom
RiLineX is manufacturer-neutral, license-free, and designed to be system-open. The platform is compatible with all common technologies and enables the integration of a wide variety of components from numerous technology partners. The availability of all technical data eliminates the need for special product knowledge—another advantage when personnel resources are scarce.
The system relies on flat copper bars that are freely available worldwide, with no special copper bars required. Thanks to its backward compatibility, RiLineX can be easily integrated into existing systems. Even smaller busbar formats of 15 x 5 millimeters can be used thanks to automatic width adjustment and integrated busbar thickness compensation.
With approvals according to IEC 61439 and UL 508, the system is qualified for international use – from Europe to North America to Asia.
A win-win situation for enclosure manufacturers and their customers
"The study has shown quite clearly that RiLineX is one of those innovations that allows us to respond effectively to changing market requirements," summarizes Marcel Birkenberger. "We ourselves are becoming more efficient, and our customers are getting a very easy-to-use and flexibly expandable solution. So it's a win-win situation."
For end customers, the new technology means shorter downtimes for expansions, faster commissioning, and a future-proof system that keeps pace with growing requirements. The drastically reduced assembly time minimizes production downtime and thus significantly reduces overall costs.
The system also stands out visually: "I really like the fact that the boards come in an unusually bright color," says Birkenberger. "You can see from a distance that the latest technology is installed here!"
Outlook: Innovation as a competitive advantage
The results of the Fraunhofer study impressively demonstrate that with the right system architecture, the most pressing challenges in enclosure construction can be mastered. The scientifically validated time savings of up to 80 percent represent a measurable competitive advantage for enclosure manufacturers in an increasingly competitive market.
The intuitive design enables productive use even by semi-skilled employees – a response to the shortage of skilled workers. The open platform architecture guarantees investment security and maximum design freedom for future projects. And the drastic reduction in assembly times frees up capacity for additional orders and value-adding activities.
For Marcel Birkenberger, one thing is certain: "With innovations like this, we will be able to continue offering our customers tailor-made solutions with short delivery times in the future – and thus remain competitive."
Experience RiLineX live at SPS 2025
Visit Rittal at SPS from November 25 to 27, 2025, in Nuremberg and see the advantages of the new power distribution platform for yourself. Experts will demonstrate tool-free assembly, show the results of the Fraunhofer study in detail, and answer your individual questions.
About Rittal
Rittal is a leading global system provider for hardware, software, and automation. Solutions for industry, IT, energy, power, and cooling are used in over 90 percent of industries worldwide. Rittal, Rittal Software Systems (Eplan, Cideon), and Rittal Automation Systems (RAS, Ehrt, Alfra) optimize and digitize processes along the entire value chain for customers, including IT infrastructure – from enclosure manufacturing to mechanical engineering, factory operators, and the energy sector.
The group is a pioneer in AI-driven industrial automation, driving AI in industrial software and enabling the necessary IT infrastructures.
