Commercial control systems are essential across construction and engineering industries, allowing them to operate a machine or a whole factory process. Understanding the components that every commercial electrical control system should have will help you choose the right equipment for your business and maximize your investment.
Understanding the components of an electrical control system is crucial to optimized operations, cost-efficiency, and safety. The operator should know how the system works as a whole and how every component works individually.
Keep reading to better understand how a commercial electrical control system works, its components and how they interact with each other.
What Is a Control Panel?
A control panel is an automated device or set of devices that controls, distributes, transforms, and regulates electrical energy in an industrial setting. It works as an interface between the operator and the system while ensuring safety. Control panels are usually customized to perform in a specific industry and for a particular application.
What Are the Industrial Control Panel Components?
Internal and external control panel components communicate and interact to perform a specific task within an industrial process or perform the whole process. The parts of an electrical control system may vary according to the application and customization. We’ve organized essential parts into categories below.
Power Management
The following are key power management components:
- Power supply: The power supply is essential to any commercial electrical control system. It provides current from the power source, converting alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) to supply power to all components.
- Electric power distribution: The electric power distribution is responsible for converting the incoming electrical power into the current levels and providing consistent power to the different components in an industrial control panel.
- Transformers: Transformers are essential to the safety and longevity of your control panel. They adjust the AC voltage to each component’s needs to ensure that every component receives the correct voltage levels.
- Surge protection devices: Surge protection devices (SPDs) are essential components for extending the life of your system and ensuring the operator’s safety. When receiving excessive voltage, the SPD will divert it to the ground.
- Fuses: Fuses are safety mechanisms that prevent electrical devices from being damaged and lower the risk of electrical fires. They disconnect the circuit when the current exceeds the established limit.
- Circuit breaker box: The circuit breaker box is part of a breaker panel that disconnects the circuit before excessive electrical current can damage it. Some parts of a circuit breaker box are the frame, operating mechanism, extinguisher, and trip unit.
Control
Below are important control components for industrial electrical control systems:
- Switches: Switches are a type of mechanically operated contactor. They allow the power to be lowered to a normal current, turning off or breaking a component current, and increasing safety, especially for machine control circuits.
- Relays: Relays are a type of contactor that allows the control of other electrical components by using an electromagnet to change from a low to a high current depending on the need, making them one of the essential components in a control panel.
- Contacts and connectors: Contacts and connectors are similar to contactors (switches and relays). They switch on and off electrical circuits and are designed to control electrical inputs for devices with higher electrical currents.
Protection
Protective features, including the following, are crucial for safe and efficient operation:
- Grounding panel: Grounding panels connect different devices in the control panel to the ground as a means of safety, creating a path from the circuit to the ground and reducing the risk of fire hazards or electrical shocks.
- Enclosures: Enclosures are aluminum or stainless steel boxes that keep the control panel components protected from weather and other external risks and out of sight.
- Fans: Fans, air conditioners, or heat exchangers are cooling systems that help keep the temperature of your system within the limits that allow the control panel to operate smoothly. Cooling systems are crucial to prevent damage to your equipment.
Communication and Monitoring
The human machine interface (HMI) links the operator and the control system. It allows the operator to interact with and monitor the system through user-friendly devices.
Communications enable the different components in your commercial electrical control system to coordinate. They can use ethernet, networking, or PLCs to connect different devices.
Commercial electrical control systems have built-in and automated safety measures. Documentation and training are not physical components of a control panel but are essential to its operation. Having a manual that includes a diagram of the electrical panel parts and providing a proper training program to operators, including the NFPA 70 E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, will ensure the smooth operation of your commercial electrical control system and prevent accidents.
Motor drives monitor motor operations to ensure an efficient industry process. Their main components are programmable logic controllers (PLC), manual motor starters, and variable frequency drives.
Other important communication components include:
- Programmable logic controller: Programmable logic controllers are the brains of your commercial electrical control system. They are installed inside the control panel for industrial and manufacturing setups and allow the control of electrical and mechanical equipment.
- Motor starters: Motor starters are a component of motor drives. They are used to start or stop an electrical motor for commercial applications, providing a stable electrical current that increases safety.
- Variable frequency drives: Variable frequency drives (VFD) are components of motor drives that control the speed and rotation of electrical motors.
Connections
The following are essential connective components for electrical control systems:
- Wiring and cables: Wiring and cables are used to put the control panel together. The control panel wiring assembly is inside the enclosure, allowing each part to connect and communicate with each other. Cables are usually thicker than wires and connect the control pane to devices outside the control panel.
- Terminal blocks: Terminal blocks manage circuits by connecting multiple or ground electrical wires. They are usually insulated to add safety.
- DIN rails: DIN rails are a type of terminal block. They are metal strips that allow wires to be connected and organized in industrial applications, control devices, and equipment enclosures.
Turn to Thompson Power Systems for Your Business’s Power Needs
At Thompson Power Systems, we understand your business needs. We can assess you and provide rental, new equipment, and used options. We want to see your business succeed, so we have a wide inventory and financial plans so you can keep your investment on budget.
If you are in Alabama or northwest Florida, reach out to one of our executives so we can help you acquire the right power systems or generator sets for your business needs. After your purchase, we provide service to keep your equipment running at all times.
Contact us to get started today.
