Low-Cost Panels, High-Cost Problems: The True Price of Compromising on Automation Control Panel Quality

When purchasing automation control panels for industrial applications, companies often get quotes from several manufacturers and choose the lowest-cost option. While some manufacturers are large enough to maintain quality while offering a low price, others reduce their costs by cutting corners in panel design, manufacturing, and testing. These cost-cutting measures can hurt customer businesses by causing downtime, project delays, equipment failures, safety issues, and other costly problems.

This article details the issues caused by these quality slashes, describes how “low-cost” panels can actually cost you more, offers tips for evaluating the overall cost of panel ownership, and emphasizes the importance of panel quality in minimizing downtime.

Issues Caused by Low-Quality Automation Control Panels

As a manufacturer of control panels for over 40 years, Cates Control Systems is often sought out for consultation by companies having issues with control panels designed or manufactured by other panel fabricators. Below are the most common problems we see on “low-cost” panels. We hope you find this list helpful in avoiding these issues with your panels!

Design Issues

Problem: Thermal management is overlooked or under-designed

Result: ???? Overheating, component failures, process shutdowns, voided warranties

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Problem: Insufficient space is allocated for incoming field wiring

Result: ???? Installation delays, improper field connections, the panel needs to be reworked

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Problem: Standards are interpreted for cost reduction rather than design integrity and safety

Result: ???? Personal injury, noncompliance issues, panel rejection at job site, liability issues

Testing Issues

Problem: Insufficient control panel testing and verification

Result: ???? Drawings may not match the panel – may require rewiring and reinstalling the panel

Layout Issues

Problem: Lack of component labels or mislabeled components

Result:????? Hard to identify parts from prints - slows troubleshooting, equipment changes, and technology audits; delays startups

Wiring Issues

Problem: Communication wires are not properly separated from high-voltage conductors

Result: ???? Communication faults, EMI interference

Problem: Wires are not properly terminated

Result: ???? Poor crimps, insulation has been nicked or pinched in terminals

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Problem: Loose wires

Result: ???? Connectivity issues, arcing, heat buildup, premature?part failure

“Low-Cost” Panels Can Actually Cost Much More

Consider the Cost of Control Panel Issues

When considering the cost of an automation control panel, the impact of the above issues must be included in addition to the purchase price. Adding the cost of downtime, project delays, equipment failures, safety issues, and other problems to the purchase price significantly increases the total cost of “low-cost” panels.

Some companies reduce panel price by cutting corners in panel design, manufacturing and testing. These cuts can cause downtime, project delays, equipment failures, safety issues, and other costly problems.

Evaluate the Overall Cost of Panel Ownership

Therefore, rather than viewing panel cost strictly based on the purchase price, the overall cost of ownership should be evaluated across the life of the panels. Consider that industrial control panels typically stay on job sites between ten and fifteen years!

Below are 7 things to consider when assessing the overall cost of panel ownership:

1. Production uptime
2. Panel working correctly “out-of-the-box”
3. On-time delivery
4. Receiving correct prints with the panel
5. The ability to consult about panel design and standards compliance
6. Faster troubleshooting
7. Quality to maintain the project’s planned lifecycle

Control panel quality is important to maintaining uptime and upholding the project’s planned lifecycle. High-quality panels can save time and money.

You May Rarely Open Your Panels. But When You Do — It MATTERS!

One perspective some companies have when buying panels is since they rarely open their panels, it is an area where they can minimize cost. What is often not considered is that much like a fire extinguisher, panels are only opened for important reasons, so they must work properly and be easy to use!

Companies typically open panels when: ?

• The production line is down
• A programming or equipment change is required
• Technology audits are being performed
• Preventive maintenance is needed

To minimize the lost revenue, missed deadlines, or supply chain issues caused by unplanned downtime, consider buying panels designed to help get production back up and running quickly! Look for panels designed for easy maintenance and troubleshooting, with detailed documentation and clear labels on all components and wiring.

Maintain Uptime, Minimize Issues with Quality Control Panels

Purchasing “low-cost” automation control panels for your industrial applications can actually cost you much more if quality is compromised in favor of price. To protect your business, assess the process panel manufacturers use to ensure quality during the design, manufacturing, and testing stages as an important pre-purchase step. Evaluating the overall cost of panel ownership rather than just the purchase price is another key step to assist you in making a panel investment that benefits your business in the long term.

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