TOBOL, Rittal and Eplan are industrialising the data centre business
TOBOL is the new Rittal and Eplan Application Centre Partner. The system integrator for data centres and buildings sets the benchmark for digitalisation and automation in control and switchgear engineering. At its state-of-the-art manufacturing centre in Leinefelde, software, hardware and automation solutions from Eplan, Rittal and Rittal Automation Systems are utilised to the full. The aim of the partnership is to optimally integrate the respective core competencies from industry and IT for the dynamic data centre market. TOBOL exemplifies how the complex construction of data centres can be optimised and industrialised in practice.
TOBOL’s customers include renowned data centre operators and companies with critical infrastructure from Germany and across Europe. With over 25 years’ experience in measurement and control technology, the system integrator ensures that everything in data centres and buildings is automatically controlled, regulated, cooled and monitored for energy efficiency. The range of services extends from planning, manufacturing and programming through to the construction of systems, commissioning, maintenance and support beyond the system’s lifecycle. To enable the industrial and competitive manufacture of bespoke, one-off systems, all value-added processes at the company’s own plant in Leinefelde are consistently and comprehensively digitised and automated to the maximum extent – using software, hardware and automation solutions from Eplan, Rittal and Rittal Automation Systems.
Partnership for greater speed and customer benefit
“With Eplan and Rittal, we have the market leaders in electrical engineering and control cabinet technology on board. As an Application Centre Partner, we can now interact even more closely and seamlessly with one another and jointly develop the best products at high speed for our national and international customers,” says Tobias Funke, Managing Director and co-owner of TOBOL. “Industrialisation and standardisation are absolutely essential in the rapidly scaling data centre business. In TOBOL, we have an innovative partner that perfectly transfers its expertise from traditional industrial automation into the IT world and the data centre sector. Together, we are demonstrating in the key areas of power and cooling that significant cost savings can be achieved in manufacturing, commissioning and operation,” says Uwe Scharf, Managing Director of Sales for Germany and Europe at Rittal. “The data centre market is extremely dynamic, with ever-increasing and changing requirements. Suitable solutions can now only be developed through partnerships. Whether it’s measurement and control technology, power distribution, cooling or DC power in data centres – ultimately, our customers benefit from tailored solutions and from receiving exactly what they need, when they need it,” says Philipp Müller, Head of IT Sales at Rittal. “With TOBOL as a Rittal and Eplan Application Centre partner, we can give customers an on-site insight into highly digitalised value-added processes in switchgear manufacturing. Here, we demonstrate how data continuity works in practice, from engineering through to production – and how TOBOL harnesses this potential,” says Georg Schmidt-Reindahl, Head of Sales Germany North at Eplan.
Highly digitised value-added processes
The starting point for all value-added processes at the TOBOL plant in Leinefelde is the digital twin of each project. Software solutions such as Eplan Preplanning, Eplan P8 and Eplan Pro Panel are used, from which the manufacturing data for switch cabinet processing can be derived directly. These solutions control automation systems from Rittal Automation Systems, such as the Perforex BC drilling and milling centre, the Perforex LC laser centre and the Secarex cutting centre. The machinery is rounded off by the Wire Terminal WT C for fully automated wire termination. TOBOL has been using Rittal control cabinet systems such as the VX25, AX and CS Toptec for many years to assemble its systems.
Closely aligned with real-world practice
Decisions on automation solutions are not made in a showroom. Solutions must prove their worth in practice. At the Rittal and Eplan Application Centres, control and switchgear manufacturers can experience first-hand, on site, how they can further drive forward digitalisation and automation. In a real workshop environment, they can experience the efficiency of software and automation technology – before they invest in it themselves.
