Schubs Steuerungstechnik uses the EPLAN Platform for enclosure manufacturing

Schubs GmbH in Hameln aims to design enclosures that are top in quality and low in price – even in small quantities. To achieve this objective, the company uses the EPLAN Platform with EPLAN Electric P8 und EPLAN Cabinet in an integrated process that extends from object-oriented design to transferring data to NC production and fully automatic cable preparation. Cabinets and enclosures that are designed and manufactured by Schubs GmbH in Hameln can be found all around the world, from Siberia to Africa, i.e. in locations subject to conditions ranging from the lowest temperatures to tropical heat and humidity. In both cases, they must be resilient to constant vibration and often rough handling. Because one of the customers of Schubs is a renowned manufacturer of construction machinery used all over the globe, and other customers from the fields of stationary mechanical engineering and photovoltaics are just as demanding. Schubs also delivers to customers in the USA and China and is UL and CCC certified. Goal: zero defect production at competitive prices
This is why manufacturing has such high quality requirements – enclosure manufacturers are constantly faced with the quandary of how to combine top-quality, zero defect production with competitive prices and short delivery times. The answer: by using the full potential of automation. The key to success is consistently using state-of-the-art engineering tools, in other words – the EPLAN Platform. Axel Schulz, founder and managing partner of the company: "We don't just use EPLAN for drawing. Instead, we work in a strictly object-oriented manner. Component dimensions, performance data and connection options are stored centrally, and transferred to the design when a component is selected. We have also connected manufacturing directly to the CAE system." From the CAD system direction to sheet metal forming and cable preparation
The result of this continuous process chain can be seen in manufacturing: An NC machine automatically processes the rear panel for an enclosure – the relevant data from EPLAN Cabinet is read directly into the machine control system. Axel Schulz: "We rarely need a drill when manufacturing enclosures because the entire department has been automated." Even the cutting sequences for ducts and DIN rails are transferred to the responsible worker as EPLAN data. In the next hall, a fully automatic Komax machine prepares and labels the cables. The required preparation data for conductor length, conductor termination processing, bundling and labeling is sent directly to the machine from EPLAN, based on the schematic information and the calculated 3D routing results. The result is a perfectly labeled cable bundle for each contactor installed in the enclosure. Taking the cable preparation system as an example raises the question: Does it make sense for a medium-sized company to make such an investment, well into the six-digit range? Axel Schulz: "Definitely – if you integrate the system into automated processes and make sure the solution is flexible. We have 50/50 ratio of series production to individual projects. And our goal is to complete each project in the shortest possible time frame at competitive prices while maintaining the highest level of quality. This is only possible with processes that are absolutely streamlined and highly automated. Automation isn't everything
However, automation isn't everything at Schubs. Some of the around 50 employees also perform manual assembly and preparation. They also work on the basis of EPLAN data, and the processes were carefully optimized. For example, in cooperation with the Institute for Factory Automation (IFA) at Leibniz University, the company has put into operation an assembly line whose output varies greatly depending on the number of workers. In another department, Schubs has started an interesting pilot project. Twelve employees from a workshop for the handicapped perform labor intensive process steps on site, such as finishing the housing or equipping DIN rails. Axel Schulz: "We have worked together with the workshop for the handicapped for many years and are very satisfied. Having their employees work on site at Schulz is a pilot project. The benefits of well-prepared CAD data is also clear here: "This department works best when we can clearly and understandably visualize the workflows and tasks. The functions that EPLAN offers are a great help." Perfection down to the last detail
The consistent use of the data generated in EPLAN can be seen in many details. Device tags, for example, are attached with the aid of bar codes: One employee scans the label, and the exact location of where the DT should be applied is shown on a screen. Schubs developed this system in cooperation with the IFA. It is practically a matter of course that terminal assignment takes place using the Phoenix Contact Clip Project advanced software, which is closely coupled with the EPLAN Platform which in turn receives its data from the CAE system. Early warning system for delays
But integration doesn't stop at production – the EPLAN Platform is also perfectly integrated into the purchasing and billing system: The bill of materials created with EPLAN is transferred to the ERP system, so that purchasing and materials management can start working without having to enter separate orders and material requirements. The result of this interconnection is that delivery dates are met and any delays are recognized early on. Axel Schulz: "Coordination between production and administration works extremely well. The process includes the constant synchronization of ERP and CAE, which means we work to schedule. We know early on if we can't meet a delivery date, and can inform the customer in a timely manner." Tied to JIT and JIS processes
This is especially important because enclosure production may be tied to the customer's just-in-time (JIT) processes. The aforementioned manufacturer of construction machinery, for example, orders electronically via EDI, and Schubs has its own JIT point in the customer's production facility where the cabinets and wire harnesses are prepared in a precisely defined sequence. Time savings even with a batch size of one
With their well-structured processes, Schubs GmbH is well prepared for future requirements. Axel Schulz: "Enclosure construction is in transition. Since many companies are reducing their own enclosure production, we often produce manufacturing overrun. Quality and costs are generally playing an ever more important role and products are becoming more specialized. It is vital to have a handle on the processes and be very flexible. We even save time on a batch size of one. That is a great advantage when project orders are increasing." Process optimization: the preliminary work paid off
An automated plan on the basis of a comprehensive macro library and a continuous data flow at the CAD level especially pays off for these types of projects "Since we use EPLAN, documentation, for example, is no longer a problem for us. It is practically self-created during designing." Axel Schulz doesn't conceal the fact that a lot of time-consuming preparation was necessary to achieve this level of automation: "We put a lot of energy and all our knowledge into planning the processes and adapting the EPLAN Platform. But the effort has definitely paid off: We deliver high quality enclosures at internationally competitive prices – even when the quantities are very low.