Purdue, Eplan, Rittal Establish Partnership

Purdue University and Rittal and Eplan, sister companies in industrial and electrical engineering solutions and automation, have set up a major strategic partnership.

The 5-year collaboration centers around the Purdue Polytechnic Institute and was confirmed at a management meeting in Germany in July. The partnership will see Purdue join the Rittal + Eplan Partner Network as a research partner with a focus on design of advancing smart manufacturing education and preparing students for the next industrial revolution.

As part of the agreement, Purdue will open an EPLAN Electrical Engineering Technology Projects Lab within Purdue’s Dudley Hall. More joint projects on campus will follow. The collaboration will provide Purdue students and faculty with access to an integrated ecosystem of hardware and software in the automation and fabrication sectors.

The partnership also includes plans for scholarships, internships, and joint research and development initiatives, with potential engagement extending to the Purdue Polytechnic High School network. The cooperation will include a number of Eplan software licenses for students and further investments by Rittal and Eplan.

“Purdue Polytechnic has always sought to prepare new generations for tech-driven industries, and this partnership is the perfect embodiment of that mission,” says Daniel Castro, Purdue Polytechnic dean. 

The partnership is designed to create a direct pipeline of skilled talent for industry while providing students with exposure to technologies used by leading companies everywhere. Purdue students will gain hands-on experience with the Eplan platform for electrical engineering design and the related data-driven approach with automation systems and system enclosures from Rittal.

For Rittal and Eplan, the partnership represents an investment in the future of the U.S. workforce and opportunity to collaborate on research. As part of the Friedhelm Loh Group, the companies engage with science and education in Europe and are extending this model to the United States.

“Purdue Polytechnic’s tradition of preparing their students for immediate industry impact makes them the perfect match,” says Niko Mohr, CEO of Rittal and executive board member at Friedhelm Loh Group. “Purdue will continue to build on its excellent reputation through cooperation with industrial top players, while Rittal and Eplan look forward to smart impulses from cutting-edge research and education. Purdue students will be the engineers who bring advanced concepts to the U.S. economy, applying their knowledge to drive the next wave of industrial innovation.

“The U.S. economy has a great opportunity for growth,” Mohr says. “A deep understanding of data-driven automation with high-quality data right from the start is the key to unlocking this growth especially in an era of skilled labor shortages. That domain knowledge forms the basis for the next level: real-life value creation with industrial AI.”

This fall, Purdue students will develop a capstone project to be displayed in the innovation area of the Rockwell Automation Fair. Rittal and Eplan are sponsoring the project and will also bring more than 100 Purdue students to the national event. Advancing the partnership, executives from Rittal and Eplan will join the Purdue Polytechnic Dean’s Advisory Council.

About Purdue Polytechnic

Purdue Polytechnic is one of the ten academic colleges of Purdue University. With a focus on hands-on learning, industry partnerships and a curriculum designed for real-world application, the Polytechnic prepares graduates to be innovators, Purdue explains.

About Rittal and Eplan

Rittal is a global systems supplier for hardware, software and automation. Rittal has solutions for industrial, IT, energy, power and cooling applications. Eplan has established design software solutions for machine and panel builders and supports the fields of electrical, automation and mechatronic engineering. Rittal and Eplan are part of the owner-operated Friedhelm Loh Group which operates worldwide, with 13 production sites and 95 international subsidiaries. It has 12,600 employees.   

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.