Cases & enclosures M
eurer-etechnik is looking to the new AX compact enclosure from Rittal to improve its production efficiency.
How does the new model differ from its predecessor, the AE? A day spent with enclosure production staff reveals all. A new working day dawns at Meurer-
etechnik in Germany’s Westerwald region. In the incoming goods section, a young man wearing a black T-shirt with the company logo on the front and the sleeve is taking delivery of a pallet with eight AX compact enclosures from Rittal. Production manager Steven Lauer is already waiting for their arrival. In just a week’s time, the UL-compliant enclosures are set to be delivered to a special-purpose machinery manufacturer based in the Cologne area. Lauer cannot wait to see how the new AX enclosures differ from the predecessor model, the AE. “Let’s get started,” he says. Lauer has assigned
the task of fitting out the AX enclosures to three of the plant electricians. One of them is already clamping the first enclosure door into the Perforex CNC machining centre. The mounting plates are next. Progress is rapid, because the doors and mounting plates are simply added to the delivery package and staff do not have the hassle of first detaching them from the enclosure, as is normally the case. Using the digital twin’s manufacturing data from Eplan Pro Panel, the machine cuts all the necessary holes in double-quick time. “That part is the most fun,” says Lauer, who is standing casually at the machine’s operator terminal. “There are hardly any questions to deal with
and you can see the results straight away,” he adds. It is now time for pre-assembly, configuration and wiring. A fully automatic wire processing machine has already produced the necessary cable harnesses – also using data from the design engineering department. In this way, Meurer-etechnik is gradually implementing “enclosure manufacturing 4.0”. Lauer indicates an area in the rear part of
Off to a flying start
Can enclosures be machined and fitted out even faster? This article explores how the AX compact enclosure from Rittal speeds things up.
Tool-free: 30 per cent faster assembly thanks to tool-free installation of the handle system.
the light-filled factory building to three members of staff, who lift the compact enclosures onto small metal trestles. Next to each of the plant electricians is a trolley with tools and a number of boxes containing electronic components. The enclosures are now lying on their backs with the doors fitted. Beside them are the mounting plates, to which the team next attach the mounting rails and cable ducts.
‘‘ The additional space on the
gland plate is a huge advantage and the AX is also far more flexible when it comes to the interior fit-out. - Steven Lauer
’’ Rittal & Eplan:
Your partners for sustainable panel building and switchgear manufacturing.
22 August 2021 Instrumentation Monthly
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