Heller bets on integrated electrical and fluid engineering

Machine tool builder Heller saves a lot of time and effort in the design of new machinery, and complete production lines, through comprehensive integration of electrical and fluid engineering. Both trades are using the EPLAN Platform and the EPLAN Engineering Center (EEC); building their own enclosures is completely integrated into the process. Sales representatives are simply able to select the options chosen by the customer in a configurator; the Engineering Center does the rest. It combines the selected modules on its own, and creates the schematic with almost no manual effort at all. Some of the highest demands on quality and productivity for machining lines are during the manufacture of motor blocks and cylinder heads for passenger or truck drive trains; for example during piston and valve boring, or working on sealing surfaces. Automotive manufacturers that design production lines often use the Heller Group's expertise, headquartered in Nuertingen. They are known worldwide as specialists for 4 and 5 axle machining centers, as well as flexible production systems. Heller has secured approximately 60% of its sales in the automotive industry; the corporate group is the worldwide market leader in motor and transmission production plants for on and off-road utility vehicles. Complete production lines with up to 40 machines can be developed, delivered and implemented. The plants are equipped for highest quality, with high piece output, and offer broad flexibility and scalability. An evaluation of incoming orders shows which regions have the most potential for the future: China is quickly becoming the most important single market for Heller with 40 % of the incoming orders in 2009 – the German market share is only about 20 %. High complexity in the design phase
When Heller engineers develop a complete production line with 30 to 40 machines, many man-hours are required for electrical engineering alone. That was the major reason why Heller started a project several years ago to automate and speed up these processes. Klaus Riexinger, Senior Manager Controls Engineering: "Our essential goals were a common platform for electrical and fluid engineering, and a system that could create the prerequisites for a truly mechatronic design." Fluid engineering was not to be a mere "appendage" anymore, because a total of five task areas - hydraulic, pneumatic, cooling lubricants, lubrication, and machine cooling -- this trade had become quite complex. The EPLAN CAE Software fulfilled these requirements best of all the systems that were made available and were thoroughly tested. The appropriate systems for electrical, fluid, and enclosure engineering, as well as the EPLAN Engineering Center (EEC) were introduced directly, since Heller wanted a comprehensive, integrated solution from the beginning. It would make modular based, functional engineering with mechatronic components possible. Deep integration with EPLAN Platform
The solution was put to the test in practical applications: After that Heller developed five axle milling centers for the F-series and also the new Moduline machines with this new design method - and with convincing results. Heller was able to get to a level that had yet higher planes of integration, with the introduction of the new EPLAN Platform with EPLAN Electric P8, EPLAN Fluid and EPLAN Cabinet. Michael Gneiting, System administrator and design, electrical engineering: "The individual trades are working with the same model, and also use the same designations, thanks to an object oriented approach. This greatly simplifies the processes and avoids inconsistencies, which were a recurring problem in the past." Schematics with the push of a button
At Heller, automating the design processes starts at the sales level: The consultant works with a "Sales configurator", which assist in configuring the machine from more than 100 options. It really is quite simple; for example, he enters the size of the tool magazine, or selects add-on functions like drill bit breakage, check and measuring probes; behind each "click" an electronic design module is located, which is automatically called up in the EEC. This makes customized electrical engineering of standard machines almost completely automatic, and the schematic is created with the touch of a button. Manual modifications are possible of course for individual, special requirements. Standardized schematics
All electrical and fluid design engineers have access to modules stored in the EEC for new series, plant or special machine development projects. This supports the in-house standardization at the same time: All designers select from the same components. All necessary technical information is stored in the EEC as individual macros, which are in turn linked with Parts management. Design engineers utilize the same data and macros in EPLAN Electric P8 via the Parts master data navigator to modify standards to meet customer specifications. Klaus Riexinger: "This method ensures that identical tasks are resolved in identical ways, and using identical means. The prints are the same as well. That speeds up everything and makes it much more transparent. Almost automatic enclosure manufacturing
This approach also affects enclosure manufacturing. EPLAN Cabinet offers a number of automated functions in this area: Routing will be generated just as automatically as the printout of device designations. Klaus Riexinger: "Another advantage is that employees will no longer need complicated schematics, but can work off wiring lists." NC machining of enclosures will also be done with CAM originating in EPLAN Cabinet. Optimum configuration: Electrical and fluid engineering
Heller profits from the implementation of the new processes, because - unlike in the operations of other machine builders - fluid and electrical engineering have been combined into one department some time ago. Jürgen Gneiting: "That has become absolutely normal for us, and also for our customers." Designing with the EPLAN Platform has the additional advantage of relieving the designer from repetitive tasks, and from lengthy searches for parts. Plus the design process will be standardized at the same time, even for production - especially in the manufacture of enclosures - all processes are accelerated and the error rate is drastically reduced. Since Heller is licensed for 21 EPLAN workstations, these advantages come to intense use and on a broad level -- in fluid as well as in electrical engineering. Using creativity - preventing repetitive tasks
Of course there was a lot of preparatory work, because all the design models had to be defined in EEC. But the effort has definitely paid off: The continuity has increased the design department performance dramatically, even though this factor wasn't really a focal point at the beginning. Klaus Riexinger: "The designers should not need to invest their time in tasks that can be automated. They should apply their creativity, -- it is our 'bread and butter' as innovative machine tool builders with demanding customers." A current example shows how important such innovations are. An engineer noticed that the machining processes used by Heller could also be used for the very economical manufacturing of high-quality gear systems. The result: Heller will be offering their machining centers as gear-cutting machines in the future - design can be done with the tools of EPLAN Platform.