The promotion of internet-connected control cabinets by manufacturers aims to address the numerous shortcomings of traditional control cabinets in modern industrial production. These shortcomings include a lack of industrial IoT network communication capabilities , 5G functionality, and mobile app support. Furthermore, traditional control cabinets suffer from limited coverage, poor scalability, and low fault tolerance. Internet-connected control cabinets utilize 5G technology, leveraging its advantages of ultra-high speed, ultra-low latency, and massive connectivity in industrial production. This enables applications such as machine networking, status monitoring, remote equipment maintenance, high-definition video transmission, and edge computing, solving many problems that traditional control cabinets cannot address. It also improves the stability and reliability of industrial control cabinets, fully demonstrating the pioneering role of internet-connected control cabinets in the next generation of control cabinets . Below, we will explain the main differences between internet-connected and traditional control cabinets:
1.5G interface, video interface:
Traditional control cabinets, such as PLC control cabinets, can achieve remote control and Internet connection through their built-in micro-programmable control system, but their network communication is greatly affected by the strength of the signal in different regions, the transmitted data results have certain deviations, and they do not have built-in video interface functions.
Internet control cabinet: Equipped with a 5G interface, it has 5G industrial internet communication capabilities, and its communication speed is incredibly fast. Supporting the real-time remote transmission of equipment data and video is no longer a problem.
2. Industrial IoT Functions and Cloud Operating System:
Traditional control cabinets: can enable on-site operation, and a few control cabinets can transmit some data to the Internet, but the understanding of the on-site equipment production status is not comprehensive, and currently few control cabinets can display all equipment data through network platforms or Internet systems.
Internet control cabinet: It has Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities, which builds a network that enables all devices capable of independent functions to interconnect and transmit production data to the cloud. Users can directly view on-site data through PCs , mobile apps , etc., and realize remote monitoring of equipment data, information collection, and fault alarms.
3. Control methods and maintenance/upgrades:
Traditional control cabinets typically require on-site operation by workers to check equipment operating parameters and enable production operation. Upgrading and maintaining the system itself still requires on-site personnel, significantly increasing labor costs.
Internet control cabinet: It adopts a field + remote mode to make full use of program instructions to control semiconductor circuits to achieve remote control, upgrades and maintenance, which not only improves production efficiency but also saves a lot of costs.
4. Flexibility and scalability:
Traditional control cabinets are limited by the number of electrical equipment contacts and the complexity of wiring, resulting in poor flexibility and expandability.
Internet control cabinet: It has dedicated input and output modules; fewer wiring, good flexibility and expandability.
5. Reliability and maintainability:
Traditional control cabinets use a large number of mechanical contacts, which generate electric arcs when opening and closing, causing damage and mechanical wear. They have a short service life, poor operational reliability, and are difficult to maintain.
Internet-connected control cabinet: It adopts the most popular microelectronic technology. The internal switching actions are all completed by contactless semiconductor circuits. It is small in size, long in life, highly reliable, and can be displayed to employees at any time via the Internet, so as to monitor the execution status of the control program in a timely manner and provide convenience for on-site debugging and maintenance.
