During the SPS IPC Drives 2015, Europe’s leading exhibition for electric automation (November 24-26 2015, Nuremberg, Germany), the Eplan Data Portal set a remarkable record. Over 100 manufacturers – many of them from the European, Asian and US-American markets – integrated their manufacturer data into the portal. In mid October, there were already 99 manufacturers with over half a million qualified device and product data entries listed in the portal – at the fair end of November there were around 110 manufacturers. The number of new members is also interesting: In 2015 alone, Eplan was able to gain 30 new manufacturers. One factor contributing to this extraordinary success is the new parts data wizard for manufacturers, among other things. Based on Excel technology, manufacturer data can now be made available more easily in the portal and at the push of a button. Manufacturers don’t need any special know-how-the technology can also distinguish between the commercial and graphics data within the listed allocations and collate it all together intuitively. Over ten manufacturers of clamps, cables, connectors and sensors have already experienced the simplicity of this new integration.

A Further 1.2m Device Data Entries per Configurator

But it does not end with the more than half a million integrated manufacturer data files: Those who use measuring instruments benefit from additional 1.2m variations in device data which can be configured in any specification. In addition to this, the measuring instrument manufacturer Endress+Hauser has already integrated existing web configurators into the Eplan Data Portal interface via web front-end. Based on the Eplan Engineering Configuration (EEC), which is online in the background, and in combination with the Data Portal, a plethora of potential variations can be configured online.

Global Expansion

New manufacturers within the field of measurement technology include Janitza with its digital panel meters, Ziehl with its measurement and monitoring systems and Flowserve, a US-American manufacturer of measuring instruments. Other new members from the USA are Mencom, Priority Wire & Cable and Comtran Cable – all successful cable manufacturers, Molex from the cable and connector field and Hubbell, also a US-American manufacturer of connectors. The Eplan Data Portal is therefore becoming the international hub of product data. The most significant new member from China is Chint – one of Asia’s largest manufacturers of automation technology. Noark, a subsidiary of Chint, has also made contactors and circuit breakers available in the portal. Liaoning Create Cable from China produces cables and Ningbo GOOSVN Electronic is a manufacturer of connectors and addresses the Asia-Pacific market. It goes without saying that European manufacturers have also joined – for example, ILME, an Italian manufacturer of electrical connectors, KEBA, an Austrian manufacturer of automation technology and Roxtec, a Swedish manufacturer of housing accessories and cable penetration. Kabelschlepp has employed energy chains and conveying systems, Hirschmann is involved with its ethernet switches and other manufacturers such as Citel, HBM, Klemsan, Lumberg, Promet and Sensopart complete the portal with their data.

Conclusion

Users benefit from high-quality product and device data, whose wide range offers international manufacturers an ideal, flexible platform for true “global engineering”. The data can be incorporated into the project 1:1 and guarantee users quick, efficient design while taking into account the current manufacturer data. The huge diversity of devices allows maximum freedom within engineering.

Rittal India Pvt Ltd - EPLAN Division, Bangalore. Tel: 080-33240700. Fax: 91-80-33240741. Email: info@eplan.in, info@rittal-india.com