Even if semiconductor technologies are often the first choice nowadays, mechanical switches (electromechanical relays) still have numerous advantages that &#; depending on the requirements &#; are sometimes more convincing. The best choice should therefore be weighed up carefully.
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Admittedly: Semiconductors are the perfect solution in many situations and with absolutely justified reasons. Thanks to their simple design, they make it possible to control the on/off status of another signal line without any electrical contact between the two. And even though millions of them are used for new designs every year, the proven and therefore well-known advantages will not be discussed further at this point. Instead, the focus will be on the mechanical switches, of which tens of millions are sold. And not only as replacements in existing applications, but a large proportion are also used for new designs.
The most obvious difference
While a mechanical relay requires a physically moving part to connect the contacts in the output components of the switch, a solid state relay does not need one at all. Instead, a low-power electrical signal is used to generate a semiconductor signal, which in turn transmits an output signal.
In addition to this one very obvious difference, both solutions have numerous other features that differentiate them in terms of design and functionality. But which of these sometimes make the mechanical switch the better solution?
Advantageous properties of the mechanical switch
A mechanical relay can be placed virtually anywhere in the circuit, as neither the contact closure nor the coil are connected to the ground of the circuit or earthed. With a semiconductor, this is not always possible with this degree of flexibility.
Flexibility is also the keyword when it comes to multiple contacts. These do not have to have the same nominal value and the same type of load. For example, some contacts can be designed for weak signals, others for current. On the solid state relay market, however, there are not many multi-pole variants to choose from. They are also very limited in terms of range and nominal values.
Mechanical switches are also very resistant to voltage and overcurrent peaks, as these can hardly cause any damage to the coil or contacts. In contrast, semiconductors tend to fail with a short circuit at their output, which can lead to critical situations.
The most important advantages at a glance:
&#; Can be used regardless of load: both AC and DC loads possible
&#; Wide switching range
&#; Contact resistance in the milliohm range (voltage drop is close to zero)
&#; Generate almost no leakage current (megaohm air gap)
&#; Resistant to spikes, transients and EMI
&#; Can be placed anywhere in a circuit (not exclusively as a low or high-side device)
&#; Provides a reliable, non-actuated (non-powered) state: N.O. or N.C.
&#; Can be biased to control the non-actuated state (N.O. <&#;> N.C.)
&#; Unlimited isolated poles (SPST, DPST, TPST, etc.)
&#; Own galvanic isolation
&#; No external circuitry required to switch a load
&#; No external power supply required to switch a load
&#; Not inherently polarity sensitive (but can be modified/biased for polarity sensitivity)
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&#; Simple troubleshooting thanks to easy to understand technology
&#; Mature technology with a wide and immediate range of applications
Of course, the reasons mentioned above do not mean that a mechanical switch is &#;better&#; than a semiconductor. Both technologies have their strengths. What the numerous advantages do show, however, is that the next time you need a relay, you do not automatically have to fall back on a semiconductor. Rather, it is worth checking the individual requirements in each individual case and comparing them with the properties of both options. Only then can you be sure of finding the perfect solution.
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Industrial switches are now playing a more and more important role in various industries such as environmental protection, mining, transportation, and smart city surveillance, etc. It is well known that industrial switches are manufactured specifically for industrial environments, but do you really know what industrial switches are and their key advantages and diverse types? The following content will answer your questions.
An industrial switch refers to a networking device that is specifically designed to operate in harsh industrial environments. It is used to connect and manage communications between various devices, such as computers, servers, sensors, and other network-enabled equipment, in industrial settings like manufacturing plants, power stations, oil refineries, and transportation systems.
Industrial switches are built to withstand extreme temperatures, electrical noise, vibrations, and other challenging conditions that are commonly found in industrial environments. They are usually housed in rugged enclosures with hardened components to ensure reliable and uninterrupted operation.
An industrial switch is built specifically to withstand wide swings in temperature as well extreme weather conditions including high humidity and exposure to moisture. Therefore, industrial switches have high requirements for component selection, they generally use a pleated metal casing for faster heat dissipation and greater protection, which allows them to work well in the temperature range of -40°C to 85°C and can be well adapted to complex temperatures and humidity.
It is known that high levels of electrical noise can cause interference in network connections. Industrial switches have strong anti-interference performance, and can work in harsh electromagnetic environments. What's more, they also have high protection levels in lightning protection, waterproof, anti-corrosion, anti-shock, anti-static, etc.
The power supply is a very important part of switches. Power failures generally account for more than 35% of equipment failure rates. Industrial switches are designed with dual power supply redundancy in order to avoid the trouble of power failure and to ensure a stable and reliable operation. In addition, industrial switch system design also enables them to offer a variety of hot-swappable media modules (such as RJ45, SFP, PoE) and power units to provide greater flexibility and availability, especially for continuity-critical operations.
Industrial switches have an ability to form fast redundant networks in order to build reliable industrial networks for you with super fast self-healing time less than 50 milliseconds, which means they can provide faster recovery from a failed data pathway. For example, in some industrial scenarios, the cost of production line shutdown can be huge; or if the power plant or transmission monitoring is abnormal, the damage is incalculable. Under these kinds of conditions, industrial switches can help reinforce insurance to avoid these abnormal events.
Industrial switches use industrial solutions from the shell material to the companion components as downtime costs in industrial environments are often considerable, which means they have higher reliability and a longer service life. Commercial switches may have a life cycle of 3 to 5 years, while industrial Ethernet switches can be kept working for 10 years or more.
Industrial switches come with a variety of functions and features. Based on these characteristics, switches can be categorized as either managed or unmanaged, with or without Power over Ethernet (PoE), and designed for DIN-rail or rackmount installation. The following breakdown elucidates these distinctions:
A managed industrial switch enables comprehensive control over your Local Area Network (LAN), allowing for configuration, management, and monitoring of network settings. Designed for rugged environments, this type of switch facilitates intricate management of Ethernet LAN traffic within industrial settings. Meanwhile, an unmanaged industrial switch offers simplicity and convenience with its plug-and-play functionality, requiring no setup for immediate network integration.
PoE switch is a networking device with PoE passthrough that has multiple Ethernet ports to connect network segments. It not only transmits network data but also supplies power via an Ethernet network cable. Non-PoE switch, as the name suggests, there is no PoE in the switch to supply electrical power for end-users over Ethernet.
PoE/non-PoE switches that feature an industrial design that can provide resistance to moisture, dust, dirt, oil, or other foreign substances that might otherwise damage the equipment are called industrial PoE switches or non-PoE switches. The high-capacity PoE budget of an industrial PoE switch can be leveraged to deploy and power nearby substation field equipment including IP surveillance cameras and valve controls.
Note: An industrial PoE switch can also be divided into managed industrial PoE switch and unmanaged industrial PoE switch.
Industrial Ethernet switches support different mounting types and can be installed exactly where you need them, whether on a standard DIN-rail (a widely used standard metal rail used to mount control equipment in industrial networking solutions), in the control cabinet, or outside the control cabinet. Frequently used industrial switches include DIN-rail, wall-mount, and rackmount models. These specially designed switches can provide flexible mounting options for easy installation, which is ideal for efficient use of cabinet space in harsh environments.
Nowadays, industrial switches are effective building blocks for corporate and manufacturing or industrial networks worldwide. Using highly durable housings and a compact footprint, industrial Ethernet switches are designed to fit in confined spaces and operate in harsh environments as we have explained in above contents. If you are looking for reliable network switches for industrial deployment, you can always trust FS industrial switches.
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