Purdue University and Rittal and Eplan celebrated the opening of two new learning labs in Dudley Hall. The Eplan Electrical Engineering Technology Projects Lab and the Rittal Technology Manufacturing Lab build on an international partnership announced in October 2025 to strengthen workforce development and prepare students for careers in advanced smart manufacturing.
Purdue is engaged in a five‑year collaboration as the primary U.S. academic research partner within the Rittal + Eplan Partner Network. The collaboration reflects Rittal and Eplan’s broader commitment to strengthening education with technologies and integrated workflows increasingly used across industry.
Developed through a collaboration between Purdue Polytechnic Institute and Rittal and Eplan, companies within Germany-based Friedhelm Loh Group, the labs bring industry expertise and engineering technology into Purdue’s learning environment while helping create a pipeline of skilled talent.
Central to Purdue’s School of Engineering Technology, the new labs will give engineering technology students hands-on experience with the digital engineering, physical infrastructure and automation technologies used throughout industry.
By bringing these capabilities into a connected learning environment, students can experience how digital engineering connects with physical infrastructure and automated manufacturing, from electrical design and documentation through system configuration, assembly and production. This integrated approach mirrors how manufacturers are increasingly connecting engineering and production to improve efficiency, standardization and scalability while providing students with industry-relevant skills applicable across major American industries, including automotive, aerospace and manufacturing.
As the primary U.S. academic research partner within the Rittal + Eplan Partner Network, Purdue’s collaboration with the companies expands beyond the new labs. The partnership also includes plans for scholarships, internships, workforce development opportunities, and joint research and development initiatives.
For more information, visit purdue.edu.
The post Purdue opens Rittal and Eplan engineering labs appeared first on Engineering.com.