Industrial Controllers

Here at RS, we are proud to offer an extensive range of electronic components. As North America’s largest authorized distributor of industrial control equipment, we can guarantee a competitive range of components which, along with the thousands of other items in our product range, meet the highest industry standards of delivery and industry approval. This helps to guarantee that your workplace is a safe and functional environment.

From our electronic controllers and water level controllers to our digital temperature controllers and accessories, everything is provided to you from leading brands such as Omron Automation, Panasonic, and Schneider Electric.

Read more about industrial controllers below to find out what they’re used for and the different types that you can purchase.

What are industrial controllers?

Industrial controllers are devices that use input signals to change the values or conditions in certain processes. They help to keep everything moving, receiving inputs from sources, analyzing them, and then overseeing the condition changes via signal outputs.

What are industrial controllers used for?

Industrial controllers – much like all other industrial controls – are designed to make operations more autonomous and efficient, helping to decrease the need for human workers.

Industrial automation processes use the likes of electronic controllers to handle processes and machines, which provides the advantages of improving quality and productivity. Industrial controllers provide many benefits such as increased safety, reliability and profitability in a workplace.

When implemented correctly, industrial process control helps to reduce labor intensive operations, stops materials from being damaged, increases efficiency and saves companies money.

What are the different types of industrial controllers?

There are a number of different types of industrial controllers that we stock here at RS.

Safety controllers

These controllers are specifically built to reduce risk. Their purpose is to provide essential control and safety during potentially dangerous process situations. Safety controllers contain input/output modules which allow them to interpret signals from process sensors and trigger control elements.

By constantly monitoring the status of inputs, they are able to detect any failures or malfunctions that might suggest a problem in the machine or manufacturing process. While they are utilized in a number of different applications such as the energy sector, steel industry, and automobile manufacture, safety controllers also play a vital part in systems that safeguard a process to prevent disasters, such as the release of toxic chemicals.

Liquid level controllers

Liquid level controllers measure the level of fluid that is in a contained area. They are utilized in certain systems that stop the liquid levels becoming too low or high.

These types of controllers have sensors that can detect the fluid level in either a container or more natural setting. From there, the controller will send a signal to a control valve, solenoid, or other external control device. If it recognizes that the fluid level needs to be changed, the valve will open or close – depending on the information it has received.

There are two types of level controllers that you can choose from: pneumatic and electric. Pneumatic level controllers are better suited to situations where electricity is unavailable or the material is hazardous, while electric level controllers are ideal in pressurized tanks.

On/off temperature controllers

On/off temperature controllers are temperature control devices that protect against a system overheating or overcooling. A user will set an optimal temperature and when it is exceeded, the output will turn off. If the temperature falls below the optimal preset, the output will switch on. There is no middle state, simply only an ‘on’ and ‘off’ option.

These types of controllers are the perfect components for monitoring purposes in different heating environments. If there was to be an extreme increase in temperature in a certain setting, damage could be caused to valves and contactors. On/off temperature controllers help to prevent this by cutting the power off.

The thermostat in a heating system is a typical example of an off/off temperature controller. When the temperature drops below the preset level, the heating system will switch on – and vice versa.

PID controllers

PID (proportional integral derivative) controllers regulate flow, speed, pressure, temperature, and many other process variables using a control loop feedback mechanism to control process variables. When you need to keep something constant – for example, a temperature – using a PID controller is the best way to do it.

By inputting a setting in the controller, it will keep the output constant based on feedback from an input – typically some type of sensor. Widely used in industrial control systems, they are extremely accurate and stable and automatically apply responsive correction to a control function.

PID controllers are exceptionally efficient at reacting to unexpected disturbances and fluctuations in ongoing processes.

PID temperature controllers

PID temperature controllers, as their name suggests, are instruments that are used to control temperature. Widely used across a variety of different equipment, these on/off process controllers use a mathematical formula to calculate the difference between the desired temperature setpoint and current process temperature. This is to ensure that the process temperature remains as close to the setpoint as possible.

The proportional, the integral, and the derivative are the three elements of the PID algorithm, and each of these relate to the variance in the process temperature versus the setpoint over a period of time.

Why choose RS for your industrial controllers?

At RS, we stock a wide selection of industrial controllers and accessories. From liquid level controllers to PID temperature controllers, there is a full selection available for you to choose from. To help you find what you are looking for, use the search function to narrow your search by key features such as manufacturer and category.

We are a leading authorized distributor of industrial controllers in North America. We stock a vast range of controllers that are designed to suit a host of applications, and each product meets the highest industry standards.

If you have any questions, contact us today and out team will be happy to help. You can also find advice and tips in our expert content hub.