Electricity + Control November 2019

INDUSTRY 4.0 + INDUSTRIAL INTERNET OF THINGS

Optimal cost/benefit in partial automation of engineering processes

Following investigations into the strategic digitisation of design and control engineering and the technical layout of machines and plant systems, the European 4.0 Transformation Centre (E4TC) at RWTH Aachen University has published a 38- page research report titled Engineering 4.0. The report is based on an eight-month field study of German machine manufacturers, engineering offices/hardware planners, and component manufacturers.

at a glance

 E4TC developed a method- ology to quantify the potential for automation in typical engineering workflows for machine manufacturing.  The path to higher effici- encies in the value chain is mapped out from standardisation through to automation at each work step.

F or the first time, the methodology developed to quantify available potential in engineering and measures to be taken enabled a well- founded consideration of current engineering workflows for series production and special machinerymanufacturing. Its central finding: a partial automation of engineering processes achieves an optimal cost/benefit ratio. The new Engineering 4.0 study – available exclusively from EPLAN – highlights interesting fields of action for efficiency in engineering. The path to higher efficiency in the value chain is mapped out using traditional methods, from standardisation through to automation. The scientists at E4TC in Aachen, Germany, initially introduced a model of the engineering

workflow and created an evaluation matrix with five efficiency levels. The ‘Efficiency Level’ matrix contains detailed descriptions of the methodology/ workflow and is accompanied by a ‘Use Level’ matrix, which describes and evaluates the use of CAE software as a basic prerequisite for Engineering 4.0. A total of ten process steps characteristic for engineering in machine manufacturing (series and special machinery) were examined.The engineering workflow model generated comprises the typical work steps of the ordering cycle. Engineering workflow model The researchers focused on the work fields of engineering, design, bills of materials,

Design time and effort for standardisation can be measured according to the level of engineering efficiency.

Results: Reference Engineering Efficiency Curve.

6 Electricity + Control

NOVEMBER 2019