MONHEIM, Germany, Mar 20, 2018 – The EPLAN Platform 2.8 user interface already offers a great deal of ease of use with comprehensive layout possibilities and customized views for project data. What’s been added is that entire windows for navigators or data dialogues, as examples, can now be hidden as flyouts at the edge of the main window. This means there is plenty of space available for editors, which makes the work on a project much more comfortable: users can easily keep in view what’s most important. The flyouts can quickly be opened and closed – as needed – as tabs over the opened project pages. Bothersome shifting or temporarily expanding windows is outdated. But that’s not all: the Quick Infos have now also been expanded. Additional important information from the status bar is shown beneath the buttons in the toolbars: users are thereby informed about all the important things at a glance.
EPLAN Platform, version 2.8 has received a new graphic user interface. Flyouts provide more space for working on schematics, overviews and reports.
Clarity in Focus
Users may label projects opened in parallel with different background colors – with obvious benefits: they’ll never accidentally edit the wrong project again. Furthermore, additional navigators, for instance a second Page Navigator, can be displayed – giving users an overview of different project sections at the same time. Users may also use the additional navigators to simultaneously display several differently filtered views of particular project data within a project such as pages or devices. Expanded path variables also make project designing even easier: starting in version 2.8, project data can be displayed automatically in various directories – without any manual effort at all.
With macros in schematics projects, designers can quickly and easily recognize window and symbol macros in a project. Expanded settings additionally allow macros to be more easily updated.
Macro Technology: More is Simply More
In the area of macros, users can look forward to a number of powerful expansions. First and foremost, the macros display is included in schematics projects. With this, designers can quickly and easily recognize window and symbol macros in a project. Additionally, expanded settings allow macros to be more easily updated. The integration of placeholder objects, now possible in the Macro Navigator, ensures quick identification and editing. This allows changes at short notice, for instance, an altered engine performance, to actually be implemented in the project with literally a single mouse click.
EPLAN Electric P8
And there’s also a lot to discover in the individual systems of EPLAN Platform. EPLAN Electric P8 makes a start of it with expansions for bus data. These can now be used for all display formats in the Properties dialogue – whether the design is unipolar or multiline. The project can thusly be enhanced with this important information, which increases the value of the EPLAN documentation for all the working steps downstream from engineering – for instance for data exchange with PLC software development.
EPLAN Preplanning also has interesting upgrades, including a simplified presentation of higher-level PCT points, improved numbering for structure indicators and more options for configuring segment definitions to name just a few examples. All these are important functions that simplify the creation of high-quality plant documentation for users in basic engineering for process automation and MSR technology. In EPLAN Fluid, users can expect better overviews: control-relevant components can be more easily identified with special overview pages, simplifying the combined handling of electrotechnical and fluid-power aspects.
Easier Cabinet Replacement
Looking at the topic of control cabinet engineering, replacing a control cabinet due for instance to increased space requirements is very easy – namely in the existing 3D mounting layout. Just replace parts and carry on configuring the cabinet. And as an aside, this also applies for side sections such as the base, busbars, chassis and others. This simplicity also exists for control cabinets with 3D macro variants: items can be exchanged in the Assembly Navigator without the existing original item placement being deleted in the control cabinet. The practical benefit: users can directly save various construction forms for a control cabinet as variations of a 3D macro in the master data and, where appropriate, swap their position in the control cabinet by way of an item replacement. Any subsequent complex changes for the positioned control cabinet item are no longer required.
About EPLAN Software & Service
EPLAN Software & Service is one of the world’s leading service providers for CAE, configuration and mechatronic solutions and advises companies on how to optimize their engineering processes. Both standardized, as well as customized interfaces to ERP and PLM/PDM systems, ensures data consistency in product development, order processing and manufacturing. Factors for success in engineering include a consistent customer focus, global support and innovative development and interface expertize. As a global player, EPLAN supports over 45,000 customers around the world with more than 120,000 installations through outstanding product quality and maximum efficiency increases. EPLAN was founded in 1984 and is part of the owner-operated FriedhelmLoh Group. The FriedhelmLoh Group operates worldwide with 18 production sites and 78 international subsidiaries. The entire group employs more than 11,500 people and generated revenues of around €2.2 billion in 2015.
For more information, visit www.eplanusa.com.