Electrical Panel Fabrication boosted Manufacturing Industry Performance

The optimization and automation of industrial activities are essential to the fabrication of control panels. Companies use electrical control panels to operate mechanical devices. It enables the control panel operator to handle the equipment. MWI is one of the best Electrical Panel Fabrication platforms providing thousands of consoles and control panels for many industries. The electrical control panels are essential to any integrated and automated fabrication operation. The control panels can manage many electrical devices and generate signals to assign operations for machines and equipment. However, Control Panel System is one of the key components of electrical engineering.

Types of Electrical Control Panels

Various types of electrical control panels are used to operate different equipment in manufacturing facilities. These control panels feature different components to execute different programmed functions. Control panels can turn equipment ON or OFF, control motor speed, direct movements, open or close valves, and other operations. MWI is also an Electrical Control Panel Company and delivering the best and cost-effective solutions. The most common control panel types are following:

PLC Control Panels

PLCs are commonly used in industrial operations to connect and monitor input devices such as sensors, switches, and relays. They can execute programmed outputs such as open or close a valve and stop or start a motor.

VFD Control Panels

VFDs are motor controllers used to maintain motor speed with different inputs of frequency and voltage. They can also control motor ramp-up and ramp-down during starting or stopping the motor. These motor controllers or VFDs give many benefits including enhanced system efficiency and energy consumption reduction.

MCCs                                            

The MCC is known as a motor control center and uses one or more vertical cabinet sections. It contains a power distribution component and mounts locations for motor controllers. Each motor controller features a contactor or motor starter in an MCC panel. An overload relay in the MCC panel protects the motor and circuit protection components such as fuses and circuit breakers.

Operator Stations or HMI Panels

HMI (human-machine interface) panel or operator stations feature an industrial display. It uses graphical layouts describing machines and devices in a system. They enable equipment operators to interact with their industrial control systems and execute commands. It can monitor machine statuses such as warnings, run time, production levels, faults, and many other measures.

Key Components of Industrial Control Panels

Transformers: Transformers are used to increase or decrease AC voltages between circuits.

Power Supply: A power supply is used to convert AC (alternating current) voltage to DC (direct current) voltage.

Fuses: A fuse provides safety to devices and protects an electric circuit from overloading with higher current.

Relays: These are magnetically or electronically operated switches to make or break the connection of a device. Relays use low currents to flow through an input circuit and convert into higher currents.

Overload Relay: The overload relay prevents a motor from consuming more amps than the allowed current and protects from overheating. A circuit breaker protects a motor with a limit of higher amps than a full-load.

Disconnect Switch: The disconnect switches come in various styles and different form factors. The major objective of a switch is to disconnect the control panel electrical supply completely. 

Contactors: The contactors are similar to relays and switch an electrical current ON or OFF. Connectors use higher currents while relays use lower currents to perform functions.

Circuit Breakers: Circuit breakers can effectively protect an electrical circuit from sudden damages. It detects the excessive flow of electrical current and opens or breaks the circuit to stop the current flow.

Terminal Blocks: Terminal blocks or connectors used to attach two or more electrical wires together. You can arrange connectors together to power many components in the control panel from a single power source.

Motor Drives: There are various types of motor drives to serve many specific functions. Their key function is to control a connected motor such as Servo Drives and VFDs.

Motor Starters: This device has the ability to combine an overload relay and a contactor to manage the electrical output of a motor. The motor starters include a manual ON-OFF switch and provide overload protection for operating motors.

PLC (Programmable Logic Controller): PLC or programmable logic controller is specifically designed for industrial operations to control manufacturing processes. Most PLCs are designed to operate in factories and use specific programmed computer language. They can monitor sensor input status to control output.