Herborn/Monheim/Gräfelfing/Limburg, 19 October 2023 – Economic activity never takes place in a vacuum. The industry, in particular, has constantly been exposed to global change and crises, and is thus always under great pressure to change. Nevertheless, how should companies prepare themselves for current and future situations? How can the step from crisis management to the long-term transformation in digitisation and energy transition, along with a shortage of skilled workers be mastered and regarded as an opportunity for the industry? At the SPS in Nuremberg, Rittal, Eplan, Cideon, and German Edge Cloud (GEC) aim to discuss all these topics with attendees and show options for panel building, switchgear and machinery based on their respective competencies.
Factory of the future: Digital twins for smart production and power management
Smart production – economic production with highly automated and efficient processes – is required. At the same time, this must be managed in an energy-efficient way, and with flexible solutions that can be adapted to individual customer needs. And all this against the backdrop of a shortage of skilled workers. “Nowadays, innovation means making the customer’s overall performance more efficient and successful,” says Markus Asch, CEO of Rittal International and Rittal Software Systems: “If we no longer think only in terms of products and solutions, but also in terms of process optimisation, we can only do so by cleverly combining both hardware and software.”
As enablers of smart production, the four companies will be demonstrating at the trade fair how it will be possible to connect the ecosystems of automation, products and production via one respective digital twin. This will make smart production processes more transparent and efficient. In addition, the energy flows also become transparent – a critical success factor for industrial companies both now and in the future. Therefore, energy transition acts as an accelerator for fundamental changes in the industry.
Visitors to the trade show will be able to observe practical implementation not only based on Rittal’s own Smart Factory as an example, but also in the form of an Intrafactory track & trace software application in the Smart Press Shop in the city of Halle an der Saale. This joint venture between Porsche and Schuler uses the Schuler Digital Suite with track & trace. It is based on the Catena-X certified ONCITE DPS. This provides the basis for using data in the future for internal factory processes and quality optimisation through the Catena-X “Cofinity-X” operator platform. Correlation analyses on the painting and final assembly lines can further minimise scrap.
Streamline the value chain
How can control systems and infrastructure be created more quickly? Here, the trade fair booth will focus on data consistency across the entire value chain – from electrical design and planning through system technology supply and panel building to the digital operations phase of the systems. Panel builders and switchgear manufacturers save time and money in their value-added process with solutions from Eplan and Rittal. As a guarantee of seamless system data for maintenance, smart service and system connectivity, they will also become sought-after digital partners for system operators.
Adding value across the boundaries of the exhibition booth
Rittal and Eplan will demonstrate practical implementation across company boundaries with a new type of robot for control wiring, and linked exhibits to neighbouring stands. A fully automatic Rittal Wire Terminal WT C machine at the booth assembles the wires live and sends them to remote workstations by compressed air using the prototype of a wire handling system. A robot prototype from Rittal Automation Systems then wires control components there fully automatically. The ‘wire post’ also crosses the borders to the neighbouring stands of partner companies, where the wires are further processed at Rittal workstations, digitally assisted by Eplan Smart Wiring. The basis is the data consistency in Eplan’s industrial automation ecosystem and the high data quality of the components from the component manufacturers in the Eplan Data Portal.
The mechatronic parts list is becoming a reality
Data consistency is also the key to the new eCAD connection (Eplan) to Cideon Conify. Mechanical engineers can automatically generate design data and parts lists using a product configurator. The parts list can be output mechatronically and in sync with mechanics and electrical engineering. And, using EEC, circuit diagrams and electrical documentation can also be generated with a mouse click. At the SPS, Eplan will also show machine cabling via digital twin using Eplan Harness proD and the innovations of the Eplan Platform 2024 with its electrical, fluid, measurement and control technology and enclosure construction systems.
Accelerating the expansion of the energy infrastructure
Process streamlining is also set to advance the energy transition and the industry, which is facing intense pressure. The expansion of this infrastructure must pick up speed to meet industry requirements: “Modularisation, standardisation and data consistency are our driving principles,” explains Markus Asch: “We need to harness the potential that lies in optimising and industrialising process chains. End-to-end hardware and software solutions are speeding up the expansion of the infrastructure, from energy generation and storage to grid expansion and sector coupling to transformer stations and electric vehicle charging parks. The efficiency gain reduces costs, while the data, as the automation twin, opens up further possibilities for use in operation.”
To the exhibitor profileRittal
Rittal is a leading global supplier of enclosure systems, automation and infrastructure to the industrial, IT, energy and power, cooling and service sectors. Rittal products and solutions are used in over 90% of global industries – standardised, customised, and always of the very best quality.
Our approach and methodology: Rittal, Rittal Software Systems (Eplan, Cideon and German Edge Cloud) and Rittal Automation Systems (RAS, Ehrt, Alfra) combine their hardware and software expertise to streamline, optimise and digitalise processes across the entire value chain for our customers including their IT infrastructure – from control and switchgear construction, machine building to factory operators or the energy sector.
Our promise: Rittal standard products are delivered within 24 hours in Germany, and within 48 hours worldwide.
Fully focused on our customers
Improving efficiency and increasing productivity through automation and digitalisation is one of the biggest challenges for our customers. This requires in-depth knowledge and expertise, the combination of hardware and software, and cross-sector networking. We are convinced that creating and connecting data hubs is crucial to the success of industrial transformation. And that is exactly our speciality and field of competence.
Eplan and Rittal are driving the development of the digital twins of equipment and systems and are making the data more accessible and operationally useable. Cideon is improving digital continuity and data consistency in relation to digital product twin context with its CAD/CAM, PDM/PLM and product configuration expertise. German Edge Cloud’s ONCITE Digital Production System (DPS) makes the data from the manufacturing processes transparent and thus optimisable – right up to energy management via the digital production twin.
Sustainability
Environmental and climate protection, social commitment and ethical corporate management are a given for Rittal. We take our responsibility for a sustainable future seriously. Our approach to resource management and conservation involves continuous improvement of our production processes and ensuring that our products and solutions have the lowest possible Product Carbon Footprint. This supports our customers in achieving their climate targets.
Family business and global player
Founded in 1961, Rittal is the largest company in the owner-operated Friedhelm Loh Group. The group operates worldwide, with 12 production sites and 95 international subsidiaries. It had more than 12,000 employees and posted revenues of 3 billion euros in fiscal 2022. In 2023, the Friedhelm Loh Group was named “Best Place to Learn” and “Employer of the Future”. Rittal was awarded the Top 100 Seal as one of Germany’s most innovative medium-sized companies.
For more information, visit www.rittal.com and www.friedhelm-loh-group.de.
EPLAN
EPLAN provides software and service solutions in the fields of electrical, automation and mechatronic engineering. The company develops one of the world’s leading design software solutions for machine and panel builders. EPLAN is also the ideal partner to streamline challenging engineering processes.
Both standardised as well as customised interfaces to ERP and PLM/PDM systems ensure data consistency along the whole value chain. Working with EPLAN means boundless communication across all engineering disciplines. No matter whether small or large enterprises: Customers can apply their expertise more efficiently. Worldwide, EPLAN supports more than 65,000 customers. EPLAN wants to grow further with customers and partners and pushes integration and automation in engineering forward. Within the EPLAN Partner Network, open interfaces and seamless integrations are realised together with partners. „Efficient engineering“ is the focus.
EPLAN was founded in 1984 and is part of the owner-operated Friedhelm Loh Group. The Friedhelm Loh Group operates worldwide with more than 12 production sites and over 95 international subsidiaries. The entire group employs more than 12.000 people and generated revenues of €3 billion in 2022. For the 14th time in succession, the family business has won the accolade “Top German Employer” in 2022. In addition, Friedhelm Loh Group was recognized as “Top vocational trainer” according to a study of Deutschland Test and Focus Money.
CIDEON
CIDEON advises and supports companies in optimizing their product development processes – from the initial concept through to engineering, production and services.
CIDEON is a system integrator and process consultant and thereby knows and understands the challenges faced by companies in digital transformation. CIDEON's innovative solutions ensure continuous data flow along process chains making data accessible and cost-effective throughout the company. In this way, CIDEON's customers can fully exploit the potential of digitalization to benefit themselves and their clients.
CIDEON uses the latest CAD/CAM and PDM/PLM software solutions as well as self-developed inhouse software. CIDEON is an Autodesk Platinum Partner for German speaking locations, an SAP Platinum Build Partner as well as a software partner to Dassault Systèmes and PROCAD.
CIDEON employs more than 300 staff at 14 locations in Germany and Austria and is part of the Friedhelm Loh Group. The family business operates successfully worldwide with more than 12 production facilities and over 95 subsidiaries. The Group includes companies such as Rittal, Eplan, Stahlo and LKH.
Further information can be found at www.cideon.com and www.friedhelm-loh-group.com
German Edge Cloud
German Edge Cloud (GEC), a member of the Friedhelm Loh Group, specialises in innovative edge and cloud computing. GEC solutions enable the rapid, simple and secure availability of data in connected environments. They support process optimisation, for instance in manufacturing, by empowering analytics, and guaranteeing customers complete control over their data when using public or private clouds.
GEC is a developer and service integrator for turnkey solutions, offering both its own and sector-specific systems. The company already deploys its solutions at the Industry 4.0 factory of sister company Rittal in Haiger.
GEC integrates and operates hybrid private edge cloud infrastructures from Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to Platform as a Service (PaaS) and industry-specific applications in the Software as a Service (SaaS) model. It is a co-founder of GAIA-X and a member of the Catena-X automotive initiative.
GEC is a member of the owner-operated Friedhelm Loh Group. It has more than 12,000 employees and posted revenues of € 3 billion in fiscal 2022. In 2023, Rittal was awarded the Top 100 Seal as one of Germany’s most innovative medium-sized companies for the second time running.
More information: www.gec.io and www.friedhelm-loh-group.com
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