Device Data: Do-It-Yourself Is History

A medium sized machine building company invests an average of up to fifteen working hours per month creating missing device data – time that can be better used elsewhere. Solutions provider EPLAN is now providing support: with the new Data Portal Request Process, customers can order individual device data in Data Standard quality using the credit system. In addition, new selectors from ABB and Siemens simplify engineering, and the American NFPA format is now also supported.Josefine Heck.jpg: »The new Data Portal Request Process provides our customers with maximum support in creating digital device data that is as complete as possible,» says EPLAN Business Owner Master Data Josefine Heck.

Monheim, Germany, May 2022: Faster access to suitable, preferably standardised device data – that´s the daily maxim in project work these days. While the EPLAN Data Portal offers device data for millions of components, it can sometimes happen that the required device data isn´t found on the portal. Users have had to create or modify such data themselves until now, which is time consuming and sometimes cost intensive. With the new Data Portal Request Process, users can now hand this task over to EPLAN. This saves a lot of work for creating individual device data and ensures the receipt of correct, standardised data.

From the request to the device data

If a user working on a project requires device data that isn´t found on the portal, they can send their individual requests for creating device data to EPLAN. The credits required for this are directly shown, and the user can then use their credits to draw the corresponding amount for each query from their quota. This saves on frequently creating procurement orders and is transparent as regards potential inhouse cost limits. An EPLAN team creates the required device data within a few days in accordance with the Data Standard.

Data Portal Request Process.jpg: A simple input mask in the EPLAN Data Portal helps companies quickly request the required data.

This new service provides significant relief to companies as part of their engineering processes. EPLAN Business Owner Master Data Josefine Heck explains: »The new Data Portal Request Process provides our customers with maximum support in creating digital device data that is as complete as possible. In this way we have their backs so they can focus on truly value creating tasks in engineering.»

NFPA standard integrated

Companies in machine building and plant system engineering sectors are often faced with the challenging task of preparing documentation in country specific standards. Countries such as China and the United States of America have local standards – in the US it´s the NFPA Standard, a standard that is now newly represented in the EPLAN Data Portal. Furthermore, there´s an integrated filter that allows searching for device data by standard, representing a next step for truly collaborative engineering on the world market.

ABB and Siemens: new selectors on the portal

The inclusion of new selectors is yet another win for portal users: ABB e-Configure – a global configurator that supports selecting circuit breakers for protecting motors, fuse relays and power switches as examples – was recently integrated. And the Siemens Electrical Product Finder is now also part of the portal, where designers can find data for Sirius compact starters, overload relays and monitoring relays to name just a few.

ABB e-Configure.jpg: The ABB e-Configure selector now integrated means it´s easy to configure circuit breakers for protecting motors, fuse relays and power switches in the EPLAN Data Portal.

Expanded Data Standard

Well over 500,000 device data in the EPLAN Data Portal already meet the criteria for the high quality Data Standard. In the interest of its customers, EPLAN aims to roll out the standard more broadly. A first step is defining additional product groups, including in the fields of fluid power technology, where product groups not previously available have now been integrated. The company Festo, one of the most important suppliers in the fluid power sector, has already uploaded a quarter of its nearly 50,000 devices into in the portal in Data Standard quality. For users this means comprehensive data that can be used and further enriched throughout the entire engineering process.

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Eplan Software & Service

EPLAN provides software and service solutions in the fields of electrical, automation and mechatronic engineering. The company develops one of the world´s leading design software solutions for machine and panel builders. EPLAN is also the ideal partner to streamline challenging engineering processes.

Both standardised as well as customised interfaces to ERP and PLM/PDM systems ensure data consistency along the whole value chain. Working with EPLAN means boundless communication across all engineering disciplines. No matter whether small or large enterprises: Customers can apply their expertise more efficiently. Worldwide, EPLAN supports 61,000 customers. EPLAN wants to grow further with customers and partners and pushes integration and automation in engineering forward. Within the EPLAN Partner Network, open interfaces and seamless integrations are realised together with partners. «Efficient engineering» is the focus.

EPLAN was founded in 1984 and is part of the owner-operated Friedhelm Loh Group. The Friedhelm Loh Group operates worldwide with 12 production sites and 94 international subsidiaries. The entire group employs 11.600 people and generated revenues of around €2,6 billion in 2019. For the 13th time in succession, the family business has won the accolade »Top German Employer» in 2021. In addition, Friedhelm Loh Group was recognized as »Top vocational trainer» according to a study of Deutschland Test and Focus Money.
For more information visit:

www.eplan.de and www.friedhelm-loh-group.com