Modular engineering, leaner processes, a standardized software landscape, and fewer errors – the strategic partnership between engineering software specialist Aucotec and Sunfire, a technology leader in the field of H₂ from Dresden, solves several challenges for the electrolysis company at once. Sunfire now relies on the Engineering Base (EB) cooperation platform, developed by Aucotec.

It's no secret that the international H₂ market still lacks sufficient electrolysis capacity for the required quantities of H₂. Aucotec aims to assist electrolyzer manufacturers to increase their capacities more rapidly to realize ambitious growth opportunities. The focus lays on optimized and scalable engineering processes for shorter project periods. Aucotec´s solution for that: the data-centered cooperation platform EB. Its data-driven approach and cross-disciplinary engineering capabilities also convinced Sunfire: “For us, the object-oriented data model of Engineering Base forms the foundation for significantly more efficient and agile plant development as well as for cross-disciplinary modularization throughout our entire design process," emphasizes Dr. Wolfgang Staroske, Director of Project Engineering at Sunfire. "EB enables all engineering disciplines to work together collaboratively and simultaneously, where every change or addition is immediately visible and trackable for everyone involved."

With EB, Sunfire can not only standardize its previously fragmented engineering software landscape but also significantly reduce the susceptibility to errors through consistent data and automatic change management. "This increases the documentation quality. At the same time, EB bundles company know-how centrally in its database," says Staroske. "This allows us to work much more efficiently and we expect to reduce our personnel costs." EB's ability to modularize across disciplines is a particular focus for Sunfire. "We work with highly standardized modules that can be 'clicked together' and scale up plants by multiplying the modules," says Staroske.

"The platform has fulfilled our most important requirements: complete object orientation, crystal-clear navigation options and better electrical and process engineering functions. We spent a long time exploring the market, and it was EB that finally impressed us," adds Staroske. "The partnership with Aucotec will help to produce green H₂ on a large scale and promote profitable business models for a sustainable world."

In the near future, Sunfire intends to leverage EB's engineering data company-wide for various applications. EB's software architecture, with its open API, enables intelligent and machine-to-machine data exchange with other tools. Furthermore, Sunfire anticipates an increasing demand for licenses, which will be addressed through Aucotec's flexible token license model.

For Aucotec, the cooperation with Sunfire is an important step: "EB enables a unique combination of the advantages of a highly standardized product world with the individual requirements in the field of plant engineering," explains Uwe Vogt, member of the Executive Board of the Aucotec AG. "It perfectly aligns with our focus on sustainability that we have convinced this innovative company from such a promising, sustainability-oriented technology environment."