a digital approach to panel building · engineering process should generate project data that...

A Digital Approach to Panel BuildingMike Burke (Siemens) & Sean Mulherrin (EPLAN)

Manufacturing in America │ March 20-21, 2019

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Efficiency

Flexibility

Quality

Speed

Panel builders are facing immense challenges when competing in

today’s market

Shortage of skilled labor

Demand for faster delivery times

Revised standards & directives

Increased price & cost

pressure

Inefficient workflows &

quality issues

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30%Percentage of U.S. Panel Builders that are expected to go out of business in the

next five years due to low margins & obsolete manufacturing processes*.

*Based on a study by EPLAN USA

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How can panel builders optimize their panel

building and overcome these challenges?

A digital approach to panel building

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EPLAN benchmarked 150 panel builders across the world (50 in the

U.S) to better understand manufacturing processes

Basis TS8 70“ / 31“ / 15“

Specifications Average Time (min)

Holes (door) 10

Cut-outs (door) 4

Mounting/DIN rails 10

Wire ducts (sections) 20

Holes/Threads backpanel 100

Devices 90

Wiring connections 500

Labeling (devices) 200

Terminals 130

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The benchmark found that automating panel building processes can

significantly reduce manufacturing times

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Where can panel builders optimize their manufacturing processes?

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EPLAN PAM Assessment

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Optimization in panel building starts with an

efficient digital engineering process

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What is needed in the digital engineering process?

Driven by data

Engineering process should generate project data that creates a complete digital

representation of the control panel – the digital twin

Efficient engineering practices

Increasing amounts of data in the engineering process requires processes that allow

efficient exchange and management of information

Linked into the manufacturing process

The digital twin of the control panel needs to link into the manufacturing process so

that manufacturing efficiency can be optimized

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Automation

components

Electrical

components

Integration of engineering steps allows for the seamless and error-free

flow of data in the engineering process

TIA Portal

Automation

components

Programming

Parameter

assignment

TIA Selection

Tool

EPLAN

Control panel

components

Circuit

diagram

Control cabinet

design

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TIA Selection Tool - The configurator for the complete Siemens

portfolio

A single tool for the complete

Siemens portfolio

Save time with intelligent

selection wizards

Quick start

– create the correct

configuration

Interface with other tools (e.g.

EPLAN, TIA Portal, CAx

Download Manager)

Work flexibly,

how and where you want to

Efficiently engineer and

create your complete project

configuration

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The Engineering Process

High

Quality

Documentation

ERPPDM

PLMPLC

AMT

Fluid power

engineeringElectrical

engineering

Panel

Engineering in 3D

Concept for

Machines &

Systems

Concept Basic Eng. Mechanical Control Production ComissionBuild

2D/3D

Harness

Engineering

Wires / Cables

Nailboards

Labels

Drilling

Copper bending

Manufacturer Device Data

SERVICE

& MAIN-

TENANCE

XMLXLS

TXT

+

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EPLAN Data Portal provides component data integrated into the

engineering platform

Feature Benefit

• Integrated into the EPLAN

platform

• Assign components directly to

engineering schematics and

layouts

• Intelligent product data

• Commercial and technical data

can be used in documentation

and manufacturing

• Over 890,000 data sets

• Provide intelligent product data to

your entire design

• Over 250 manufacturers

• Select products from multiple

manufacturers

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Siemens has over 30,000 parts available (and growing) in the EPLAN

data portal

EPLAN Data Portal

• Product commercial data

• Functional template

• 2D graphical data

• 3D graphical data

• Connection patterns

• Drilling patterns

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How does the engineering process link back

to manufacturing?

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Engineering process drives optimization in panel building

Control Panel Manufacturing• Material Kitting

• Mechanical Installation

• Enclosure Modification

• Terminal Strip Assembly

• Installing Devices

• Labeling Devices

Electrical Engineering & Design• Component sizing

• Circuit diagram design

• Component/material selection

• Panel layout

• Data management & documentation

→ Complete electrical design and documentation

• Wire Fabrication

• Wiring

• Testing

• Logistics

→ Complete control panel

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Engineering and design process links into the control panel

manufacturing

Material Kitting

BOMs with full product data for ordering and kitting30 min.

Mounting Panel & Door Modifications

Mounting location data for drilling templates or cutting machines250 min.

Terminal Strip Assembly

Device configuration data to order or create assembled devices

Device Labeling

Auto generated label sheets eliminates label creation from schematics

Wire Fabrication

Wiring routing information used to cut label to the exact length

130 min.

200 min.

800 min.

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Pioneering automation technologies

Rittal Perforex BC

▪ Time savings compared with manual mech.

Processing approx. 7h 40mins. for one-off products

▪ > 100 control cabinets per year / RoI approx. 3 years

Manual Automated

Manual Automated

Manual Automated

30 min8h 10min

30 min11h 25min

75min 30 min

Mechanical processing

Rittal Perforex LC

▪ Time savings compared with manual mech.

processing approx. 11h 40mins. for one-off products /

stainless steel

▪ > 250 control cabinets per year / RoI approx. 2 years

Secarex

▪ Cutting optimisation for multiple projects

▪ Time savings compared with manual mech.

processing approx. 75 min. by transferring data from

EPLAN Pro Panel (approx. 60 min. for manual data

creation)

▪ > 130 control cabinets per year / RoI approx. 3 years

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Pioneering automation technologies

Athex TC 80 CS

▪ Time savings for one terminal strip:

9.65 mins. = 0.16 h

▪ > 790,000 terminals per year / RoI approx.

4 years

Equipment

Manual Automated

1 min10 mins

Wire Terminal WT 24/36

Time savings for wire fabrication: 500 wires

aprrox. 800 mins.

▪ RoI = approx. 2.5 years

Wire fabrication

Manual Automated

12 Hours30 hours

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Pioneering automation technologies

Crimp machine L8 and R8

▪ Time savings for wiring approx. 4.5

secs.*1,000 crimpings = 4,500 secs. =

1.25h

▪ 90,000 crimpings is therefore approx. 80-

90 cabinets per year / RoI = approx. 2.5

years

Wire fabrication

Manual Automated

1.5 secs5-6 points

Copper bending CW 120-M

▪ High bending and punching accuracy

▪ Simple tool change

▪ Flexible use in the workshop

Copper bending

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How can Siemens and EPLAN support you?

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Siemens provides panel builders with free resources and support for

optimizing control panels

Feature Benefit

• Free resources on panel building

design standards

• Stay up to date on new

standards and get support for

international standards

• Tips for better controls panels

• Be more efficient in your control

panel engineering

• Access to free software tools

• Engineer and manage your data

more efficiently

• Free consulting and training

Controlpanelquestions.us@siem

ens.com

• Get help on standards, design,

engineering and more for your

upcoming projects

usa.siemens.com/controlpanels

Download the White Paper on Engineering

Optimization for Panel Building

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See how you can optimize your panel building operations with a PAM

assessment from EPLAN

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Optimized panel building is possible with Siemens & EPLAN

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Questions?

Mike Burke

Control Panel Consultant

E-mail: burke.michael@siemens.com

Sean-Patrick Mulherrin

Product Manager EPLAN Electric P8

E-mail: mulherrin.s@eplanusa.com