Fast and accurate information flow by protecting your automation control and command

Transportation, Energy, and Manufacturing are one of many markets that rely on electronic devices that will operate in harsh inside and outside locations. Protecting control and data communications networks in automation systems is necessary to prevent failures of components inside enclosures, the goal is fast and accurate information flow allowing decisions to be made in real time.

These markets utilize discrete control or continuous control and many plants are in a hybrid phase of both discrete and continuous control. The challenge becomes communicating between automation systems that have been installed from different vendors over a number of years and upgrading the enclosures that they are housed in.

Shown: Typical food plant - Enclosures with sloped roofs, replaceable gaskets, internal hinges, Stainless Steel, in wash down zones

Transportation, Energy, and Manufacturing have similar questions that need to be addressed when evaluating how to protect their investment.

1. Outside installation, what type of environment are you expecting, dust, rain, sleet, hot, cold?

2. Inside, what type of environment are you expecting, dust, oily, hot, cold, flammable?

3. Standalone cabinet, Wall mount, pole mount?

4. NEMA ratings NEMA 4X, IP69K, etc.?

5. Material, Fiberglass, Carbon steel, Stainless?

6. Inside Mounting requirements? 

7. Modifications, Holes, Cutouts, (Fans, Windows) Connections in general?

8. Temperature control?

9. Cable entry?

10. Vendor partner?

Shown: PC, Monitor, Printer, protection & HD Junction box and enclosure, various support arms

Plant engineers are integrating more points of data collection capability for programming, maintenance and collecting information from their plants, taking into account how to get the information from the edge and back.

Shown: High density control using corrosion resistant enclosures, with internal hinges, and replaceable gaskets 

For example; Plant Floor environments include an assortment of communications, such as machine to machine (M2M) communications which facilitate efficient primary control over a process, Machine to Enterprise (M2E) communications is the primary connectivity with Business Systems that provide overall reporting, scheduling and inventory management functions.

Machine to machine (M2M) communications, communication between machines using industrial protocols.

Machine to enterprise (M2E) communications is used as direct connectivity to business systems such as MES (manufacturing execution system) and ERP systems (Enterprise resource planning) to manage core business processes.

New breakthroughs in enclosure technology not only protect the internal components, they monitor internal temperatures to heat or cool the core contents. Ensuring that plant operators can rely on deploying systems that keep track of quite a few control points.

For example;

Machine breakdowns Changing setup times Cleaning & maintenance times

Changing delivery dates Quality problems Alternative work plans

Alternative parts list Availability of transport Availability of quality resources

Recommendations:

Look for partners to advise you on planning, installation and operating stages of your projects.

Rittal for example will review of your projects, having System Consultants to assist you looking at the entire process, and providing a detailed analysis of your plans. The goal is to provide useful suggestions on how to increase efficiency, maximize the benefits of your network, and reduce weak points such as temperature and environment, increasing component life & employee safety.

Rittal invites you to learn more at: www.Rittal.com