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Conrad News
Conrad Turn Their Focus to Decentralised Automation
Proper process automation boosts flexibility and lowers running costs – The Conrad Sourcing Platform now supplies the required products by leading brands including Siemens, Mean Well and Phoenix Contact.
● More free capacity on mainframe computer
● Safe and fast wiring of industrial networks
● Process optimisation and downtime reduction as a result of remote monitoring
Developing automation concepts is one of the main aspects of the digital transformation of a business. In this context, these days, everything increasingly revolves around decentralised automation. Conrad’s Sourcing Platform supplies all the technical products your business needs to achieve this, making the process simple, fast and comprehensive.
Increased Network Stability and Capacity
Decentralised automation removes the structural rigidity of plant set-ups, allowing individual components to make decisions on their own. In addition, using autonomous machinery and equipment helps free up capacity on the mainframe that controls the system, making complex processes much more stable and a lot safer. Moreover, this significantly reduces both the amount of wiring required to network the system and the number of distributors in the form of switchboards. This also means less gear that might malfunction which, in turn, brings down repair and maintenance costs.
Unmanaged Switches for Basic and Standard Applications
For SMEs, unmanaged switches represent a simple, safe and cost-effective automation solution. Setting up the switches resembles your typical plug-and-play installation process. Depending on the type of switch, the products come with FO interfaces and SFP ports which makes them highly versatile. Quality of Service measurement and PTCP multicast filtering result in an improved prioritisation of data traffic across Profinet and Ethernet/IP networks. This also contributes to network stability and frees up capacity. In this regard, Phoenix Contact’s 1000 and 1100 series comprises unmanaged switches suitable for large-bandwidth applications.
High Flexibility and a Very Wide Range of Uses
Siemens ET200SP modules are just one example when it comes to high performance paired with a compact design. These products are also available on the Conrad Sourcing Platform. Customers can choose from a range of main, I/O and interface modules as well as from a large selection of communication units for bus systems, motor starters and other autonomous modular components. All of them come in a compact design and are easy to use which makes project planning, system compatibility testing, installation and maintenance as straightforward as it gets.
Fast and Safe Wiring of Industrial Networks
Usually, production plant automation data and other manufacturing-related information are exchanged over Ethernet-based industrial networks. As network performance largely depends on the properties of the cables used, industrial wiring needs to meet extremely high standards. Siemens have come up with a system especially suited for these requirements: FastConnect is a well thought-through type of wiring that has been designed for fast and error-free one-site installation.
Automation Power Supply
Power cables also need to meet certain requirements. A significant number of plant malfunctions and downtimes are caused by overvoltage. Those unwanted transient power surges are usually the result of lightening, of faulty electrical components, of switching off inductive loads, and of adding large capacitive loads. The automation process itself aggravates the problem as it involves adding potential error sources, such as actuators, electric motors and highly sensitive control circuits, to what is already a complex electrical set-up. This is why Mean Well power supply units comply with IEC/EN62368-1 standards and come with a OVC II rating. What’s more, since the demand of OVC III products is increasing as we speak, Mean Well have recently obtained IEC/EN61558-1 certification for a large range of their OVC III PSUs, among them the rack-mount LRS and rail-mount HDR series.
Remote Monitoring Using Mobile Phone Networks
In order to reduce downtime and optimise processes, machinery and plant can be monitored over mobile phone networks. Which, in turn, highlights one of the benefits of decentralised automation: data collected by digital and analogue sensors can be viewed remotely, not involving the control mainframe at all. Any irregularities are instantly forwarded by text message, email or using GPRS data exchange standards. This enables immediate troubleshooting as, for instance, relay switches can be operated via text messages or a web browser. Moreover, USB ports allow changing the settings using a laptop.
More details available at conrad.com/automation-decentralised
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