FEATURE ENCLOSURES & AIR MOVERS Streamlining panel design
Panel sizes are being reduced in order to meet cost, flexibility and floor space requirements. At the same time, however, end users want
increased functionality, often built around new control architectures, which tend to increase panel
space. Jodie Commercial, product
marketing manager for components at Omron, discusses how compact panel components can help address the challenges
T
he need to minimise panel sizes is becoming ever more important.
Not only do panel builders and machine designers need to take into account issues such as cost (steel and copper prices have risen, as has the cost of exporting) but end users will also be interested in downsizing due to limited amounts of floor space. On top of this, end users will also
frequently ask for panels which allow for ongoing system upgrades or for customisation. A given line may have an operational lifespan of 15 years or more, and will be modified on numerous occasions to increase performance or to handle a wider array of products. For the panels themselves, this inevitably means the addition of more control and I/O components. This makes panel downsizing even
more of a challenge at the design stage, with panel builders being required to implement an initial control solution in the tightest possible space, and yet still leave room for upgrades. Alternatively, at the midpoint in a machine’s operational lifetime, panel builders will be asked to upgrade existing panels where there is no more space. To help, Omron has developed a
complete range of compact yet high performance components to enable panel streamlining. With in-panel component designs that offer widths of as little as
12 APRIL 2016 | DESIGN SOLUTIONS
6.2mm, as well as on-panel components with reduced depth, panel designers can take advantage of high levels of performance combined with minimum size to reduce overall panel dimensions by as much as 20%. Products available from Omron
include: electromechanical and solid state relays, micro connectors, safety relays, temperature controllers, timers, measuring and monitoring relays, PLCs and power supplies. On-panel components with reduced depth include pushbutton switches, temperature controllers, timers and counters. Slim industrial relays allow modules to be downsized or the number of I/O points to be increased without increasing panel space. Safety relays save mounting space, and measuring and monitoring relays offer a compact footprint for narrow panel spaces with widths of only 17.5mm and 22.5mm. These products also offer features such as screw-less terminals, LED status indicators, simple front wiring and push in terminals, all helping panel designers to optimise panel layouts without impacting on issues such as usability or maintenance. Omron has also developed compact uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) that
use lithium-ion batteries in order to minimise component size and weight, as well as increasing product life. In addition, standard switch mode industrial power supplies have been redesigned to be up to 13% smaller than comparable power supplies, offering the smallest footprint on the market. As a further aid to panel downsizing,
Omron has made parts data for all control products available via an online data portal. The information from this can be directly imported into leading panel design software packages – including EPLAN and Zuken E3. 2D and 3D CAD files in the most popular formats are also available via the website.
DOWNSIZING As designers strive to meet streamlining challenges, Omron’s component downsizing strategy results in smaller and lighter panels that offer reduced transport costs, more room for customisation, and reduced costs linked to installation, set-up and wiring. Not only does this enable panel builders to improve their competitive edge and reduce their own costs, but ultimately the overall size of a production line is minimised and the end user achieves greater flexibility when rearranging production lines.
Omron Electronics T: 01908 258253
www.industrial.omron.co.uk
Panel downsizing is becoming a challenge at the design stage. To help, a range of compact yet high performance components has been developed
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