A single glance at the first process steps in the production department at KlöMö in Regensburg, Germany, is all it takes to see that this company works in a structured way and invests wisely. Three new systems are now handling the automated sheet metal working of enclosures as well as the punching and bending of copper bars.

What you can’t see is the flow of data in these systems. From start to finish, machining is based on the digital twin. The entire production process is automated. The only remaining tasks relate to digitalisation at the planning stage.

ONE STEP AT A TIME

Why did Magnus Berzl, Managing Director of KlöMö for over two years now, decide to do things in this order? Why not begin with electrical planning, for instance, and use that as a starting point for optimising the design processes? His reply is as follows: “It’s something we gave a great deal of thought to. As a highly efficient but relatively small company, we need to take one step at a time. Despite the heavy investment involved, we started with our machining operations because of the instant cost, time and quality benefits for each individual enclosure.”

KlöMö opted to invest in three new machines from Rittal Automation Systems. “We use Rittal enclosures and are utilising Eplan to plan and design a growing number of projects. Data integration is then easiest with the automation solutions offered by Rittal Automation Systems,” explains Berzl.

ENERGY AND AUTOMATION

At KlöMö, traditional automation in process engineering is in the company’s DNA, as is power distribution. For systems above 1,600 A, it plans and manufactures prototype-tested series solutions based on Eaton components. A look at KlöMö’s history explains why. “We were originally part of Klöckner-Moeller and the Moeller Group, which was subsequently taken over by Eaton. We retain close links with this company as an Eaton Premium Partner. There are only two such partners in Germany and just under twenty worldwide,” reveals Berzl.

KlöMö is now committed to becoming even more successful and has a clear plan that includes winning new customers and building on its existing strengths. “We plan and build highly complex systems for discerning international mechanical and plant engineering companies. We rely on the know-how of our dedicated staff and on cutting-edge processes – that’s our recipe for success,” continues Berzl.

DIGITALISATION OF PLANNING

The approach to increasing the degree of automation and digitalisation further still focuses on greater use of the Eplan platform for electrical design work. “We’re developing an Eplan-based KlöMö standard for enclosure planning,” explains Berzl, who goes on to reveal the ultimate goal: “We’ll use Eplan Electric P8 to create our circuit diagrams – we’re already doing so in some cases. The data will then undergo further processing in Eplan Pro Panel as a three-dimensional enclosure design. Specific Eaton systems are already being designed using Eplan and we’ll be doing more of this in the future, benefiting from digital continuity and the Eplan Data Portal.”

END-TO-END DATA FLOW

Once the 3D enclosure layout is ready in Eplan Pro Panel, the production data is input directly into the machines. The new systems use the Rittal enclosures’ well-maintained datasets when machining sheet metal and copper, which makes these systems even more efficient.

What stage of the transformation process has KlöMö now reached? “For one thing, we’ve switched our Eplan licences to the new subscription model to cut costs and improve our flexibility. This also gives us free services and tools that we can try out, such as ePocket and eView. During the gradual switchover, we are receiving excellent support from Eplan itself, but are also working with an external consultant – primarily because it’s always good to have an outside perspective,” says Berzl.

KlöMö is also using the Eplan platform for a growing number of projects, but it will be a while yet before the company reaches its target of 80 to 90 percent. Eaton is involved, too, as more and more Eaton components are being added to the Eplan Data Portal. From KlöMö’s perspective, that makes planning a whole lot easier.

STAFF FULLY ON BOARD

The transformation process has now been underway for a good year and a half. How satisfied is Berzl with progress to date? “A process of this kind is no trivial matter in terms of the time and investment involved, but we’ve reached our milestones on schedule and can see the efficiency benefits,” he replies, adding that this also applies to the company’s staff: “The switchover is a challenge, but everyone is committed and can see the benefits of detailed planning with Eplan.”

A number of efficiency gains resulting from the new automation solutions are already apparent in the production department. According to Berzl, though, it’s not just about time and money. “The level of precision and the quality of machining are already much better for enclosures and copper parts alike,” he points out. Berzl regards this as a true leap in quality. “The high demands we place on ourselves and our products are thus met – and that also wins over our customers,” he emphasises.

AIMING FOR FURTHER PROGRESS

Making further progress on the customer front is another part of KlöMö’s strategy. As Berzl explains: “We have a broadbased portfolio, cover two different areas of activity with our automation and power distribution solutions, and work for large and highly discerning customers. In 2026, we’ll be taking further major steps towards end-to-end data use and fully comprehensive automation – in collaboration with Eplan, Rittal and Rittal Automation Systems.”