TODAY’S ecosystem of industrial automation is characterised by many media disruptions during the processing and transfer of documentation. It is essential to resolve these issues within the development process for machines and plant systems via targeted collaboration among all stakeholders and systems.
That’s according to Sebastian Seitz, CEO of Eplan, who said this is where the upcoming Eplan Platform 2022 comes in which will – in combination with the new Eplan eManage cloud service – network together machine builders and system integrators, control cabinet manufacturers, component manufacturers and the operators of machines or plant systems.
“We connect companies with their clients and suppliers via the cloud, for easy and secure data sharing. The Eplan Project as the central, digital model of an automation solution supplies all processes with the necessary data,” he said.
“What we’re talking about is a sort of ‘data container’ that is fed from the systems of the Eplan Platform. This generates added value in the digitised collaboration of all participants – through secure data transfer and central access to the Eplan Project.”
A new feature includes the connection to the cloud via Eplan ePulse, which also makes for easier mobile working in design and engineering. An important building block is device data, which is provided on the Eplan Data Portal.
“What matters here is the quality and depth of the data, something being intensively advanced with the Data Standard.”
Cross-project collaboration via the cloud Using the new Eplan eManage, projects can easily be uploaded to the cloud and managed and shared from there. More specifically, this brings together the worlds of on-premises software and the cloud.
Clear access rights via role management ensure data security and provide flexibility for accessing projects. Users of Eplan Electric P8 and Eplan Pro Panel can conveniently upload their projects to the cloud and transfer them to the Eplan Platform for further processing.
This, said Seitz, is accomplished without the time-consuming sending of project data via email or using an FTP server. And the centralised, clear availability in the cloud also enables all project participants to search quickly for specific content.
With Eplan eView, all the changes in a project are centrally available. “The advantages are obvious: project documentation is always up to date – along the entire product life cycle and into operation and service scenarios.”
An important component of this method of working is device data, which is provided on the Eplan Data Portal. “What matters here is the quality and depth of the data, something we are intensively advancing with the Data Standard.
“With these optimised processes and increased efficiency, companies can optimise their machine and plant system design processes and sustainably increase the availability of their machines and plant systems. Collaboration among all participants ultimately increases the quality of the data and thus the added value.”
