Sustainability calls for ideas, technologies and collaboration between companies. This concept is also followed by the Siemens Sustainability Award for the Cabinets material field, which was presented for the first time by the Purchasing Council Cabinets & LV Switchgear in 2021. The award honours suppliers and Siemens employees whose ideas support Siemens’ goals of high sustainability. The first award winners are Rittal and a business unit of Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI). They introduced Rittal ePocket, the digital wiring plan pocket, as an idea for strengthening sustainability at Siemens.
How can a reduction in carbon emissions be achieved with less paperwork?
Today, thick paper folders with equipment and system documentation for the enclosure still form part of day-to-day production work. Depending on the system, 500 or more pages of documentation can quickly accumulate, and these are often reprinted in the event of changes. If all this paperwork is eliminated, the carbon emissions to the environment will also be reduced. From the Eplan and Rittal point of view, paper is a thing of the past when data can be used digitally and centrally. Siemens’ Smart Infrastructure Team immediately recognised this sustainability potential.
The result is that every single member of the VX25, VX SE, AX and KX enclosure range will have its own ‘place’ in the Eplan Cloud. The owner of the ePocket will be able to access the equipment and system documentation, including a digital twin, in the Eplan cloud via a QR code on the enclosure.
However, the immediate benefit is not just that of huge savings in paper. The digital version also makes work easier and saves time. Thanks to consistent digital processes from engineering to construction, all the data is available to create digital machine and system documentation rapidly. This current documentation in operation also helps service and maintenance employees. One can access the circuit diagrams directly on the system with a smartphone or tablet via the integrated Eplan eView. This ensures quick retrieval and troubleshooting during maintenance. “ePocket is sustainable in two senses: besides the carbon savings, it also digitally strengthens the long-term, efficient cooperation between operators, planners, switchgear manufacturers and manufacturers,” says A. C., SI’s Global Commodity Manager for the Cabinets & LV Switchgear material field.
“Siemens has set itself impressive targets in climate protection and sustainability. The award winners have proven that these can be achieved through a collaborative approach to the task,” adds Levent Sander, PuC Manager for Cabinets & Switchgear, who presented the new partner prize: “We will progress more quickly when our suppliers, as long-standing technology partners, think ahead and work with us to identify opportunities and develop solutions. Siemens has set itself impressive targets in climate protection and sustainability.”
“Thanks to the close technological exchange with Rittal, we were able to identify the potential benefits for Siemens immediately, even before the digital wiring plan pocket was on the market,” A. C. states.
“With end-to-end digital processes from engineering to configuration, procurement and manufacturing, panel builders and switchgear manufacturers can now not only attain increased efficiency, but also a high quality of data in digital documentation. We want to make this data easier to use for the system operators,” says Thorsten Freytag, Value Chain & Digitalisation Product Manager at Rittal. “Today, major industrial companies are striving for all-round transparency, for example in production. As part of the factory, the control and switchgear systems should not fall behind. This is where ePocket can play a future role.”
Sustainability boost through technology
“We’re delighted by the award. We have a long-standing partnership with Siemens and we enjoy driving innovations together,” says Mathias Heun, Rittal’s Global Key Account Manager: “Siemens shows that technological innovation, digitisation and sustainability are interwoven for the future of industry.”
By committing to making itself carbon-neutral by 2030, Siemens has sent out a clear signal that companies must play a leading role in promoting decarbonisation. The aim is for all Siemens production facilities and buildings worldwide to have a net zero carbon footprint by 2030. Meanwhile, Siemens has already cut its own CO2 footprint by 54%.
