Making the case for design automation

CranfieldPrecisionhasover45yearsexperienceinprecisionmachinedesignandthemanufactureofmarketleading,highprecisionmachinetools.Thecompany’sstrengthliesinitsabilitytocombinetheinter-disciplinaryskillsofmechanical,electronicandsoftwareengineeringtosolveadvancedmanufacturingproblems.Sinceitsformationin 1968thecompanyhasbuiltupexpertiseinthedesign,buildandmanufactureofstate-of- the-artultra-precisionmachinetoolstoitscustomers’specifications.

CranfieldPrecision’sengineershavebeenusing,MicrostationatwodimensionalCAD packagetocreatemachineschematics,modelsanddrawings.However,aspartofits effortstoremaincompetitive,thecompanyinvestedinEPLANElectricP8,supportedby EPLANFluidandEPLANDataPortal–amovethathasenabledittoreduce projectdesigntimesignificantly,leadingtofasterturnaroundtimesandimproved accuracy.

The company is commited to ensuring its customers aheive their manufacturing goals by utilitsing the latest modern-day technologies, making EPLAN's advanced CAE software a perfect match for Cranfield.

SincetheimplementationofEPLAN’sautomatedandintelligentCAEsoftware,Cranfield Precisionhasseenareductioninengineeringprocurementandprojectmaterialcosts,as wellasacceleratedmanufacturingtimescales.Inaddition,thequalityofthecompany’s documentationhassignificantlyimproved.

With the unrivalled storage capabilities of the EPLANDataPortal – Cranfield can access over 470,000 components and device datacontrolled and managed by 48 manufacturers such as ABB,Festo,B&R and Phoenix Contact. This includes macros of sub-circuits, assembly drawings,function templates for an intelligent device selection, international designations,previewimages and entire manuals. Vast amounts of recurrent contenttherefore can be re-used,which maximises productivity, ensures error-free projects and shortens turnaroundtimes.

EPLAN’sinfluencehasbeenfeltacrossCranfieldPrecision’sentirebusinessandhas specificallyimpactedtheareasofdesign,manufactureandmaintenance.DesignEngineerCarlClennettdescribedhowthesoftwareisusedduringatypicalproject:"Thesoftware hasincreasedthelevelofdetailwecanproduceinourdesignsandtheautomaticerror checkinganddynamiccrossreferencingfeatureshavesignificantlyreducederrorsandthe misinterpretationofdatabeforemanufacturing."

“Fromaninitialconceptblockdiagram,theskeletonofthe projectisinsertedintotheEPLANsoftwareasaschematic. Fromthisthedetailedcontrolcircuitsareaddedtothe schematics.  Aseachcomponentisplacedintotheproject, partsareselectedfromthedatabase,whichhavepanel  andschematicmacrosassociated.Oncethemajorityof  thecircuitisdetailed,thecabinetandjunctionboxlayouts canbegenerated.Inparalleltothelayoutgeneration, theequipmentispurchasedbasedontheEPLANoutput forms.”

Headded:“Typicallytheschematicsandlayoutdrawings areprintedouttoallowthemanufactureoftheequipment. Inadditiontothis,anEPLANPDFisgeneratedanda  copyofthepartlistisalsoissuedtoensurethecorrect componenttypeisplacedinthecorrectposition.Oncetheequipmenthasbeenmanufactured,testedandshipped, anEPLANPDFissenttothecustomer,enablingthemto interrogatethedeviceselectronicallyandtoaccessthe datasheetsforthecomponentsthatarelinkedtotheparts database.”

Sinceimplementing EPLANsoftware,CranfieldPrecisionhasbenefitedfromanumberofoperationalimprovements, includingtheabilitytostandardiserecurrentcontent,fasterandmorereliablegenerationofdocumentation,the reductionoreliminationoferrors,morereliablepurchasingpractices,andgreaterdocumentationforfieldservice.Carl Clennett explains 'EPLAN has greatly reduced our engineering, procurement and project material costs, although no specific benchmarks were set the quality of the information produced for manufacturing has significantly reduced the timescales involved in all our  projects'.