Cost pressure is increasing in markets such as energy, mechanical engineering, rail technology, and system and building automation. Manufacturers of switchgears and control systems are also looking for answers. In fact, there is huge potential for optimization here. The scope here is so great that it is not a matter of whether internal processes should be digitalized and automated, but how and in what order. Komax has therefore declared automated control cabinet construction to be a strategic issue and has positioned itself accordingly. Together with specialized partners, Komax offers holistic, individual solutions in its Customer Center Industries.

Engineering2Manufacturing with virtual twin

The optimization potential in control cabinet construction is also confirmed by a study by the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units (ISW) of the University of Stuttgart1. In its conclusion, the study highlights the virtual twin of the switchgear in the ECAD system as the key feature for all downstream processes. The company therefore uses the full range of functions of an ECAD system.

For the housing, the virtual twin in the ECAD system generates all the CAM data that is required for fully automated sheet metal processing by CNC machines. These work extremely accurately, quickly, and with all the required contours, so that assembly is possible without any reworking. There is also great potential for improvement in mechanical components. In many companies, employees cut the terminal channels, mounting rails, and copper rails to length, pre-fabricate terminal strips and assemblies and label them at specially equipped stations. Using ECAD data, this work can be handled measurably more efficiently by machines and robots. Especially when regularly used functional parts are pre-made in small batches and held in stock.

65% faster through parallel processes

A further cost-reducing success factor is to take tasks that are usually processed in sequence by one expert and share them out among several, including less qualified, employees in parallel. This ensures that all the material required for the project reaches the required control cabinet and is ready to install over twice as quickly. This succeeds because all the required data is available in relevant documentation as production starts. It means that the team can prepare housings, control cabinet components and wires quickly and without errors. Komax machines, which process wires either semi-automatically or fully automatically, provide support. They thus offer the potential for making huge savings both in time and materials.

Up to 80% faster wiring

By far the most time-consuming task in constructing a control cabinet is the wiring. On average, a specialist needs about three working days to wire a typical control cabinet with approximately 380 connections. Digital wiring data accelerates this process by up to 80%. In addition, the work can be carried out by semi-skilled employees. To do this, the operator is provided with the wiring plan digitally via the ECAD viewer – on a tablet directly alongside the control cabinet for which they require the information. On this tablet, they can navigate easily through the documentation and access details in the parts list, terminal diagrams, wiring lists, or the 3D view of the planned control cabinet construction. Just by tapping on it, they can find all the information they require and complete the work considerably faster than when using printed documentation. If the ECAD item data does not provide the relevant information for the wiring, the Komax Digital Lean Wiring (DLW) software can assist with this. DLW provides step-by-step support for the installation of pre-assembled strands.

Virtual construction plan from photos

DLW offers various options for importing and processing the connection data. If this information is not provided by the ECAD system, the Komax software allows it to be determined in a convenient virtual way. A high-resolution photo of the control cabinet, already fitted with the mechanical components, is also loaded. The connections can hence be mapped and processed quite easily. Another advantage of DLW: A viewer guides even semi-skilled workers through the wiring process safely and accurately. This relieves the burden on the experts in a company. They can then get involved where in-depth specialist knowledge is required.

Cost-effective, starting from a batch size of one

Using DLW, a typical control cabinet can be wired up to 20 hours faster. This means an average cost saving of up to EUR 600 per cabinet. This also applies to a batch size of one. In addition, most projects are variants of previous ones, matching by anything up to 80%. This is precisely where a digitalized engineering process with electronically accessible documentation can add huge value. Once the wiring diagram for a similar system has been adapted using just a few simple steps and validated by the system, the design engineer can start to generate all the purchasing and production documents.

Flexible until shortly before dispatch

One final advantage at the end: digitalized processes make producers so flexible that they can implement most customer requirements even until shortly before dispatch. And they can do this without affecting the delivery date as every engineering modification is also made available to production quickly in digital form. Every control cabinet therefore leaves the site accompanied by up-to-date “as-built documentation” – the icing on the cake for a modern, efficient, and profitable process.