What is an industrial switch?
Today industrial switch plays a significantly important role in various industries such as energy, environmental protection, transportation, smart city surveillance, etc. The demand for industrial switches is also growing. From this article, you will learn what an industrial switch really is and what it is used for.
Industrial switch, also known as industrial Ethernet switch, is a piece of network technology designed specifically for use in industrial plants. It provides reliable, high-speed data transmission of industrial networks, including 10G industrial switches for faster speeds. Typically, an industrial Ethernet switch is a cost-effective and efficient way to manage communication between different types of industrial equipment.
What are the characteristics of an industrial switch?
Based on features and functions, industrial switches can be divided into unmanaged or managed industrial switches, industrial PoE switch or Non-PoE switch, DIN rail or rack mount switches, etc. Below are the main features of industrial Ethernet switches.
Perfect design for industrial environments
Industrial switches typically have a reinforced design, such as a rugged enclosure with an IP30, IP40 or higher rating. Some network switches are even equipped with 6KV lightning protection to prevent lightning damage in outdoor applications. Thanks to their rugged design, industrial network switches can stably deliver data in extreme temperatures from -40° to 85°C.
One of the industrial switches IES2312-8GT2GS2HS-2P48 is equipped with a rugged IP40-rated metal housing. It can transmit data in extreme temperatures from -40° to 75°C, as well as withstand high levels of vibration and shock.
Fast ring network, fast reduction
The ICS5556-24GT24GS8GX-2P220 integrates advanced ERPS (Ethernet Ring Protection Switching) and Spanning Tree Protocol technology into an industrial network, helping to improve system reliability in harsh environments.
Power system design
Industrial network switch usually adopts double power redundancy to avoid power system failure, which accounts for a large part of industrial switch failure rates, guaranteeing stable and reliable connection under harsh conditions.
Flexible DIN rail and wall mounting options
Most industrial switches are available in DIN-rail or wall-mount options. In the case of the DIN-rail option, it is ideal for efficient use of cabinet space in harsh environments. Besides, it also helps simplify installation. The switch with DIN rail can be easily attached to long metal rails as part of a standard component rail mounting system or a standard rack of cabinets. In addition, the industrial switch with DIN rail mounting option helps protect sensitive electrical equipment.
Fanless design
Industrial Ethernet switch typically uses a metal housing instead of a fan to dissipate heat faster. The fanless design of an industrial switch can minimize problems with dust and moisture ingress. Therefore, the industrial switch provides long-term reliability in industrial applications.
- Strong environmental tolerance
Thanks to its rugged design, the industrial Ethernet switch is highly durable and can operate in extreme temperatures. It is an ideal choice for harsh working environments such as oil and gas platforms, outdoor electrical applications, etc.
- Reduction of noise and interference
Both fiber and twisted-pair cables can be supported by industrial Ethernet switches. Fiber optic cables are required for long-distance transmission, as twisted-pair can only transmit data up to 100 meters. In this case, industrial switches can reduce electrical noise and improve point-to-point network connections.
- Simplify the network
industrial switches are ideal for basic, low-priority networks. They can provide basic packet filtering and support connectivity for five to ten ports at a relatively low cost.
- Extended capabilities
The managed industrial switch provides advanced network management tools such as extended traffic filtering, network topography and device mapping, etc. In addition, they offer a high degree of network security and help protect sensitive data passing through the network.
Industrial switch applications
Regular Ethernet switch is not reliable enough to deliver data accurately under harsh conditions, while an industrial Ethernet switch with the above essential functions can challenge harsh conditions. Some of the typical applications of industrial Ethernet switches are:
- Industrial switching in energy industries
Application underground in mines. Thanks to the use of metal housing and fanless design, the industrial switch is resistant to dust, dirt and other particles, so it will work faultlessly
- Industrial switching in transportation industries
An industrial switch equipped with an industrial-grade protective design such as IP40, which can withstand high-intensity vibration and shock, can help acquire data generated by moving objects.
- Industrial switch in power substations
High electromagnetic interference is a major challenge for power substations. A robust, reliable and safe switch for harsh environments is the answer to solving this problem. Because the industrial switch has strong anti-interference performance and can operate under harsh electromagnetic conditions, while the commercial switch cannot handle them.
- Industrial switch in smart city monitoring
Using an industrial PoE switch to provide the required power for your PoE devices, such as IP cameras in smart city surveillance, is a smart choice for crowd and traffic surveillance. By sourcing a high-performance industrial network PoE switch, you can enjoy the benefits of simplified wiring and device control in a much easier way.
What is the difference between industrial switches and commercial switches?
Commercial and industrial switches may differ in operating temperature, installation method and application, etc.
- Appearance
Industrial switches typically use fanless designs and integrated metal housings to dissipate heat. Commercial switches mostly have plastic and a fan to remove heat.
- Operating temperature
The industrial switch can operate over a large temperature range of -40°C to 85°C, while an ordinary switch can only operate over a temperature range of 0°C to 50 degrees C.
- Specification of application
The industrial switch is designed to meet the needs of industrial environments, providing reliable network connections between machines and other devices. In contrast, networks in homes or offices often use standard network switches. These offer basic connectivity between devices within only one LAN.
- Method of installation
The industrial switch can be installed in many ways, including in a rack, on a flat desk, on a wall and on a DIN rail. Ordinary switches, however, are generally installed on a desk or in a rack.
- Power supply
In most cases, an industrial Ethernet switch offers dual power support. For commercial switches, most only support a single power supply.
The industrial switches available in our online store come in various configurations. For example, we offer our customers:
8-port industrial Ethernet switch
16-port industrial Ethernet switch
24-port industrial Ethernet switch
All available devices can be found in the industrial switches category.
Switches that are most popular in industrial applications:
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