How Electrical Control Panels are Steering Industrial Machinery

Rohith Ram

The rising demand for factory automation and an increase in need for equipment safety is driving the electrical control panel market growth. Moreover, the proliferation in new industries and machinery has driven the installation of an electric control panel for offices, warehouses, workshops, etc. This factor is likely to propel the growth of the electric control panel market. A rise in Research & Development investment to increase the electrical system efficiency is expected to offer productive growth opportunities for the global electric control panel market in the coming years.

There is a general belief that the Indian power sector has been characterized by power-cuts, economic losses, system inefficiencies and out-dated last mile networks. While the sector has been undergoing a renovation in the recent times, the coronavirus pandemic emphasized the need of accelerated technological upgradation. Here on, the focus on implementation of smart technologies like an evolved grid system, smart metering, digital asset management will help transform the seemingly traditional, manpower-heavy sector into a smarter, more efficient power system with each element in the value chain re-imagining their processes and focusing more on infrastructure.

Evolving control panel size
One of the biggest differences in how control panels are manufactured today is how much smaller all of the components are. Regardless of market, real estate is a finite resource and the size of a panel affects how much room is left in a plant for production. All of the components have been getting smaller, but most notably the brains of the panels, the PLCs (programmable logic controller), have decreased in size.

Initially, the most popular PLC, The Allen-Bradley PLC-5, was 2.5’ tall. Today, ControlLogix, MicroLogix, and CompactLogix PLCs are about a quarter of the size, freeing up a lot of room inside the panel. Overall, what used to fit in a five-door control panel can now fit into a three or four door panel and this is a trend that’s going to continue.

Improved control panel efficiency
Control panels today are a lot more energy efficient than they were twenty years ago. Electrical components are becoming much more efficient as technology becomes better. This efficiency is allowing components to run cooler with less energy loss, therefore less heat being released from the components. The manufacturers are now following specified air spacing requirements around components, allowing them to properly dissipate heat.

Twenty years ago, most panels were controlled with AC power and now it’s DC power. This shift in control voltage means different power consumption. When the power coming into the panel is used more efficiently, the components give off less heat and can then be placed closer together as per the safety ratings. Closer components also contribute to the smaller footprint of panels compared with earlier.

Increase in the safety of the control panels
Control panel safety has come a long way. The major increases in safety have resulted from control voltages dropping to 24VDC as well as 95% of components being manufactured “finger safe”.

This means that all live parts are either encapsulated or recessed into the part, making it nearly impossible to have an accident. This greatly reduces the risk of shock or injury in the event that an operator happens to touch a live part with their body or tools. The 5% of components that are not built finger safe don't go overlooked. The companies fabricate lexan covers to increase the safety of these devices.

Control panels have a lot more arc flash controls today. Arc flash is the light and heat produced from an arc fault, a type of electrical explosion or discharge that results from a low-impedance connection through an electrical system. Up to 77% of all electrical injuries are caused by arc flash incidents. All of the panels are now NEC/NFPA 70E/508A compliant which protects against arc flash and makes the panels safer for the operators.

Regular maintenance and additional training to operate and troubleshoot device restrain the growth of the global electric control panel market.

The need for a better control panel communication
Today, ethernet is the standard communication system for control panels. Before ethernet control, there was no standard, which often required a lot more work. Previous systems included ControlNet, DeviceNet, and DH Plus. This lack of standardization required a lot of different programming as the separate protocols didn’t always interact seamlessly with one another. Many of these protocols are still around, but when a panel is replaced or refurbished, Ethernet is typically what replaces their communication systems.

Wireless panel communication is definitely on the horizon, but there are still a lot of challenges in combating electronic noise. Most plants and facilities that these control panels are being installed in are very electronically “noisy” places which cuts down on the distance wireless communication can travel and the quality of that wireless signal.

Higher quality control panel fabrication
After adopting new technology, the layouts are made using AutoCAD. The main issue affecting the longevity of the control panels is when their components become obsolete because panels are changing at a faster rate now than they have in the past. Technology is evolving so quickly, some of the panels become out dated before they stop functioning. The most common reason a plant may choose to switch to a newer model is due to power efficiency.

We can anticipate seeing a faster rate of change in the near future. The Internet of Things, wireless technology and a continued focus on safety and efficiency are going to continue transforming the control panel world. Although with the advancements made through technology, the future seems to be in the hands of green energy as more emphasis is being laid on reducing the impact of global warming.

Green Energy: The way forward
Renewable energy is expected to form 70% of fresh capacity expansion expected over the next 5 years. This would help achieve India’s commitment to increase renewable share in total generation to 40% by fiscal 2030 from current 25% as part of the Paris climate deal.

According to International Energy Agency (IEA), India would be the largest contributor to the renewable upswing in 2021, and the country’s annual additions are expected to double in 2021 compared to 2020. Strong government focus which is evident from the fiscal and regulatory incentives, viability gap funding and execution support in terms of land and evacuation infrastructure is expected to support this upswing. Apart from the support for setting up new capacities, the government has lent significant comfort to private investors by ensuring better payment security mechanism and enforcement of signed PPAs to avoid tariff-related disputes.

While most of the upcoming PPAs under the central level schemes have at least two layered payment mechanisms (letter of credit and payment security funds), going forward with the finalization of competitive bidding guidelines by MNRE, even state nodal agencies and discoms will have to keep provisions for dual payment security mechanism. Additionally, the improved availability of low-cost finance will fuel the capacity addition and help sustain the private sector interest. Sizeable investments are also expected in improving the energy storage solutions and dynamic load management which would help in maintaining constant generation, thereby producing a smooth generation curve and reducing a sharp ramp–up or ramp-down for other plants connected to the grid.

The electric control panel industry is expected to grow at a steady pace as many government initiatives are being taken in order to promote greener and better energy available for all and also the mindset of the general public is also changing to reduce the emissions that produce global warming.