In this article, you will learn about the top 10 most commonly used components in industrial automation, which are switching power supplies, programmable logic controllers, sensors, variable frequency inverters, filters, DTUs, circuit breakers, AC contactors, relays, and HMIs. We will introduce them one by one, now let’s take a deeper look.
Table of Contents
No 1: Switching Mode Power Supply
Switching power supply is abbreviated as SMPS, which can convert AC power into DC power, for example, it can convert AC110V, AC220V or AC380V to DC12V, DC24V or DC5V, etc.
As we all know, the transmission mode of power supply is AC high voltage, such as 10000VAC or higher. The higher the voltage, the less the transmission loss (P=I2R, R is the resistance of the transmission cable, which is fixed). Then, through the transformer, it will become the commonly used AC380V, AC220V or AC110V. However, in industrial automation, most components are powered by DC, such as PLC, LED lights or proximity sensors. The emergence of switching power supply just solves this pain point. Switching power supply is the most widely used electrical component in the entire industrial control system, and it can also be said that switching power supply is the most used
No 2: Programmable Logic Controller
Programmable Logic Controller is another most commonly used component in the field of industrial control. It also has a short name, usually called PLC. It is the brain of the industrial control system.
PLCs can be programmed to perform a variety of tasks, from simple on-off control to complex sequences and calculations. Designed to handle multiple inputs and outputs, they can manage sensors, motors, valves, and other machinery in an automated environment.
One of the main advantages of PLCs is their ruggedness and reliability. They can withstand the harsh conditions common in industrial environments, such as extreme temperatures, dust, and vibration. This ruggedness ensures that the PLC can maintain control of the process without frequent interruptions, helping to improve the overall reliability and uptime of industrial operations.
The famous PLC brands are Siemens, Mitsubishi, Rockwell Automation (Allen Bradley), Schneider Electric, Omron, ABB, and others.
No 3: Sensor
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PL-05N Inductive Proximity Sensor
Inductive Proximity Sensor -
M8 Capacitive Sensor
Capacitive Proximity Sensor -
E3JK-R4M1 AC/DC Retroreflective Photoelectric Sensor
Photoelectric Sensor -
Analog Inductive Proximity Sensor, M12, M18, M30
Inductive Proximity Sensor
The third most commonly used components are various sensors, such as proximity sensors, rotary encoders, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, force sensors, light sensors, flow sensors, fluid sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and magnetic sensors. In the next section, we will introduce the functions of each sensor:
- Proximity sensor: used to detect the proximity of an object without physical contact, often used to locate, count, and detect the presence of an object.
- Rotary encoder: provides position feedback, often used to track the position of rotating or moving parts, such as machine tools, robot arms, etc.
- Temperature sensor: measures the temperature of the environment or object, which is essential for controlling heating and cooling processes.
- Humidity sensor: detects the humidity of the environment, which is very important for controlling air humidity and certain chemical reactions.
- Force sensor: measures the force acting on an object, often used in robot grippers, presses, etc.
- Light sensor: detects light intensity, used to automatically adjust lighting or detect objects in vision systems.
- Flow sensor: measures the flow rate of a fluid (liquid or gas), often used to monitor and control fluids in pipelines.
- Liquid level sensor: detects the liquid level in a container, used to prevent overflow or ensure adequate fluid supply.
- Ultrasonic sensor: uses ultrasonic signals to measure distance or detect objects, often used in automated assembly lines and material handling systems.
- Magnetic sensor: detects the presence of a magnetic field, used for position detection, speed measurement, and current detection.
No 4: Variable Frequency Drive
A variable frequency drive, or VFD for short, is a device that controls the speed and torque of a motor by changing the output frequency. A VFD is mainly composed of three parts: a rectifier, an intermediate circuit, and an inverter.
The VFD is the 4th mostly used component in the industrial control field, it is widely used in elevators, conveyor belt systems, blender, water pump etc. The frequency converter can also achieve soft start and soft stop, reduce the impact on the motor and mechanical parts, and extend the life of the equipment.
No 5: Filter
The filter is composed of capacitors and resistors. Through different combinations of capacitors and resistors, we can use it to filter out noise in the circuit, thereby ensuring the stability of the circuit. The filters can be divided into low-pass filter, high-pass filter, band-pass filter, band-stop filter, and all-pass filter.
A low-pass filter allows low-frequency signals to pass through the circuit, while a high-pass filter does the opposite and only allows high-frequency signals to pass through; a band-pass filter allows signals in a specific frequency range to pass through; a band-stop filter does the opposite and does not allow signals in a specific frequency range to pass through, but allows signals of other frequencies to pass through; an all-pass filter allows signals of all frequencies to pass through.
Please choose the appropriate filter according to your needs.
No 6: DTU
DTU, also known as data transmission unit, is mainly used to transmit data. It can convert local data such as RS485, RS232, RS422 into TCP/IP data that can be transmitted over long distances through wireless networks.
We can find the DTU in many scenarios such as environmental monitoring, pipeline monitoring, industrial monitoring and agricultural monitoring etc.
No 7: Circuit Breaker
Circuit breaker is another important component in industrial automation, which is mainly used to protect people from short circuit and electric shock and to protect loads from overload and overcurrent.
If classified by purpose and current size, circuit breakers can be divided into air circuit breakers (ACB, suitable for high current commercial and industrial use), molded case circuit breakers (MCCB, for higher current protection) and miniature circuit breakers (MCB, suitable for small current use in households).
No 8: AC Contactor
AC contactor is an actuator commonly used in the field of industrial automation. It is a switch that connects or disconnects the load through a small AC voltage. For more knowledge about the AC contactor, please have a look at our this article: Contactor: A Deepest Insights In 2023
No 9: Relay
The relays are also another most frequently used component. The relays according to the usage differences can be divided into electromagnetic relays, overload relays, time delay relays, speed relays, solid state relays, reed relays, DC contactors, AC contactors, vacuum contactors, peak switching relay, momentary open relays.
No 10: HMI
HMI, short for Human Machine Interface, is a visual display that allows operators to easily “communicate” with the machine.
HMI allows operators to interact with machines in a graphical way to achieve control, monitoring and operation functions. It usually consists of hardware and software. The hardware part includes display screen, buttons, indicator lights, etc., while the software provides a graphical interface and interactive functions.
HMI is the tenth most commonly used component in industrial controls.
Conclusion
Now we have finished the detailed introduction for the top 10 most commonly used components in industrial automation control, each component is indispensable and can not be replaced by another.
At Lorentzzi, you can easily find the industrial control products that suit your needs. Our rich experience can help you avoid detours and save your valuable time.
