How to Understand the Protection Level of Industrial Switches

Industrial Switches, also known as industrial Ethernet switches, are Ethernet switches used in the field of industrial control. Due to the network standards used, they have good openness, wide application and low price, and use the transparent and unified TCP/IP protocol. Ethernet has become the main communication standard in the field of industrial control.Industrial switches have carrier-grade performance features that can withstand harsh working environments.The product series are rich and the port configuration is flexible, which can meet the needs of various industrial fields.The industrial switch adopts a wide temperature design, the protection level is not lower than IP30, and supports standard and private ring network redundancy protocols.

Industrial switches are generally used in industrial production occasions, and usually have various appearances and installation forms. According to different applications, there are requirements for waterproof, dustproof, shock resistance, and electromagnetic interference resistance. Of course, the reliability requirements are also high, and they also need to run 24 hours a day for a long time. .Some automatic control applications require low forwarding delay, and some require redundant power supply, DC24V power supply and so on.

The protection level of industrial switches is often referred to as the IP protection index. IP refers to "ingress protection", and the protection level is drafted by IEC (International Electrotechnical Association).So, when we buy industrial switches, which IP level of the industrial switches is more appropriate?

Classify electrical appliances according to their dust and water resistance properties.The IP protection level is generally composed of two numbers. The first number represents the intrusion index of dust and foreign objects (tools, human hands, etc.), and the highest level is 6; the second number represents the waterproof sealing index of electrical appliances, the highest level is 8, the larger the number, the higher the protection level.

When deciding to use an industrial switch, the customer must choose the switch according to the use environment, and confirm the parameters with the manufacturer. The industrial switch is an important communication product for real-time transmission, so the choice must be careful.For industrial switches, the IP protection level is the index of dust and water resistance, so what causes the difference in the index?It is mainly related to the shell profile of the switch.Industrial switches mainly include aluminum alloy (melting point 660°C) profiles and welded steel plates with hot-dip or electro-galvanized layers on the surface.Aluminum alloy is a non-ferrous metal structural material widely used in industry.It is widely used in aviation, aerospace, automobile, machinery manufacturing, shipbuilding and chemical industries, especially as shells.The aluminum alloy shell is more high-end and atmospheric than the plastic shell, with a metallic texture, light weight and strong plasticity. Another great advantage is that it is easy to dissipate heat.The advantages of galvanized steel shell material: strong and durable, there is a thick protective film on the surface, which can effectively resist the oxidation of the steel plate caused by the external environment, and can greatly increase the service life of the steel plate.

These two shell materials of industrial switches are widely used in industry, and their corrosion resistance can meet the requirements of industrial scenes.The difference is that the shell of the aluminum alloy profile can reach IP40, and the industrial switch of the galvanized steel plate is IP30.In contrast, the protection level of aluminum alloy (melting point 660℃) is higher.The casing is also related to the heat dissipation of the switch, so when choosing an industrial switch, you need to ask the casing of the industrial switch, and then confirm the parameters, so that the industrial switch can better adapt to the project.

For industrial switches, if the general protection level exceeds IP30, it can adapt to harsh industrial environments, which can ensure safe, reliable and stable communication of industrial switches. For the real-time requirements of industrial control, industrial Ethernet solves technical problems such as real-time communication, network security, intrinsic safety and safe explosion-proof technology, and adopts some measures suitable for industrial environments, such as waterproofing, anti-vibration, etc. There is no essential difference between the core and commercial Ethernet.