Our world of people, places and things is coming together in some interesting and challenging ways. For those in manufacturing, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is connecting people, places and things in ever more functional and innovative ways, and it is changing the fabric of how things get made.

SEE ALSO: 15 Resources to Improve Your Understanding of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

It is also starting to change expectations. Customers are going to be more demanding as they learn the cost savings and time efficiencies that can be delivered in a Smart Factory. Additionally, this connectivity will also enable a much greater degree of customization, and the capacity to support increasingly smaller batch sizes.

The goal of every company is ideal value creation. This relates to optimizing methods of production, and streamlining engineering and manufacturing processes. The focus is on continual improvement of the value chain along the complete production cycle in regards to costs and resource consumption. With IIoT in place, ideal value creation can be taken to a whole new level.

To achieve this goal, networks of technology partners are needed to drive forward development. Sustainable efficiency will come from the integration of software and hardware providers, as well as integration within the various IT infrastructures that exist in a company’s data field. Deep integration of technical design systems in the direction of ERP, PPC, PDM and automation is essential.

The Friedhelm Loh Group offers this type of network with their member companies - EPLAN, CIDEON, Rittal and Rittal Automation Systems (R.A.S). This integration streamlines the entire value chain with engineering solutions, interface expertise, product data models and control cabinet system technology, as well as machining technology for control and switchgear engineering.

Here are some examples of how this integration benefits design and manufacturing:

Product Development

With software from EPLAN and Rittal, along with the device data in EPLAN’s Data Portal, which makes available more than 600,000 parts from 150+ manufacturers, design engineers can quickly generate control and switchgear systems with complete accuracy.

Costing

CIDEON offers reliable commercial and production related costing data that allows for the efficient costing of all aspects of the design process.

Ordering

By allowing you to design the 3D prototype first, with the actual manufacturer items included in the design, procurement can easily order those items. Longer lead time parts can be ordered earlier in the project timeline, which can eliminate the downtime created when waiting for parts to arrive.

Panel Processing

Using EPLAN data for the virtual assembly, the Perforex machining center from R.A.S. can drill, mill and tap flat parts through a completely automated process.

Terminal Installation

Athex, R.A.S’ automatic assembly machine, installs the terminals in a cabinet onto top-hat rails. The Cutex cutting machine automatically cuts and labels the rails.

Wiring

EPLAN software determines the optimal wire and cable pathways in the virtual model and wiring diagrams. The Averex wiring center from R.A.S. handles cable preparation and wiring in less than a quarter of the time of manual preparation.

System Configuration

Once all the components have been processed and wired, the Rittal control cabinet is assembled into a system solution.

Testing and Documentation

R.A.S’ Panel Scout test control takes on the automated testing.

This new manufacturing environment demands new ways of doing business. One key way to meet the changing demands of the market is to optimize your processes via the efficient use of data. EPLAN has been an innovator in this area for over thirty years. Learn more about how EPLAN and the Friedheim Loh Group of companies can keep you ahead of the competition.