Power & Control Components

Circuit Protection for Industrial Control Systems

Applied Industrial Controls supplies circuit breakers, fuses, disconnects, surge protection, and related devices for industrial control and power applications. AIC can help customers select protection based on system voltage, load requirements, available fault current, equipment specifications, and applicable UL, NEC, and NFPA requirements.

Circuit Breakers vs. Fuses

Circuit breakers and fuses are both overcurrent protection devices, but they operate differently. A circuit breaker opens an internal switch when an overcurrent condition occurs and can typically be reset after the fault is corrected. A fuse contains a fusible element that opens when excessive current passes through it and must be replaced after operation.

AIC can help coordinate breakers, fuses, disconnects, and other protective devices with the rest of the electrical system rather than treating circuit protection as an isolated component decision.

Industrial Relays & Timers

AIC supplies industrial control relays, interface relays, timers, monitoring relays, and related control components for machine and process automation systems. Relay-based control remains practical for many applications requiring straightforward switching, isolation, timing, or interface functions.

When Should I Use Relays Instead of a PLC?

Relays and timers can be a good fit for applications with a limited number of control functions. As system complexity increases, a PLC can replace multiple relays and timers while adding programming, diagnostics, communications, and expansion capabilities.

AIC can help determine whether relay-based control, PLC-based control, or a combination of both is appropriate for the application.

Solid State vs. Mechanical Relays

Mechanical relays use physical contacts to open and close a circuit. They are widely used throughout industrial control systems and provide electrical isolation between the control signal and switched circuit.

Solid state relays perform switching electronically without moving contacts. This can make them useful for applications requiring frequent switching, fast operation, or reduced mechanical wear.

AIC can help select relays based on load type, switching frequency, voltage, current, operating environment, and required service life.

Electrical Monitoring & Equipment Protection

Monitoring relays supervise electrical or process conditions and provide an output when those conditions move outside an acceptable range. AIC supplies devices for applications involving voltage, phase conditions, current, temperature, level, motor loads, pumps, and other industrial equipment.

In motor and pump applications, monitoring devices can help identify phase loss, incorrect phase sequence, voltage problems, or abnormal loads before those conditions lead to equipment damage or process interruption.

Industrial Power Supplies

Applied Industrial Controls supplies industrial power supplies for PLCs, sensors, relays, communications equipment, and other control devices. AIC engineers can help calculate total system power requirements and properly size the power supply for the connected equipment.

Important specifications include:

• Input AC voltage
• Output DC voltage
• Output current
• Power rating
• Redundancy requirements
• Overvoltage protection
• Overcurrent protection
• Condition monitoring
• Battery backup integration

AIC supports applications ranging from individual control devices to complete automation panels and can coordinate the power supply with the rest of the control-system architecture.

Control Transformers & Industrial Power

Control transformers supply the voltage required by industrial control circuits. For example, a transformer can step a higher AC supply voltage down to the lower voltage required by control components.

Proper sizing requires consideration of input voltage, output voltage, connected load, inrush requirements, and total control-system power demand. AIC can help size and select control transformers as part of a new panel, equipment upgrade, or replacement application.

Industrial UPS & Backup Control Power

An uninterrupted power supply can help maintain control power during a power interruption. This can provide time for critical equipment to continue operating temporarily, shut down in a controlled manner, preserve information, or communicate alarms to operators.

AIC can help size UPS and battery systems based on the connected control load and the amount of operating time required after incoming power is lost.

Switchgear & Motor Control Centers

AIC supports low- and medium-voltage power distribution applications with switchgear, motor control centers, circuit protection, transformers, drives, and associated control equipment.

The AIC team can help size and specify equipment for new installations, expansions, upgrades, and replacement applications. AIC can also support replacement and custom MCC bucket requirements where existing equipment needs to be repaired, expanded, or modernized.

Selection considerations can include:

• Voltage rating
• Amperage requirements
• Power distribution requirements
• Load types
• Interrupting requirements
• Communications requirements
• Access requirements
• Arc resistance
• Switchgear type
• SCCR

Surge Protection & Power Quality

AIC supplies surge protective devices and power-quality products for industrial electrical and automation systems. Surge protection can help protect sensitive controls and electronics from transient overvoltage events caused by utility switching, equipment operation, or disturbances within the electrical system.

AIC also supports products used to address power-quality issues affecting drives, motors, control systems, and other industrial equipment. These can include harmonic filters, line reactors, dV/dT filters, sine-wave filters, active filters, and related equipment depending on the application.

Industrial Enclosures & Climate Control

AIC supplies industrial enclosures and climate-control equipment for automation and electrical systems and can help determine the appropriate enclosure based on equipment, environmental exposure, heat load, and installation requirements.

Important enclosure considerations include:

• Required NEMA rating
• Carbon steel, stainless steel, fiberglass, or plastic construction
• Environmental exposure
• Impact resistance
• Component heat dissipation
• Fans, filters, or air conditioning
• Cutouts and tapped holes
• Space for wiring and components

AIC can perform heat-load calculations to help determine enclosure cooling requirements. Through its UL508A panel shop and Kiesling Perforex CNC equipment, AIC can also modify standard enclosures with component cutouts, openings, and other features required for a control-panel application.

Industrial Connectivity & Cordsets

Applied Industrial Controls supplies industrial cordsets, connectors, panel interface connectors, junction blocks, terminal products, and network connections for automation applications.

AIC can help select and size connectivity products based on the equipment, number of conductors, electrical requirements, cable length, connector type, and operating environment. Properly selected connectivity can simplify field wiring and help reduce installation labor, panel space, and manufacturing lead time.

AIC can also incorporate these products into custom control panels, machine wiring systems, and modular equipment designs.

Power Distribution Blocks & Terminal Connections

Power distribution blocks distribute electrical power from one incoming source to multiple devices or circuits. They can reduce wiring inside a control panel and make larger power-distribution systems easier to organize, install, and expand.

Selection considerations include:

• Wire range
• Continuous current
• Voltage
• SCCR
• Upstream fuses or circuit breakers
• Component spacing
• Wire bending radius

AIC can help coordinate power distribution blocks, terminal blocks, protection devices, and wiring as part of the complete control-panel design.

Pilot Devices & Operator Controls

AIC supplies pilot devices and operator controls used to start and stop equipment, select operating modes, communicate equipment status, and provide a physical interface between operators and industrial control systems.

Common devices include:

• Push buttons
• Selector switches
• Emergency stops
• Indicator lights
• Toggle switches
• Audible indicators

AIC can supply individual devices or integrate them into custom UL508A control panels and complete automation systems.