Eplan L!VE: Insights into Engineering & Manufacturing at Eaton

How can processes in engineering and switchgear system manufacturing be designed to be highly efficient? How can manufacturing be further automated? These are questions that Eaton in Hengelo asked itself years ago. The Dutch facility saw the benefits of a data-driven approach and converted its entire engineering methodology, including its processes, to work with Eplan. Eplan L!VE, now in its third round as an online format, will provide fascinating insights into this. Under the motto of “Forward Thinking from Design to Manufacture” will be streaming directly from Eaton’s production facility. Attendees from around the world are invited to this online event to discover new manufacturing approaches that generate greater profitability in engineering and manufacturing. By the way, these approaches are in no way restricted to just larger corporations, but are also tailored for SMEs. Eaton took a “one step at a time” approach and, depending on the task at hand, it can all be implemented at smaller control and switchgear system manufacturers.

An in-depth look into engineering and manufacturing

Well over 1,500 attendees from around the globe will be tuned in online when the Eaton specialists will be showing how the in-house control and switchgear system design and manufacturing has been optimised for a high degree of automation and efficiency. The Eplan solutions used here play a decisive role – ensuring that a standardised foundation of data based on the digital twin is available from first designs all the way through to manufacturing. And if that weren’t enough, Eaton also uses Eplan Engineering Configuration (EEC) to automatically generate schematics, bills of materials, terminal diagrams and cabling lists – based on a new design methodology using functional engineering. Whereas the effort previously involved in updating documents linked to the schematics, including bills of materials, terminal diagrams and wiring lists, was immense, now these are all automatically kept up to date with Eplan. This is possible because everything goes back to a centralised source of data. The company’s deep integration of manufacturing into this process is also bearing fruit – using Eplan Pro Panel, control cabinet layouts are designed in 3d, completely digitally, and the data provided is used for automatic cable routing. The Wire Terminal WT from Rittal Automation Systems can produce up to 1,000 wires per day, all fully automatically. The processing of copper rails can also be simplified with machines from Rittal Automation Systems. All the processes for wiring and manufacturing are designed to be extremely efficient and overall processes benefits from greater consistency based on the data from Eplan.

Sneak preview and strategy

These in-depth insights into Eaton’s design and manufacturing processes will be rounded off with a sneak preview of the upcoming Eplan Platform 2026. As just one example, on 14 May attendees with get a first look at how the different views in Eplan Pro Panel accelerate 3D navigation. Also of interest is the direct access to device data in the Data Portal from Eplan Electric P8 in the future. Last but not least, the new single-line technology in Eplan Preplanning is interesting for users who want to logically link symbols and components in the preplanning phase. Online event attendees can also expect a glimpse into the future of engineering: Eplan CEO Sebastian Seitz will be presenting Eplan’s future strategy and some highlights on future topics – including use cases on the topic of artificial intelligence.

Background

Eaton as the global intelligent power management company, has been a technology partner in the Eplan Partner Network since 2023 and specialises in the development, production and sales of power distribution systems, LV and MV switchgear systems and control devices at its facilities in Hengelo in the Netherlands. Eaton additionally provides a large number of its energy systems and components via directly integrated selectors in the Eplan Data Portal. The manufacturer also uses Eplan solutions for its in-house control system and switchgear system design and construction. Machines from Rittal Automation Systems simplify the company’s manufacturing processes – including the Rittal Wire Terminal WT and machines for processing copper rails.

Click here for free registration for the event, including the invitation video:

www.eplan-software.com/live