Advantages and Limitations of Digital Control Panels for Industries

Digital control panels are widely used in industries to monitor and control system variables. Humidity, pressure, and temperature are some of the variables that are easily controlled using these electronic control panels.

These panels allow companies to save cost through reducing applicable output as well as controlling for predictive behaviors. They are used in air compressors, circulation pumps, manufacturing systems, motor control panels, and refrigeration plants.

Let us take a look at some of the specific benefits and limitations of digital control panels within an industrial setting.

There are various benefits of using a digital control system. Some of the ways you can benefit from installing a digital control panel include –

Digital control panels make it easier to specify and change the desired function. This is particularly noticeable in the area of sequence control and relays where PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers) have replaced analogue relay system. A PLC alone is not considered reliable enough to be used in systems, such as emergency shutdown and handling of dangerous chemicals. Installing digital control panels greatly enhances reliability of the system.

Another advantage of digital control systems is their ability to implement complex control techniques. Digital control systems allow industrial concerns to take advantage of a host of analysis and design tools. These tools offer a systematic approach to operate plant processes to particular specifications leading to increased efficiency and better quality output produced for the customer.

The physical quantities that are measured by digital control panels are often analog in nature. Digital control panels monitor, operate on, and controls the inputs and outputs of these analog physical quantities. Yet, there is almost no loss of accuracy, when converting analog signals to digital form. This results in increased accuracy and precision in controlling and monitoring physical quantities using digital control panels.

Finally, the most important benefit of digital control panels is that you can easily set and modify functions without any hassle. You can program the controller to change settings during any part of the day. If there is a need to reduce temperature during the night or boost water for just one hour at a specific time, digital control panels can easily achieve this task.
Using digital control panels; industrial concerns can easily perform whatever programming they need to do to keep the process running as efficiently and safely as possible.

There is just one major limitation of using digital control panels. It would require additional training to operate and troubleshoot the device. But this limitation is more than offset by the benefits of installing digital control panels.
Now that you now about the benefits and limitations of digital control panels, we hope that it will make it easier for you to make a decision regarding purchase of digital control panels for industrial use.