In the current industrial field, which is constantly moving towards automation and intelligence, the importance of industrial switches is becoming increasingly prominent. As a key device for ensuring the stable operation of industrial networks, it shoulders the responsibility of efficient data exchange and transmission in complex and harsh industrial environments. However, facing numerous types and brands of industrial switches on the market, how to choose the most suitable product for their own needs has become a challenge for many users. Here are 10 essential parameters to consider when choosing an industrial switch, as well as the relevant characteristics of industrial switches, to help you make informed decisions when making a purchase.
Characteristics of industrial switches
1. Adapt to extreme environments
Industrial switches can work normally in harsh industrial environments, such as having a wide temperature working range, generally able to operate stably in a range of -40 ℃ to 75 ℃ or even wider, such as in cold northern outdoor oil extraction sites or hot southern steel plant workshops. At the same time, its protection level is relatively high, commonly such as IP40, IP67, etc., which can effectively resist dust, water vapor, etc., even in environments such as dusty underground mines and damp ports and docks. And it has good anti electromagnetic interference ability, which can also ensure accurate data transmission in industrial places where a large number of motors and large mechanical equipment generate strong electromagnetic interference.
2. High reliability and redundant design
Built in redundant power module, when one power supply fails, the other can quickly take over the work, ensuring that the equipment runs without power. In terms of network links, it supports functions such as ring network redundancy. Once a link encounters a problem, it can quickly switch to a backup link to ensure uninterrupted data transmission. This is crucial for scenarios in industrial production where network interruptions are not allowed.
3. Long service life
By using high-quality components and sturdy and durable casings, compared to ordinary switches, their overall service life is longer. In harsh industrial environments, ordinary switches may experience performance degradation or even scrap within one or two years, while industrial switches can often maintain good operating conditions for 5 years or even longer, effectively reducing equipment replacement costs.
10 Must See Parameters for Choosing Industrial Switches
1. Number of ports
The number of ports determines the number of devices that can be connected to an industrial switch. Common port numbers include 8, 16, 24, etc. If there are many terminal devices, sensors, controllers, etc. that need to be connected in your industrial network, such as a large factory workshop with numerous automation devices, you need to choose a switch with a large number of ports, such as a 24 port industrial switch, which may be more suitable to meet networking needs.
2. Port speed
Port speeds typically come in different specifications such as 10/100Mbps, 1000Mbps (i.e. gigabit), and 10Gbps (gigabit). For industrial scenarios with large data transmission volumes and high real-time requirements, such as transportation hubs with high-definition video surveillance and automated production lines, it is recommended to choose industrial switches with gigabit or 10 gigabit port speeds to ensure fast and smooth data transmission and avoid transmission delays that may affect production or monitoring effectiveness.
3. Operating temperature range
As mentioned earlier, the operating temperature range of industrial switches is one of their important characteristics. When making a purchase, it is important to choose based on the actual temperature conditions of the usage environment. For example, if the application scenario is an outdoor substation in extremely cold northern regions, it is necessary to choose products with lower working temperature limits, such as industrial switches that can start at -40 ℃ or even lower temperatures and work stably from -40 ℃ to 75 ℃, to ensure that they will not malfunction due to low temperatures in cold winter.
4. Protection level
The protection level reflects the ability of the switch to prevent dust and water. The common IP40 means that it can prevent objects larger than 1.0mm from entering, and prevent mosquitoes, flies, insects, or objects with a diameter larger than 1.0mm from entering; IP67 indicates that it can completely prevent dust from entering and can still be used normally under certain conditions of immersion in water for a certain period of time and depth. In environments such as humid and dusty coal mines, industrial switches with high protection levels such as IP67 should be prioritized to avoid damage to internal components caused by dust and moisture.
5. Redundant functions
A good industrial switch should have complete redundancy functions, such as redundant power modules, which generally require dual power inputs and can support different power specifications such as 18-36V DC, 24V AC, etc. When one power supply fails, the other can seamlessly switch to ensure power supply. In terms of network link redundancy, it is important to support protocols such as Fast Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) and Ring Redundancy Protocol (such as MRP, ERPS, etc.) to ensure that communication can be restored in a very short time (usually within 50ms) in the event of a link failure. This is of great significance for ensuring the uninterrupted operation of industrial networks.
6. Anti electromagnetic interference capability
The ability to resist electromagnetic interference can be measured by referring to the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) level, which is generally divided into 1-4 levels. The higher the level, the stronger the anti-interference ability. It is best to choose products with EMC level 3 or above for industrial switches, especially in industrial places with a large number of strong electromagnetic interference sources such as motors and transformers, such as steel plants and mechanical processing plants. High level electromagnetic interference resistance can ensure the accuracy and stability of data transmission, avoiding data loss, transmission errors, and other situations.
7. Backplane bandwidth
Backplane bandwidth is the maximum amount of data that can be throughput between the switch interface processor or interface card and the data bus, typically measured in Gbps. For example, for an industrial park network with numerous devices simultaneously exchanging large amounts of data, the backplane bandwidth should be chosen to be relatively high, such as several hundred Gbps or even higher, to meet the needs of concurrent data transmission among multiple devices, prevent network congestion, and ensure efficient network operation.
8. Packet forwarding rate
The packet forwarding rate refers to how many million packets (in Mpps) a switch can forward per second, which reflects the forwarding performance of the switch. In industrial automation control scenarios with extremely high real-time requirements, such as automated process control in chemical production, a high packet forwarding rate is required. It is recommended to choose industrial switches with packet forwarding rates of tens of Mpps or even higher to ensure that control instructions and other data can be promptly and accurately forwarded to the corresponding equipment.
9. Installation method
The common installation methods for industrial switches include rail mounted installation, wall mounted installation, and rack mounted installation. The guide rail installation is convenient for flexible installation inside the control cabinet and is suitable for industrial control cabinet scenarios with limited space; Wall mounted installation is suitable for installation on walls and is often used in relatively dispersed locations that require independent installation; Rack mounted installation is suitable for centralized placement in standard cabinets in computer rooms, such as large data centers, communication hub rooms, etc. Choose the appropriate installation method based on the actual usage location and installation conditions.
10. Brand and after-sales service
Choosing industrial switches from well-known brands often provides more assurance in terms of product quality, stability, and technical support. At the same time, good after-sales service is also crucial, such as the warranty period of the product. Generally, high-quality industrial switch brands will provide a warranty of 3 years or even longer, and there is a professional after-sales team that can respond in a timely manner, providing maintenance, technical consultation and other services. When encountering problems during equipment use, it can effectively solve them and reduce the risk of use.
In short, when choosing an industrial switch, multiple parameters and characteristics need to be considered comprehensively, combined with the actual needs of one's own industrial environment and network applications, carefully screened, in order to select industrial switch products that are reliable in performance, cost-effective, and can meet long-term stable operation requirements, providing protection for industrial production and network communication.