What Is a Control Cabinet?
A control cabinet is a box that stores components and electrical equipment used to control industrial machinery and equipment.
It is made of metal or synthetic resin and is installed to protect the control equipment from the surrounding environment. The control equipment and control cabinet together are called a control cabinet.
Examples of equipment housed inside include wiring circuit breakers or ground-fault circuit breakers, electromagnetic switches, and sequencers. Generally, there is a door for opening and closing, and it is coated with powder or baking paint to prevent rust, corrosion, and salt damage. They are classified into unit type and collective type according to the storage method.
Uses of Control Cabinets
A control cabinet is mainly used in industry.
The following are examples of control cabinet applications:
- Protection of elevator control equipment
- Protection of control equipment for air-conditioning systems
- To protect the drive units of fire pumps
- For storing control equipment of automatic conveyor systems
Since electronic components and precision devices are used in control and drive equipment, they must be protected from dust and debris. Control cabinets are used to isolate control and drive equipment from these harmful factors. Since they are often installed outdoors, outdoor control cabinet with excellent waterproofing and dustproofing are also available.
Principle of Control Cabinets
Control cabinet materials are synthetic resin or metal. Generally, metal products are used in most cases, and synthetic resin products are considered when control panels need to be manufactured inexpensively. Most of the metal control cabinet lineup is made of steel. However, products made of stainless steel are also available to enhance weather resistance.
Steel control cabinets are often sold coated. The purpose of the coating is to prevent rusting or corrosion, and products are generally primed with epoxy resin and then coated with polyester resin. The standard coating color is light beige (Munsell code: 5Y7/1) or cream (Munsell code: 2.5Y9/1).
However, the paint color can be changed if specified. It is also possible to select and purchase glossy, semigloss, or non-glossy paint. Control cabinets are often sold with a board inside. The board is the board to which the controls are attached and can be made of wood or steel. On the board, drive devices such as inverters and electromagnetic switches, and control devices such as sequencers and relays are mounted.
Since drives and control devices are electrical and electronic components, most of them generate heat. Heat buildup in the control cabinet can cause equipment failure, so coolers or fans may be installed as a thermal countermeasure. By opening apertures in the control cabinet panel surface, display and operating components, such as indicator lights, meters, and switches, can be installed.
Other Information on Control Cabinets
1. Double-Sided Cabinet
Control cabinet front doors can be either double or single-sided. Depending on the manufacturer, double-folding doors are generally used when the size is 600 mm x 600 mm or larger. Due to their size, double-fronted control cabinets are mainly used for freestanding cabinets.
2. Free-Standing Control Cabinet
Cabinets specifically designed for freestanding control cabinets are available from various manufacturers. They are characterized by the presence of a base for installing anchor bolts to secure the cabinet. Another feature is that the cabinet has bars on the sides for installing wiring ducts and other equipment.