Summary: Eplan’s Vision for End-to-End Digital Engineering.

At Eplan Next26 in Munich, Jan Fleming, Vice President Customer Journey at Eplan, highlighted the importance of connecting engineering data across the entire industrial value chain, from initial planning to operations. While AI, cloud services and automation offer significant productivity gains, their success depends on reliable, standardized and reusable data.

AI and engineering automation. Eplan Copilot introduces an AI-powered assistant that helps engineers access verified information and software functions using natural language. Initially based on Eplan’s validated expertise, it is expected to evolve towards more autonomous capabilities as its knowledge base expands. However, Eplan emphasizes that reliable data and a suitable architecture must come first.

Eplan 2027 as a unified data platform. The latest platform release aims to simplify and automate engineering workflows, improve cloud-based data synchronization and encourage the reuse of standardized engineering functions. Fleming stresses that productivity gains do not depend on AI alone: standardization, rule-based automation and reusable designs already enable companies to manage more projects with existing resources.

Connecting engineering with production and procurement. Examples presented at Next26 demonstrate the practical value of high-quality engineering data. At an Eaton factory in China, robots inspect electrical cabinets and compare physical wiring labels with engineering documentation. Eplan Smart Sourcing also connects electrical design with procurement, allowing engineers to check component availability and delivery times early in the planning process.

Open standards and digital twins. Standards such as the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) and ECLASS Advanced are essential to enabling consistent data exchange between manufacturers, engineering teams and operators. Eplan’s Data Portal already contains more than four million static and configurable device specifications from over 550 manufacturers. Standardized data makes it easier to automate processes and reuse information across different systems.

Practical applications of the AAS. Eplan and Phoenix Contact are developing a Product Change Notification (PCN) solution based on the AAS. When a component changes, is discontinued or receives a safety-related update, engineers can be notified and identify the affected projects. This illustrates how open standards can deliver tangible value by ensuring that important information reaches the people who need to act on it.

Looking ahead to Eplan Next27. Scheduled for 9–10 June 2027 in Cologne, the event will provide an opportunity to assess progress in implementing the AAS and developing end-to-end digital processes.

Key takeaway

Eplan’s strategy is to move beyond individual engineering tools towards a connected digital ecosystem in which data flows seamlessly between manufacturers, machine builders, component suppliers, procurement teams and operators. AI-driven and increasingly autonomous engineering will only reach its full potential when data is consistent, standardized and accessible throughout the entire process.