Three digital twins: Building and network manufacturing ecosystems

From the energy crisis to supply chain stress, the industry is under great pressure to change. How is the industry progressing while the transformation to smart production is taking place at the same time? And which contribution is control, switchgear and mechanical engineering making with consistent data from engineering through to plant operation? Rittal, EPLAN, CIDEON and German Edge Cloud will be discussing these questions with visitors to the SPS in Nuremberg, and showing how they use domain knowledge to promote solutions in the relevant ecosystems.

Herborn/Monheim/Gräfelfing/Limburg, 12 October 2022 – At the SPS in Nuremberg, Rittal, EPLAN, CIDEON and German Edge Cloud will be showing how to connect three ecosystems with their respective digital twins for smart production: Plants, products and production processes. “The data is generated in ecosystems that are often still incompletely networked even today. If it is possible to create a complete digital twin for each plant, product and production process and then, in turn, to connect them intelligently, this represents a quantum leap on the road to smart production,” says Markus Asch, CEO Rittal International and Rittal Software Systems. And he adds: “The SPS trade show is the ideal environment for dialogue with constructors of control and switchgear systems as well as mechanical engineers – and for answers to the question as to how data of the digital plant twin can also be used to generate added value during operation. There is a lot of potential to tap into here.” To this end, the companies of the Friedhelm Loh Group support their customers with domain knowledge and tangible solutions.

EPLAN and Rittal are working with control, switchgear and machine manufacturers to advance the development of the digital twin of machines and systems and make the data usable during operation. CIDEON, with its expertise in CAD/CAM, PDM/PLM and product configuration, increases data consistency around the digital product twin. German Edge Cloud uses information from system data for faster networking and to visualise processes as a digital manufacturing twin. IIoT-supported production management with the ONCITE Digital Production System then increases production efficiency and flexibility.

Digital from engineering to operations

One focal point at the joint booth 121 in Hall 3 is data consistency along the entire value chain of panel building and switchgear manufacturing – from engineering to supply and from manufacturing to the operational 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.

More speed for electrical engineering and supply

The new EPLAN Platform 2023 brings more speed to engineering: with its new graphics engine, it ensures even faster 3D planning. An international macro administration to support different standards further accelerates the process. EPLAN eStock complements the central article management in the cloud. EPLAN Harness proD now supports users with everything involving the cabling of machines. Rittal is speeding up the supply chain with configurators and rapidly deliverable system technology, which now also further integrates the compact AX series as a fully-fledged compact enclosure. Naturally enough, the presentation at the trade fair will also include product innovations from all areas of the Rittal system. Regardless of whether the application is in industry, energy or IT – the entire product range is available from stock.

New machines and software for the workshop

The WT C10 Wire Terminal is a highlight of the Rittal trade fair. With the new version of the fully automatic wire processing machine, wires can be processed ten times faster than by hand. The development offers many improvements, for example a modular approach to the supply and output of wires with a new wire magazine system and quickly exchangeable feed blocks. The Wire Terminal’s new software architecture ensures seamless integration into the workflow of the RiPanel Processing Center. An update of this job management software is also being exhibited at the trade fair. New features include improved change management and the integration of UNC threads for the US market.

EPLAN’s top innovation for the enclosure construction workshop is “Smart Mounting”. The new software now also visualises the mechanical and electrical components used in enclosure construction, while EPLAN Smart Wiring guides you through the cabling. Thanks to precise work instructions and 3D visualisations, expansion is easier and free of error; there is no need for any lengthy training of staff. Visitors can also gain further insights, process analysis and strategy advice at EPLAN and CIDEON's Booth No. 238 in Hall 6.

IIoT data for agile manufacturing management

The operational phase of the systems involves more than just maintenance benefits through system data in the ePocket digital wiring plan pocket, or 75 percent energy savings with new Blue e+ cooling units or smart services. German Edge Cloud shows how production efficiency and flexibility can be increased when data from industrial IoT applications are incorporated into the agile management of manufacturing processes. The ONCITE Digital Production System, recently rated as “best in class” by Pierre Audoin Consultants (PAC), combines formerly separate core features of digital production in a system with a flexible architecture: agile production management with MES and MOM functions, industrial IoT as a database and low-code development for simple application development. On top of this, edge computing meets all demands regarding sovereignty in data processing.

© Rittal GmbH & Co. KG