New Rittal data in the EPLAN Data Portal

High-quality data for engineering

Nowadays, practically nothing is possible in machine, control and switchgear construction without product data because data is the raw material of value creation. To that end, high-quality data are required to ensure the efficiency of continuous processes, ranging from virtual product development, cost calculation and purchasing through to production. Now, Rittal has optimised both the quality and the extent of the enclosure system data pool it provides. Starting from SPS IPC Drives 2014, users of the EPLAN Data Portal can access 2,600 new and updated data records of Rittal standard articles. In addition, Rittal has now made available almost 100 percent of its enclosure data in the RiCAD 3D data library. Herborn/Nuremberg, 25 November 2014 – “Rittal is pursuing the provision of technical product data at high speed to allow machine, control system and switchgear system manufacturers efficient value creation processes,” explained Dr. Thomas Steffen, Vice President Research and Quality Management at Rittal. “The quality of data is vital to ensure engineering processes work efficiently,” Dr Steffen points out. This is due to the fact that the more data are available for a given article, the more efficient engineering can be, ensuring that these data can also be used at production stage later on or for commercial processes. Designers and planners can now find clear support for electric engineering in the form of over 2,600 additional and updated data sets on standard products and assembly articles from Rittal in the EPLAN Data Portal. The range of data extends from enclosure, climate control and power distribution technology to IT infrastructure and system accessories. Article data in the EPLAN Data Portal contain up to 200 features, such as commercial data, logistics, 2D and 3D graphics macros, wiring plan macros and manufacturing information. The EPLAN Data Portal now boasts a total of 480,000 data models from renowned equipment manufacturers, and innovative functions such as the integrated 3D viewer allow users to quickly sift and evaluate components. To make data in the EPLAN Data Portal available to EPLAN users, the RiCAD models from Rittal's component library have been given numerous EPLAN functionalities and enriched with a great deal of technical information. These include complex rule sets for accessory assignments and accessory placement methods. RiCAD data models with the relevant geometric information are one of Rittal's most important contributions to the EPLAN Data Portal. These data are made available to CAx users in more than 80 data formats, both in 2D and 3D, as free downloads from the “partcommunity” platform. The RiCAD data includes up to three levels of detail, corresponding metadata for the article description, eCl@ss classifications and, where appropriate, drilling patterns, links to product sites on the Rittal Intranet, as well as to configurators and selectors. Right now, MCAD users can access 97% of all RiCAD data (“partcommunity”) from Rittal’s modular enclosure system. That means nearly 4,000 articles across every product group. Thus, for SPS IPC Drives, 100% of all the data on enclosure, climate control and power distribution technology is available, as well as 95% of all data on the IT infrastructure and 90% on the range of accessories. At the Hanover Fair 2015, almost all the RiCAD data on Rittal standard articles, as well as additional construction assembly articles will be available online for the EPLAN Data Portal and hence to EPLAN users. Rittal GmbH & Co. KG, November 2014