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Efficiency in the Engineering Process

21 May 2021

The Interplay of Systems and Products

Time and cost pressures are important factors in switchgear manufacturing that drive the entire process, from planning to maintenance, and demand constant optimization of all work processes. Viewing process steps in isolation squanders potential efficiency gains. Making processes as efficient as possible requires an integrated approach to systems and products, taking all phases, from planning and engineering to implementation, testing and commissioning, into consideration.

The technical demands on the process of designing machines or buildings have long been high; due to greater networking of systems – as well as other developments we cannot necessarily foresee – these demands will only increase. While the requires on automation and switching elements of machines and systems themselves continue to increase, the demands for ever shorter delivery times, falling costs and the growing shortage of skilled labor are also creating challenges for mechanical engineering. Remaining competitive and cost-effective while these resources become scarcer requires sophisticated, efficient processes throughout the whole value chain. Manufacturers need to develop products and systems that are designed for the entire process chain.

The Key Information a Glance:

Efficiency in the engineering process saves time and money.
Data consistency: Product CAE data should be provided in the best possible form.
Bidirectional interaction: Manufacturers’ systems need to provide suitable interfaces to leading systems.
Terminal block marking: Exhaust the possibilities and save time on documentation.
Installation: Rail-mount terminal blocks should be especially easy to handle.

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The Core of the Process: Data Consistency

Switchgear design and engineering have incorporated digitization for quite some time – that’s nothing new. CAE systems, such as EPLAN or WSCAD, have become established for project planning of circuit diagrams and systems. “As a manufacturer, we need to be able to interface with these providers’ solutions,” says Frank Sellke, Business Development Manager at WAGO. “There are at least two dozen different manufacturers that are relevant for switchgear units, including drive technology. Now if I want to provide documentation for a switchgear unit, I also need all the data from these two dozen manufacturers in the correct form. In the end, all the components and devices need to have exactly as much space in reality as is specified for them virtually, after all. So we have to be sure to provide data for our products in the best possible form.”

The data provided for the products is not only useful for comprehensive project planning: If you have a good digital image of the control cabinet or distribution box you’re developing, you can use simulations – for example, you can do virtual testing in advance to determine how warm a system will get and whether additional air-conditioning is needed. That lets you identify potential stumbling blocks at the beginning of the process chain; eliminating them early on saves time and conserves resources throughout the value chain. “So every manufacturer needs to provide much more data on their products, in addition to size, color and weight, so these specialized tool elements for simulation can work cleanly and reliably too,” continues Sellke.

Bidirectional Interplay – Leading Systems and Manufacturer-Specific Tools

The interplay between manufacturers and system providers is not only based on maintaining and providing technical data for the products. Manufacturer-specific tools also need to be able to exchange their data automatically with leading systems for further process optimization. “The better this works bidirectionally, the more sense it makes,” says Sellke. One example: End plates for rail-mount terminal blocks are not electrically relevant at first, so standard tools don’t show them in the circuit diagram. However, they ensure that electricity conductive metal surfaces that people can come into contact with are safely covered – so they are still needed.

“Now you can do exactly that in the WAGO Smart Designer configurator. First you import the pre-defined terminal strip. The terminal blocks are then lined up one after the other on the DIN-rail and undergo a plausibility check,” says Sellke, explaining an important feature of the 3D online configurator. The program has interfaces to various CAE tools, allowing easy incorporation of existing electrotechnical design status information.