Various wires connected to machinery
Electrical Engineering
The Centerpiece of EPLAN Engineering

Electrical Engineering

The Centerpiece of EPLAN Engineering

Electrical engineering design is a complex field, particularly as several people are often working in various disciplines on the same project. Electrical engineering data must also be usable for other departments such as order processing and manufacturing. At the same time, electrical engineering is always under time constraints, tight delivery deadlines and budget pressures. EPLAN offers you an integrated electrical engineering design software solution from a single source for efficiencies across processes.

Basics

Overview: Electrical Engineering’s Tasks and Challenges

Electrical engineers are faced with a variety of tasks and challenges that must be mastered every day. EPLAN computer aided design software and solutions are always available to support you.

Challenges in electrical engineering

Challenges for Electrical Engineering

Hundreds to thousands of components must be described and designed, numbered and connected to one another with cables and wires. The cable and wires, in turn, must be laid out with cross-sections and lengths and be assigned colors and identifying markers. Schematics are documented across thousands of pages. To keep track of everything, navigation within the diagrams is ensured by creating cross-references. A digital prototype can be used to support manufacturing control cabinets. Ultimately, the system’s functionality must comply with the specifications and be transportable.

Tasks in electrical engineering

Tasks for Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering encompasses a broad range of engineering tasks. They include designing power supplies for actuators, sensors and control technology, as well as developing control systems for machines and plant systems. In addition, protective systems against overvoltage and overloads must be developed and the systems need to be earthed. Another important area of activity is creating a variety of documentation, especially schematics to record the connection of the various electrical components. Creating the manufacturing documentation for building the control cabinets that hold the components is yet another daily task. Together all of this supports users; from commissioning and startup to tasks in service and maintenance.

Codes and Standards

Bringing Order to Your Engineering

There must be order, even in engineering. By using EPLAN software and solutions, your work conforms to international codes, standards and guidelines.

Codes of electrical engineering

Codes in Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering must orient itself with numerous codes that may vary depending on the place of final delivery. For instance, the IEC 81346 standard applies worldwide for the structuring and labeling of devices. It must be possible to identify all components according to this standard throughout the electrical engineering documentation. This code supports product structuring and can thereby increase the efficiency of engineering processes. Furthermore, the IEC 61355 standard regulates the type of documentation. Additional country-specific standards that apply to electrical engineering documentation include GOST for Russia, GB for China and NFPA in the US.

Device Data in Electrical Engineering

Integrating device data into electrical engineering plans involves many questions: What connections do the devices have and how will they be connected? What technical parameters, dimensions and thermal values do the components have and how much do they weigh? Which codes are supported and how will the ordering system receive all the necessary information? With EPLAN, the answers are simple and clear: using the EPLAN Data Portal, you have access to large amounts of high-quality device and component data from a constantly growing pool of manufacturers.

AutomationML (Automation Markup Language)

The international AutomationML data standard enables data consistency across a broad array of software landscapes. For example, it enables the trouble-free exchange of PLC data between ECAD software and PLC programming. Based on the neutral XML data format, you can realize open, bidirectional data exchange.

Best Practices and Solutions

EPLAN Offers Integrated Solutions for Electrical Engineering

Engineering software for integrated planning and processes in electrical engineering is one of our core skills. Take advantage of our many years of experience and high-quality solutions!

EPLAN Electric P8

Create Schematics

To simply create schematics in an integrated way, symbols, circuits and connections must be easy to find and easy to use. Cross-references must be quickly managed, navigating through the schematics must be intuitive, and the numbering of the components and connections must be automated. You can realise all of this using EPLAN Electric P8.

EPLAN Engineering Configuration

Automated Engineering

Ideally schematics can be created automatically – practically at the click of a mouse. This reduces copy-and-paste problems to a minimum and increases your engineering efficiency. 

EPLAN Pro Panel

Professionally Create Manufacturing Documentation

Manufacturing documentation should be derivable from the schematics and created automatically. Using EPLAN Pro Panel, you create a digital twin as the foundation for all further steps along your value chain. Together with our affiliate Rittal, we offer integrated solutions for panel building and switchgear system engineering.

EPLAN Data Portal

Receive High-Quality Device Data

EPLAN Data Portal offers you all the necessary device data as the foundation for your engineering processes.

More About This Topic Use

Schematic Documentation for PLC Programming

With EPLAN, you can seamlessly re-use data from your schematic documents for PLC programming as well as for PLC and BUS systems.

More About This Topic Use

Schematic Documentation for PLC Programming

With EPLAN, you can seamlessly re-use data from your schematic documents for PLC programming as well as for PLC and BUS systems.

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