The EPLAN Platform, which offers a uniform three-dimensional project-planning environment for electrical, fluid, and electrical instruction and control projects, has been upgraded to version 2.6. It brings together production and engineering and is applicable for use in industries that include machinery, plant engineering, automotive, and information technology.
The platform can bring efficiency to the product development process because it standardizes procedures, automates sequences, and makes workflows consistent. The platform also allows ensures data consistency in the product development by allowing users to develop individual and standard interfaces for enterprise resource planning, product data management, and product lifecycle management applications.
Rittal, which makes the platform, is a provider of enclosures, power distribution, climate control, information technology infrastructure, and software and services.
The update, to version 2.6, includes productivity-enhancing features for terminal design and project data management, the representation of piping in fluid power engineering, and optimized IT integration.
The following individual software applications are included in the platform:
- Electric P8, used for planning, documenting, and administering electrical automation projects.
- Pro Panel, for 3D engineering and verification of control cabinets and switchgear, including access to device data.
- Fluid, for the configuration and documentation of fluid systems that include hydraulics, pneumatics, cooling, and lubrication systems.
- PPE, used to plan and configure process automation and measurement, control, and regulation systems.
- Harness ProD, a solution for the 3D and 2D design and documentation of cables and cable harnesses.
- Engineering Configuration, a mechatronic configuration solution for the sales and product management processes.
- EPLAN data portal, an integrated web-based data portal for access to up-to-date device data from leading component manufacturers.
The EPLAN planning platform for engineering projects, from Rittal, of Germany, has been updated to version 2.6.
When it comes to electrical design, the platform updates simplify and accelerate project tasks. Updates include the capability for engineers to depict used accessories when processing and managing terminal strips and to identify jumpers no matter if they’re automatically or manually defined. Users also can display the current terminal status as it’s represented in the navigator. Also, a new connection-oriented view highlights which terminal connections are still free and therefore available.
A new quick-input filter for project management makes it easier to process and manage projects and project data. Subprojects can be defined free from the projects themselves and saved individually.
The update also offers greater flexibility in naming projects. In project structure management, certain structures can be searched for and revised throughout the entire project, simplifying project oversight. The definition of sequencing pages for print or PDF outputs has also been enhanced.
EPLAN Fluid Professional, included in the platform, lets users represent and lay out piping and hydraulic hose lines directly in 3D. An export function transfers the pipe geometries to an external manufacturing software for pipe bending.
User management is easier: existing users can be imported into an IT infrastructure instead of creating a new user. EPLAN user rights management is also expanded with support for active directory. The use of SQL databases has also been made simpler: a selection list of available SQL databases is available from which to select the correct one.
