Industrial control systems refer to the collective term for automated technology tools (including automatic measuring instruments and control devices) used to measure and control industrial production processes and their electromechanical equipment and technological tools. Industrial automation systems can be classified according to their constituent hardware and software components as follows: automated equipment, instruments and measuring devices, automation software, transmission equipment, computer hardware, and communication networks.
(1) Automation equipment: including programmable logic controllers (PLCs), sensors, encoders, human-machine interfaces, switches, circuit breakers, buttons, contactors, relays and other industrial electrical appliances and equipment;
(2) Instruments and measuring equipment: including pressure instruments, temperature instruments, flow instruments, level instruments, valves and other equipment;
(3) Automation software: including computer-aided design and manufacturing systems (CAD/CAM), industrial control software, network application software, database software, data analysis software, etc.;
(4) Transmission equipment: including speed controller, servo system, motion control, power supply system, motor, etc.;
(5) Computer hardware: including embedded computers, industrial computers, industrial control computers, etc.;
(6) Communication network: network switches, video surveillance equipment, communication connectors, bridges, etc.
Industrial automation system products can generally be divided into the following categories:
(1) Programmable Logic Controller (PLC): According to function and scale, it can be divided into large PLC (input/output points > 1024), medium PLC (input/output points 256 to 1024) and small PLC (input/output points < 256).
(2) Distributed control system (DCS): also known as distributed control system, it can be divided into multi-level hierarchical distributed control system, small and medium-sized distributed control system, and two-level distributed control system according to its function and scale.
(3) Industrial PC: A PC that can be adapted to harsh industrial environments and is equipped with various process input/output interface boards to form an industrial control computer. In recent years, PCI bus industrial control computers have also emerged.
(4) Embedded computers and OEM products, including PID controllers and regulators
(5) Numerical control system for electromechanical equipment (CNC, FMS, CAM)
(6) Fieldbus Control System (FCS)
