Eaton - Experts & Thought Leaders

Skills for Security is proud to announce Toby Moulder from APM Fire and Security Ltd, trained by SGS College, has won the Electronic Fire & Security competition at the WorldSkills UK National Finals. WorldSkills UK brings together the most talented apprentices and learners from across the country to compete in industry-standard technical challenges. Future of the fire and security workforce The Electronic Fire & Security competition, judged by NSI and SSAIB, is designed in partnership with Skills for Security to benchmark the skills, knowledge and professional behaviours required within the fire and security industry. Darrell Gilmour, Director of Technical Education at Skills for Security, said: “WorldSkills UK is an important platform for raising the profile and standards of technical education in our sector. The competitors demonstrated exceptional discipline and a strong understanding of current industry practices. Their performance reflects the future of the fire and security workforce, one that is skilled, capable and ready to meet the demands of a fast-evolving industry.” This year’s finals saw competitors complete two days of intensive, real-world tasks covering system installation, fault-finding, configuration, compliance and customer-focused problem-solving. The event showcased technical ability alongside precision, resilience and the ability to work to professional standards under time pressure. Ongoing support of Skills for Security Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive, WorldSkills UK said: “Congratulations to all those who participated in the WorldSkills UK national competitions in Electronic Fire and Security Systems. We are grateful for the ongoing support of Skills for Security, which enables us to help apprentices develop their skills to the highest level. Our finalists represent the future of our economy." "They are the new generation of highflyers that will give UK employers a competitive edge.  Our competitions, based on global standards, play a vital role in developing the skills that will drive investment, create jobs, and fuel economic growth.” Scenario-based tasks Skills for Security congratulates Joseph Jenkins, representing AGS Security Systems and trained by Skills for Security who secured second place, and Declan Oneil representing ADT and trained by Banham who achieved third place. Highly recommended was Luke Wilson, representing Atlas World and trained by South Eastern Regional College. Each demonstrated professionalism, consistency and the ability to apply their training to complex, scenario-based tasks aligned to industry expectations. Collaboration with employers and sector experts WorldSkills UK competitions are developed in collaboration with employers and sector experts to ensure they reflect real-world practice. Skills for Security plays a pioneering role in designing and delivering the Electronic Fire & Security competition, ensuring it meets national training standards and supports the development of high-quality talent entering the profession. David Scott, Managing Director of Skills for Security concluded: “All finalists should be extremely proud of their achievements. The UK fire and security sector continues to grow and innovate, and we’re so proud to support WorldSkills UK and help ensure we are preparing the next generation of skilled professionals. These apprentices have shown they are more than ready to take their next steps in the industry.” Current industry standards This year’s competition was supported by industry partners including CSL Group, The Security Event (TSE), Texecom Ltd, C-TEC, GS Yuasa Battery Sales UK Ltd, FENIX Monitoring, Dahua UK & Ireland, and Eaton. Their support enabled the competition to be delivered to current industry standards, ensuring all tasks reflected the equipment and practices used across today’s fire and security sector.

Intelligent power management company - Eaton has launched the new Scantronic Secure Radio (SSR) Range, designed to make wireless intruder alarm systems faster to install, easier to upgrade and more tamper-proof. With over 50 years of security expertise, Eaton’s new SSR Range addresses the growing demand for flexible and secure systems. Traditional hard-wired set-ups The range combines fast structure, encrypted two-way touch and built-in cloud connectivity to secure buildings These can be deployed quickly for both residential and commercial use, without the disruption and limitations associated with traditional hard-wired set-ups.  The range combines fast installation, encrypted two-way communication and built-in cloud connectivity to ensure buildings are effectively protected against sophisticated threats.  New innovations New innovations in the range include: Cloud-based control with SecureConnect™ – Instantly upon installation, each system connects directly to Eaton’s SecureConnect™ platform via built-in Ethernet, with Wi-Fi and 4G options available. Installers can configure, monitor and update systems remotely, reducing site visits and improving response time. Signal Survey Mode – Built-in LED indicators show signal strength instantly, allowing installers to position devices for optimal performance before any drilling or fixing takes place. Backward compatibility – The SSR range works seamlessly with existing Eaton systems, making upgrades simple and cost-effective without the need to replace legacy devices. Reliability of a wired set-up SSR Range delivers the reliability of a wired set-up with the speed, flexibility, and remote control of a fully wireless solution The SSR Range delivers the reliability of a wired set-up with the speed, flexibility, and remote control of a fully wireless solution.  This eliminates the need for disruptive retrofitting in occupied buildings, while helping businesses stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated break-in attempts and cyber intrusion risks. New SSR Range “Our new SSR Range combines the rock-solid reliability for which the Scantronic brand is known, with the smart, connected features modern security professionals demand,” said Peter Regan, Product Line Manager, Eaton. He adds, “By removing the need for hard-wired cabling, installers can work faster and more efficiently, while still delivering the highest levels of security. Built-in cloud access, intuitive installation tools, and robust two-way encryption mean systems are easy to deploy and resilient against the sophisticated threats faced by today’s commercial and residential customers.”

With its worldwide online “Eplan L!VE” event on 14 May, this time around solutions provider Eplan is guest at Eaton in Hengelo. Enquiring minds can gain first-hand experience about how Eaton's facility in the Netherlands has optimised all its processes in engineering and manufacturing for maximum efficiency. In just two-and-a-half hours, online attendees will get a compact overview how new ideas and tried-and-tested solutions for greater productivity look on the ground. News on Eplan’s portfolio and strategies round off the programme. Benefits of a data-driven approach Dutch facility saw the benefits of a data-driven approach and recast its engineering method How can processes in engineering and switchgear system manufacturing be designed to be highly efficient? How can manufacturing be further automated? These are questions that Eaton in Hengelo asked itself years ago. The Dutch facility saw the benefits of a data-driven approach and converted its entire engineering methodology, including its processes, to work with Eplan. Eplan L!VE, now in its third round as an online format, will provide fascinating insights into this. Under the motto of “Forward Thinking from Design to Manufacture” will be streaming directly from Eaton’s production facility. New manufacturing approaches Attendees from around the world are invited to this online event to discover new manufacturing approaches that generate greater profitability in engineering and manufacturing. By the way, these approaches are in no way restricted to just larger corporations, but are also tailored for SMEs.  Eaton took a “one step at a time” approach and, depending on the task at hand, it can all be implemented at smaller control and switchgear system manufacturers. An in-depth look into engineering and manufacturing Eaton uses EEC to generate schematics, bills of materials, terminal diagrams and cabling lists Well over 1,500 attendees from around the globe will be tuned in online when the Eaton specialists will be showing how the in-house control and switchgear system design and manufacturing has been optimised for a high degree of automation and efficiency. The Eplan solutions used here play a decisive role – ensuring that a standardised foundation of data based on the digital twin is available from first designs all the way through to manufacturing. And if that weren’t enough, Eaton also uses Eplan Engineering Configuration (EEC) to automatically generate schematics, bills of materials, terminal diagrams and cabling lists – based on a new design methodology using functional engineering. Whereas the effort previously involved in updating documents linked to the schematics, including bills of materials, terminal diagrams and wiring lists, was immense, now these are all automatically kept up to date with Eplan. This is possible because everything goes back to a centralised source of data. Integration of manufacturing The company’s deep integration of manufacturing into this process is also bearing fruit – using Eplan Pro Panel, control cabinet layouts are designed in 3d, completely digitally, and the data provided is used for automatic cable routeing. The Wire Terminal WT from Rittal Automation Systems can produce up to 1,000 wires per day, all fully automatically.  The processing of copper rails can also be simplified with machines from Rittal Automation Systems. All the processes for wiring and manufacturing are designed to be extremely efficient and overall processes benefits from greater consistency based on the data from Eplan. Sneak preview and strategy Also of interest is the direct access to device data in the Data Portal from Eplan Electric P8 in the future These in-depth insights into Eaton’s design and manufacturing processes will be rounded off with a sneak preview of the upcoming Eplan Platform 2026. As just one example, on 14 May attendees with get a first look at how the different views in Eplan Pro Panel accelerate 3D navigation. Also of interest is the direct access to device data in the Data Portal from Eplan Electric P8 in the future. Last but not least, the new single-line technology in Eplan Preplanning is interesting for users who want to logically link symbols and components in the preplanning phase. Online event attendees can also expect a glimpse into the future of engineering: Eplan CEO Sebastian Seitz will be presenting Eplan’s future strategy and some highlights on future topics – including use cases on the topic of artificial intelligence. Background Eaton as the global intelligent power management company, has been a technology partner in the Eplan Partner Network since 2023 and specialises in the development, production and sales of power distribution systems, LV and MV switchgear systems and control devices at its facilities in Hengelo in the Netherlands. Eaton additionally provides a large number of its energy systems and components via directly integrated selectors in the Eplan Data Portal. The manufacturer also uses Eplan solutions for its in-house control system and switchgear system design and construction. Machines from Rittal Automation Systems simplify the company’s manufacturing processes – including the Rittal Wire Terminal WT and machines for processing copper rails.

It seems that only a few days pass between cyber security stories of concern to the public such as personal data leaks and DIY home camera hacks. With this in mind and the need for increased connectivity, the industry is in need for guidance in cyber security. 2020 is set to be a year of change for the physical security industry. Here are the top four predictions to stay head of market trends in the year ahead. 1. There will be more clarity for installers about industry-standard for cyber security The professional security industry will next year see the launch of a new set of cybersecurity guidelines Through the work being conducted by the BSIA Cyber Security Product Assurance Group (CySPAG), the professional security industry will next year see the launch of a new set of cybersecurity guidelines. This will provide the industry with the guidance and clarity that is currently missing. A key area of clarification is the chain of responsibility. It is not just the responsibility of the manufacturer to keep everything secure from a cyber-perspective. The whole supply chain is responsible - once a product leaves the lab where they’re manufactured, conditions change. Those who maintain, install and operate the product have a shared responsibility to ensure that a product or system remains cyber secure. As the sector develops and more cyber-enabled products become available to the market, this cyber security approach will become more important, and a key differentiator to the DIY market, which can only be a good thing. 2. Cloud and 4G connectivity are giving end-customers better physical security The percentage of panels connected to cloud services is now increasing every year Manufactures have been producing cloud-ready products for several years. Initially, not all installers had been taking advantage of benefits of cloud-connected panels, however the percentage of panels connected to cloud services is now increasing every year. Trust and education have improved, meaning that installers and end-users have realised that connectivity is positive, enabling consumers to check on their properties remotely and allow installer to remotely support their customers. However, one area of constraint has been the dependency on customers networks which may, or may not, offer the level of performance that a robust and resilient security system demands. With the introduction of mobile data connectivity to connected products over the past few years, and as connectivity becomes more widespread across physical security products there will also be a greater shift toward mobile technologies such as 4G, either as a back up to a router connection or for complete network independence. 3. Connectivity is changing the way installers work Installers are a vital part of the chain of when a new alarm system is fitted into a property Installers are a vital part of the chain of when a new alarm system is fitted into a property, providing both installation and maintenance services. Traditionally maintenance activities have always been delivered on-site. With the increased ease of connectivity for security systems and the advancements in how these systems are used, installers are provided further opportunity to enhance customer service around the delivery of maintenance. It is no longer a requirement to have a customer wait until an engineer can attend a property to remedy a fault, as many can now be addressed within minutes from any location in the world. This ability allows installation businesses to focus their engineers on more critical tasks while delivering an overall higher level of customer service. Indeed, some installation businesses are moving to a model of having dedicated remote support engineers in addition to the road-based team. 4. Manufacturers are ready for IP-only alarms, ahead of the 2025 analogue switch off The PSTN switch off being conducted by BT and other service providers is due to be completed in 2025 The PSTN switch off being conducted by BT and other service providers is due to be completed in 2025 as part of the move to Next Generation Networks, ending the use of analogue phone lines and moves communications technology into an all IP-only space. Although some service providers have indicated that there may be some type of initial PSTN simulation, those providers that are doing this are also making it clear that this is only a temporary solution. The switch off will be a huge change for the security industry. Where heritage, analogue alarm systems are in use, installers will need to plan to reconfigure existing systems to use the temporary PSTN simulation functions (where available) or upgrade systems to an all IP solution. Although 2025 feels a long way off, installers and end-users need to start planning now and taking the necessary action. In our sector, manufacturers are ready for IP-only alarms through the provision of cloud-based solutions and the use of techniques such as SIA IP for ARC monitoring.