Industrial control panels manage various equipment in manufacturing facilities and beyond. Each contains different components that efficiently get the job done. Continue reading to check out the different types of industrial control panels.
Distributed Control Systems
Distributed Control Systems (DCS) use a distributed architecture to automate and control industrial processes. Multiple controllers connect with a communication network, creating a decentralized control system. Power plants, oil refineries, chemical plants, and other large-scale industrial applications use DCS. They can handle complex automation and control tasks, like optimizing the process performance, coordinating process unit operations, and monitoring an equipment’s status.
Industrial Automation and Control Systems
This industrial control panel is a broad term encompassing every technology used to automate and control industrial processes. Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS) are common across many industries, like power generation, manufacturing, and oil and gas. These systems improve safety, reliability, and efficiency by accomplishing the following:
- Monitoring the equipment’s status
- Improving process optimization
- Automating repetitive tasks
- Processing and gathering data
- Enabling more informed decision-making
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
Industrial control panels monitor and control industrial processes over wide areas, and that’s where Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) comes into play. SCADA supervises and monitors large-scale industrial processes, like transportation systems, water treatment, and power generation and distribution.
Motor Control Center
Electric vehicles use Motor Control Centers (MCC) for control and protection. The MCC combines circuit breakers, motor starters, and other electrical components to protect and manage the motor. The design of the MCC is compact, making it easy to install. Engineers can use this component as part of a large or stand-alone system.
Programmable Automation Controllers
This type of control system combines the functionality of programmable logic controllers (PLC) and programmable controllers (PC) in a single unit, which allows for more advanced automation and controls. It can operate complex software applications. Programmable automation controllers (PACs) benefit water treatment plants, manufacturing, and the food and beverage industry. A traditional PLC can compute vast amounts of memory and power, and PACs allow for more. This boost provides more advanced control algorithms, communication protocols, and data logging.
Xpect Solutions will work with your company to create the industrial control panel type it needs. We offer electrical control panel design services and are the industry leaders that offer incredible expertise and experience. Turn to us for all your industrial control panel needs, and you’ll quickly see why we’re great at what we do!