What is an Industrial Switch?

Mondo Technology Updated on 2024-03-07

Nowadays, industrial switches play a vital role in various industries such as energy, environmental protection, transportation, and smart city surveillance, and their demand is also growing. This article will provide a comprehensive introduction to industrial switches to help you further understand them.

Industrial switches, also known as industrial Ethernet switches, are network technology devices designed for industrial environments. Its main function is to provide reliable, high-speed data transmission for industrial networks, including 10G industrial switches, to achieve faster transfer rates. In general, Industrial Ethernet is a cost-effective way to manage communication between various types of industrial equipment.

In general, 10G industrial switches can withstand shock, vibration, and extreme fluctuations at -40°C to 75°C. Therefore, you will find that 10G industrial network switches play an important role in transportation, energy industry, etc.

According to the functions and characteristics, industrial switches can be divided into unmanaged or managed industrial switches, industrial PoE switches or non-PoE switches, DIN rail switches or rack-mounted switches, etc. Here are the main features of industrial Ethernet switches.

Industrial switches typically feature rugged constructions, such as durable enclosures with IP30, IP40, or higher protection ratings. Some network switches are even equipped with 6kV lightning protection to prevent damage caused by lightning strikes when used outdoors. With a rugged design, industrial network switches can reliably transmit data in extreme temperatures of -40° to 75°C.

For example, one of the Flying Speed (FS) IES3100-8TF industrial switches is equipped with a rugged IP30 aluminum metal enclosure. It can transmit data from -40° to 75°C in extreme temperatures and is able to withstand high levels of vibration and shock.

The IES5100-24TF industrial switch combines advanced ERP (Ethernet ring protection switching) technology and spanning tree protocol (8021SMSTP) is integrated into industrial networks to help improve system reliability under harsh conditions. In a simple ring network, the recovery time of the data link can be as fast as 50ms.

Power outages are an important factor affecting the failure rate of industrial switches. To avoid power failures, industrial network switches often employ dual power supply redundancy. This design can ensure the stability and reliability of the connection in harsh environments.

Most industrial switches are available with DIN rail or wall mount options. For DIN rail mounting, it is ideal for efficient use of cabinet space in harsh environments. In addition, it helps to simplify installation. DIN rail industrial switches can be easily attached to standard component rail mounting systems or long metal strips within standard cabinet racks. In addition, industrial switches with DIN rail mounting options do help protect sensitive electrical equipment.

Industrial switches typically use metal enclosures to speed up heat dissipation instead of fans. The fanless design of industrial switches minimizes dust and moisture ingress issues. In this regard, industrial switches ensure long-term reliability in industrial applications.

As mentioned above, industrial switches provide high-performance and high-speed data transmission for industrial networks. In addition, it has different rates, ranging from 10g to 100g. As a result, companies choose to use industrial switches for a variety of reasons.

Harsh environment tolerance. Industrial switches have a rugged design that can operate in extreme temperatures. They are ideal for harsh working environments such as oil and gas platforms, outdoor electrical applications, and more.

Reduce noise and distractions. Industrial switches support fiber optics and high-speed cables. Fiber optic cables are required for long-distance transmission, as high-speed cables can only transmit data over distances of up to 100m. In this case, industrial switches can reduce electrical noise and improve the quality of point-to-point network connections.

Simplify your network. Unmanaged industrial switches are ideal for entry-level, low-priority networks. They can provide basic packet filtering and support 5-10 port connections at a relatively low level**.

Enhancements. Managed industrial switches provide advanced network management tools such as improved traffic filtering, network topology, and device mapping. In addition, they provide a high level of network security and help you protect sensitive data as it passes through the network.

Conventional Ethernet switches cannot reliably and accurately transmit data in critical environments, while industrial Ethernet switches with these important features can handle harsh conditions. Some typical applications of Industrial Ethernet switches are as follows:

Industrial switches in the energy industry: In underground mines, for example, the use of industrial switches in underground coal mines can effectively block dust, dirt, and other particulate matter that can cause damage to equipment.

Industrial switches in the transportation industry: Industrial switches are equipped with industrial-grade protective structures such as IP40 to withstand high-intensity vibration and shock, helping you obtain data generated by moving objects.

Industrial switches in substations: A major challenge for power substations is high electromagnetic interference, and a robust, reliable, and safe harsh environment switch is the answer. Because industrial switches have strong anti-interference performance and can work in harsh electromagnetic environments, commercial switches do not support these functions.

Industrial Switches in Smart City Surveillance: Using industrial PoE switches to provide the required power to your PoE devices, such as IP cameras in smart city surveillance, is a smart choice for monitoring crowds and traffic. Get powerful PoE switches for industrial networks and enjoy the benefits of simplified cabling and device control in an easier way.

Common and industrial switches may differ in terms of operating temperature, installation method, and application.

Appearance. Industrial switches typically feature a fanless design and an integrated metal enclosure for heat dissipation. Ordinary switches are usually equipped with plastic or metal enclosures and fans for heat dissipation.

Operating temperature. Industrial Ethernet can operate in a wide temperature range of -40 75, while ordinary switches can only operate in a temperature range of 0 50.

Application scenarios. Industrial switches are designed to meet the needs of industrial environments, providing reliable network connectivity between machines and other equipment. Networks in the home or office often use standard network switches. They provide basic connectivity between devices on a single LAN.

Installation method: Industrial switches can be installed in a variety of ways, including rack, desktop, wall-mount, and DIN rail. However, common switches are usually installed in desktops or racks.

Power supply. In most cases, Industrial Ethernet switches offer dual power redundancy. However, most common switches on the market usually only support a single power supply.

FS has launched a variety of industrial switches, including 8-port industrial Ethernet switches, 16-port industrial Ethernet switches, and 24-port industrial Ethernet switches. All managed industrial switches can be further divided into DIN rail switches, rack switches, PoE switches, and non-PoE switches. The following table lists the FemtoSpeed (FS) industrial switches for reference.

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