During control and switchgear construction, numerous small preparatory jobs must be carried out. These include cutting the wiring ducts, cable duct covers and mounting rails to exact dimensions. Rittal Automation Systems now offers two interesting entry-level machines for support: the new CT M and CT H Cutting Terminals. Components are fed and cut manually, while the length stop for the components is set automatically. The stop is controlled via engineering data. A QR code printer ensures each cut part is identifiable and finds its correct place in the enclosure.
In enclosures, most of the electrical and electronic components are attached via mounting rails. Wiring ducts accommodate the many cables connecting these components. After wiring, these ducts are then closed with cable duct covers. Consequently, control and switchgear manufacturers must cut many of these elements to exact lengths and install them in a typical enclosure. Manual cutting with hand tools or saws is tedious and time-consuming on the one hand and often too imprecise, and the cut edges need to be painstakingly deburred.
Cutting Terminal M and H for smaller quantities
For many years, Rittal Automation Systems has been offering machines of the Secarex series for the semi-automatic and fully automatic cutting to length of ducts, covers, and mounting rails. Major enclosure constructors typically use the Secarex machines. In contrast, enclosure manufacturers with lower throughputs or the service departments of larger companies still have to cut to length by hand laboriously.
Rittal Automation Systems offers an economical alternative with its new CT M and CT H Cutting Terminal machines: in both cutting centres, the blanks are inserted manually, while the stop, which determines the cut length, moves automatically and with high precision to the required dimension. This preserves the machine’s length precision, while expensive and unnecessary automation for feeding and removal is omitted with smaller quantities.
The Cutting Terminal is offered in two versions: With the Cutting Terminal CT M, both levers (one for cutting the plastic channels and covers and the other for the steel support rails) are operated manually. Cutting Terminal H features a hydraulically actuated cutting device. This replaces the long lever for cutting the support rails, which had required greater force. All the cutting units are designed to prevent burrs.
The cutting terminals can do more than just cut: Round holes, elongated and cross holes can be punched in non-perforated rails. Both versions process five DIN rail sizes with the dimensions 35 x 7.5 mm, 35 x 15 mm, 15 x 5.5 mm, and copper earthing rails with the dimensions 10 x 3 mm and C-profiles of 34 x 15 mm. All sizes can be processed without changing the link. It is also possible to cut G-profiles to length as per EN60715. For wiring ducts, the dimensions that can be processed range from 15 to 125 mm in width and a maximum height of 100 mm.
Manual and yet digitalised
To later position the many sections of different lengths correctly when installing them in the enclosures, the new cutting terminals feature a label printer with which the components can be labelled for each project and assigned a QR code. The worker affixes the label to the component after each cut so that it can be clearly designated.
The data needed is generated in the digital twin during engineering with Eplan Pro Panel and delivered to the Cutting Terminal via the order management tool, the RiPanel Processing Centre. The system’s state-of-the-art touch panel informs the operator about the following orders.
The benefits of this digital solution start at the cutting stage: The mechanical stop ensures precision. At the same time, the software distributes the cuts across the blanks so that as little waste as possible is left. This saves both money and resources. When assembling the components on the mounting plate, the worker scans the QR code and – in Eplan Smart Mounting – is given a direct visualisation of where the part concerned should be placed on the mounting plate. This precisely cut component then fits the first time. The cutting terminals are also a benefit in enclosure assembly.
The RiPanel Processing Center is a modern order management tool that enables the management and provision of production and machine orders in work preparation for the connected machines.
With the new CT M and CT H Cutting Terminals, Rittal Automation Systems offers two machines that provide access to precisely cut and digitally managed blanks even for companies where an automated cutting centre would not be cost-effective. This means that digitisation can also be implemented on a smaller scale.