Rittal increases automation in enclosure manufacture
By creating a new business division – Rittal Automation Systems – Rittal is building on its existing portfolio for panel building and switchgear manufacture.
By creating a new business division – Rittal Automation Systems – Rittal is building on its existing portfolio for panel building and switchgear manufacture. The enterprise is assuming responsibility for, and expanding, the product range provided by its sister company Kiesling. The result is a comprehensive one-stop offering, from simple, manual tools to sophisticated, highly automated machining systems. Herborn/Nuremberg, Germany, 24 November 2015 – Custom-configured solutions are the rule in the manufacture of panels and switchgear. However, they typically require multiple manual steps. Implementing easily assembled enclosure systems, a wide variety of accessories, and intelligent software solutions can enhance efficiency. And, increasingly, manufacturers are placing greater focus on greater automation. “Our panel building and switchgear manufacturing customers are looking for ways to improve productivity. And they find them in our portfolio. For example, they can leverage the latest machining technology to increase automation in their value-creation processes,” explains Dr Thomas Steffen, Rittal’s Managing Director of Research and Development. Rittal Automation Systems offers a variety of automation solutions to accelerate individual manufacturing tasks. These offerings can be scaled to a business’s size, and tailored to its specific imperatives. “By incorporating our sister company Kiesling Maschi-nentechnik into Rittal Automation Systems, we can now provide the machining and handling technology needed for time- and cost-efficient production – not only for our own systems, and the corresponding software, but for switchgear and control systems as well. And all from a single source,” emphasises Steffen. The Rittal Automation Systems portfolio comprises a broad range of products, from manual tools to fully automated machining centres.
New laser centre for precise machining
The Perforex BC machining centre is extremely precise, and fully automated. It can be deployed for drilling, thread tapping, and milling when machining enclosures. A key further development is the new Perforex LC 3D laser centre. As its name suggests, it uses laser technology to quickly and accurately machine flat parts, and entire enclosures and housings. In addition, the Secarex cutting centre rapidly cuts cable ducts and support rails to size.
New crimping machine simplifies assembly
The Athex automatic assembly machine simplifies a task previously performed manually – it assembles and labels terminals. And for the first time, Rittal’s offering now includes a crimping machine for cutting and assembling cables.
Robotic systems accelerate wiring
Moreover, the Averex centre eliminates time-consuming manual wiring of mounting plates. Instead, the system offers fully automated wiring in line with applicable standards and safety requirements. Rittal offers this unique, one-stop portfolio to customers across the world. It includes enclosure, power distribution and climate control products, IT infrastructure, software and services – and now extends to key machining and handling technologies. And these are all from a single source – to the benefit of panel builders and switchgear manufacturers. © Rittal Foundation, November 2015