Connecting Engineering to Manufacturing with Software for Panel Design and Fabrication

Any equipment manufacturer will have some kind of design software to design their panels. This could be as simple as electrical drawings being created in 2D CAD software or more complex solutions that take into account live inventory status and connect the engineering departments with the manufacturing departments. 

Zuken and nVent have done just that—and more; they have created software that updates with live data so that the manufacturing department is kept up to date with current changes to the design, as well as integrated an easy-to-use central parts library.

 

nVent and Zuken have teamed up and created the Design to Manufacturing Software, set to be released in 2023. Image used courtesy of ThisisEngineering RAEng

 

Design To Manufacturing Software

nVent is a global supplier of electrical connection and protection solutions while Zuken is a global software company. The teaming of these two companies has resulted in the Design to Manufacturing Software, set to be released in 2023. This software creates a digital twin to aid in panel design and fabrication processes. 

By making a digital twin of the process, both operations and engineering are informed of changes before it is too late. Part of the digital twin process is to digitize all documentation so that when changes to the design need to be made, the documents can be altered and distributed quickly.

Additionally, any cabinet will have a large collection of electrical components from a variety of different manufacturers. The Design to Manufacturing Software includes an easy-to-use central component library to reduce the strain of selecting available components. Making this process easier reduces time to market and less rework on the manufacturing floor.

 

The Design to Manufacturing Software aids users in the four parts of the manufacturing cycle: design, manufacturing, building, and maintaining. Image courtesy of Zuken

 

Manufacturing Cycle

Manufacturing any equipment can be broken down into four components:

Design

This is the first phase of any production. By developing components digitally, both time and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

Manufacture

Once the design phase is complete, the drawings can be sent to the manufacturing floor. During this phase, any changes to the design could be costly as components might have to be remade or reworked

Build

This is where the components come together and the system starts to take shape. It is during the build phase that systems are tested to ensure proper function.

Maintain

Maintaining equipment can involve all disciplines depending on the equipment. Customer satisfaction is what drives repeat business, so it is important to support equipment even after the equipment is installed. 

 

Digitizing The Manufacturing Cycle

The Design to Manufacturing Software automates and digitizes the manufacturing cycle so that changes can be tracked and implemented quickly. This software will simplify electrical engineering by incorporating a comprehensive electrical parts library that can increase productivity. When the software is released, it will have the ability to select pre-designed manufacturing processes to further increase productivity. 

 

By simplifying design, Zuken and nVent hope to help engineers and drive productivity. Image used courtesy of ThisisEngineering RAEng

 

Electrical Design Software

Electrical design software has become a standard way of producing electrical drawings which panel builders will use to produce electrical panels for equipment. This software can be very basic, but as the company grows, and the number of panels being built grows, the complexity of the engineering software must also grow. Component inventory must be tracked, and the overall cycle of the manufacturing process will need to be digitized. The Design To Manufacture software from Zuken and nVent is designed to do just that.