There are many new technological advancements challenging the oil and gas sector, from new exploration and production methods for alternative power generation to the electrification of energy delivery. Cost containment, efficiency challenges, unfamiliar environments and safety risks are also affecting the financial side of the industry. EPLAN’s data-driven solutions ensure consistency across key applications during processing, planning, management and monitoring of Electrical & Instrumentation (E&I), resulting in time saved, reduced costs, and increased quality. EPLAN Software and Solutions provides unique value throughout the entire value chain of industrial manufacturing and process automation from end-use operators to component suppliers and every function and business entities in-between

Founded in 1984, EPLAN provides software and service solutions in the fields of electrical, automation and mechatronics engineering. EPLAN’s leading design software solutions is the ideal partner to streamline challenging engineering processes, both standardized as well as customized interfaces to ERP and PLM/PDM systems ensure data consistency along the whole value chain. Working with EPLAN means contiguous communication across all engineering disciplines. 

EPLAN provide a seamless, enterprise-wide workflow via interfaces to ERP and PDM systems and process automation expert systems. The bi-directional functionality between the ERP, PDM and EPLAN prevents miscommunication and unnecessary delays from manual processes. “Whether you are an owner or operator conducting maintenance, a general contractor/EPC responsible for FEED or basic engineering, a subcontractor/MAC undertaking E&I or detailed engineering, or a component vendor, the EPLAN platform provides a fit-for-purpose solution,” says Jeff Kilburn, Managing Director of EPLAN US. “The workflow for oil & gas benefits greatly from EPLAN’s interdisciplinary software – from electrical and fluid power engineering, process and instrumentation diagrams, interfaces to run-time software, field system cabling and 3D wire harnessing to electrical cabinet design and manufacturing.”

EPLAN’s Preplanning solution enables operations to install a process control strategy and accelerates creation of Process and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID). Standardizing P&ID development with EPLAN Preplanning vastly improves internal coordination, and makes it possible to obtain faster execution of P&ID layouts and in turn has added procurement benefits. “Because teams have an overview of the material requirements much sooner, they are able to shorten the turnaround time considerably,” adds Jeff.

In an instance, when the time came for Bürkert Fluid Control Systems—leading manufacturer of control and measuring systems for fluids and gases—to expand software licenses as part of the company’s effort to remain at the top of their game, they took the opportunity to re-evaluate its software and design needs. The company invested in EPLAN Electric P8, supported by EPLAN Fluid and EPLAN Data Portal, through realizing that EPLAN could help improve design efficiency, productivity and accuracy. Since adopting EPLAN, the company has been able to reduce project design time significantly and eliminate common editing errors, leading to faster turnaround times. Many tedious tasks, like device wiring and numbering, have also been automated, saving time and improving accuracy.

The EPLAN platform has been extended with the addition of EPLAN ePULSE, a tailored cloud service solution. This engineering system unifies data, projects, disciplines and engineers into one network. The ePULSE applications currently include eVIEW, eBUILD and the EPLAN Data Portal. EPLAN projects will be available to all project participants along the entire value chain via eVIEW. With EPLAN eBUILD, users will be able to create machine and plant documentation based on individual customer requirements easily. The EPLAN Data Portal is a web service that provides high-quality product catalogs from numerous component manufacturers to electrical design engineers. “In addition to alphanumeric parts data, this master data contains schematic macros, multi-language parts information, preview images, documents, etc. The data is directly integrated into the EPLAN platform during the download,” adds Jeff.

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