Anyone who has ever worked in a manufacturing or industrial setting will have seen it, thick paper folders with equipment and system documentation sitting inside enclosures. For Rittal and EPLAN, such practices are no longer viable, seeing as the data can be used and stored more efficiently on a cloud based platform. With this in mind, together Rittal and EPLAN launched ePOCKET, the digital wiring plan pocket.
Across the globe, operators, planners, switchgear manufacturers and maintenance staff find it easier to work cohesively with this cloud based software. Use of Rittal ePOCKET allows for the availability of up-to-date data in real time, providing the digital enclosure data in the most efficient method possible.
“With Rittal ePOCKET, our customers take another step towards benefitting from high quality data, as applications in operations and servicing continue to grow.”
-Uwe Scharf, Managing Director – Business units and Marketing at Rittal
If all project data, such as certificates, wiring and maintenance plans for a machine or industrial plant, are available digitally, instead of as a hardcopy document, changes can be directly fed back into the project. This in turn keeps possible downtime to a minimum.
As we move into the digital age and away from hard copies of operating manuals and enclosure details, Rittal and EPLAN are looking to Rittal ePOCKET to help businesses in the industrial and manufacturing space to improve their environmental footprint and organisation of enclosure data. By transferring enclosure data onto the ePOCKET digital cloud platform, businesses can significantly reduce their paper consumption, as well as reducing carbon emissions.
Project access via the EPLAN Cloud
To ensure that all workflow functionality is available, every single member of the Rittal VX25, VX SE, AX and KX enclosure range, will have its own area within the EPLAN cloud platform. Access to the EPLAN cloud is per owner, each owner can access the equipment and system documentation including its digital twin, in the EPLAN cloud or via a QR code located on the enclosure. This feature is beneficial for those working in service or maintenance, as access to the EPLAN cloud means that they can instantly access circuit diagrams on either a smartphone or tablet, using the integrated EPLAN eView function. In the event of repairs or maintenance, this makes troubleshooting a quick and efficient process.
Companies benefit in several ways from the Rittal ePOCKET digital platform, these advantages been schematic creation, circuit diagrams, maintenance and a clear time saving advantage, as they no longer need to print out hundreds of pages of documentation. Storing enclosure documentation on the EPLAN cloud also significantly reduces the risk of an enclosure fire as paper will no longer be stored inside the enclosure.
Digital twin in operation
Using Rittal ePOCKET, EPLAN's digital twin is able to accompany the enclosure for the duration of its lifecycle, making a significant impact on its use and lifespan. With Rittal ePOCKET, you can ensure that the digital wiring plan pocket, the enclosure equipment and system documentation are all updated in real time.
Rittal ePOCKET and the EPLAN cloud platform are available on any type of device and are live even if the enclosure is placed in a remote location. With Uwe Scharf explaining that Rittal and EPLAN together are developing their operational portfolio as customer requirements change and evolve within the market, here at Rittal and EPLAN we see this as an opportunity to expand with our customer base and look to exceed industry needs and requirements.
Scharf continues by stating that the “Tracking features and information contained within the data are continuously improving and increasing, as a result of the technology been able to supply on demand data, from anywhere in the world." Operators, planners, maintenance professionals and switchgear manufactures remain in constant contact with each other during industrial and plant operations, due to the availability of data through Rittal ePOCKET.
For more information on Rittal ePOCKET - The Digital Wiring Plan Pocket talk to Rittal Ltd