A rather unusual sight: In Ripploh's large production hall in Ostbevern, there are not only bayed cabinets, but a considerable proportion of the switchgear consists of individual cabinets, i.e. cabinets that are used as stand-alone solutions. "Individual control cabinets now account for 20% of our business," explains Andreas Ripploh, Managing Director of Ripploh Elektrotechnik & Engineering, a company that plans and builds control and switchgear systems for industry. For example, the company has a machine manufacturer as a customer who orders 150 individual cabinets per year. Other orders for individual cabinets come, for example, from mechanical engineering companies that manufacture refrigeration and waste pressing systems. All of them rely on individual cabinets for their special applications, as no or no major expansions are planned for these systems from the outset. To be on the safe side, 20% space is sometimes kept in reserve for minor retrofitting and expansion. This allows terminals to be placed on the top-hat rail or additional circuit breakers, coupling relays or interfaces to be installed. However, the machines themselves cannot be expanded for such applications, as they are self-contained systems.

3D twin changes everything

"The approach of simple expandability as a back door is often no longer necessary today," explains Ripploh. "The trend is that systems are being planned in a more standardized way and individual cabinets can be planned in from the outset." In the past, bayed enclosures were always the first choice because they could simply be extended by baying them - the principle was: start building now, we can always expand. With the use of the 3D twin in engineering, this has changed fundamentally. "We've been doing 3D layout planning with Eplan Pro Panel for eight years and we've been routing every enclosure for almost 18 years. As a result, we always know the exact layout of the control cabinet, even in batch size 1," emphasizes Ripploh. Once the engineering is complete, the customer accepts it. If they need more components, we check whether they still fit into the enclosure. Thanks to the 3D twin, it is easy to see what is feasible. "We don't have to order all the components first and test whether they still fit in the individual cabinet. We can see this in the 3D structure - and then know in advance whether the door will still close," illustrates Ripploh.

The end of tinkering

Andreas Ripploh has also anchored the trend towards standardization in mechanical and plant engineering in his own engineering. The specially developed 'Unit-E' enclosure configurator enables modular engineering with components that are stored in the Eplan Engineering Center (EEC). Modules for enclosure expansion can thus be configured and coordinated individually and quickly. "Many people no longer want to 'tinker' because it is no longer controllable," summarizes Ripploh.

If all framework conditions such as width and depth are suitable for the use of a single enclosure and it is clear that extensions are not planned, Ripploh recommends the 'VX SE' single system enclosure from Rittal to its customers. "Overall, the single enclosure saves 10 to 15 % compared to bayed enclosure combinations. Otherwise, we would have to assemble large single enclosures with two bayed enclosures," explains the Managing Director.

The author: Hans-Robert Koch is Head of Press Relations and Magazines at Rittal in Herborn.

© Rittal

Another advantage is that the system builder can get started immediately with individual enclosures, as the side panels and roof do not have to be assembled first. The individual parts with the carcass do not have to be ordered separately either. In addition, Ripploh can build more compactly because the mounting plate is available from 600 to 1800 mm wide enclosures throughout. "We have more space in the individual cabinet, can achieve a higher construction density and can also transport the cabinet more easily after completion. The consistent grid dimension significantly simplifies the production process. With the VX system accessories, we have a wide range of expansion options, for example in the floor area. In engineering, we can simply switch to the baying system if necessary," summarizes Ripploh.