Exploring Terminal Block Reports in EPLAN: A Recent Customer Engagement

Last week, I received an intriguing request from a valued customer in Colorado:

"Kruno, not sure if this is an option, but on terminal block views, can it display the wire going into the terminal and/or its destination? Just curious, our production team was asking."

This question caught my attention, especially given the late hour. We scheduled a call for the following morning to delve into the options. For many in North America, the preference often leans towards identifying connections using a Connection Designation property. Naturally, when a production team—eager for continuous improvement—requests to see this information in a terminal diagram, it becomes a compelling challenge.

What excites me about customers like these is their relentless pursuit of optimization and their willingness to push the boundaries of what's possible with the software. These customers challenge the status quo and seek the most efficient solutions, and I am thrilled to assist them in achieving their goals.

So, how did we address this request in EPLAN?

Fortunately, EPLAN offers a range of pre-built report templates, which makes this process quite straightforward. We selected a terminal diagram template (F13.005) that was close to the desired result. By creating a copy of this template and adjusting a few properties—changing from DT to Connection Designation—we were able to meet the customer's needs.

The entire call lasted less than 30 minutes, yet the impact was substantial. The ability to display wire connections and destinations in the terminal diagram not only enhanced clarity but also provided valuable insights for the production team.

In summary, it's often the seemingly small adjustments that can lead to significant improvements. Engaging with customers who actively seek such enhancements is always a rewarding experience. Their feedback drives innovation and helps refine the tools we use every day.

How do you handle such requests or improvements in your own processes? Are there any specific features you wish were available or more intuitive in your software tools?

Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences!