5 Brands to Consider When Choosing Power Supplies
Automation parts distributors offer power supplies from multiple brands, including Siemens, Honeywell, WAGO, Pepperl+Fuchs, and more. When selecting one for your industrial application, it is important to choose well from the ones available.
From robust industrial automation to uninterrupted operations in hazardous environments, reliable power supplies are a must-have in modern industries. The latest devices offer seamless integration, high reliability, redundancy, safety, and self-diagnostics. However, with multiple brands available in the market, it is important to choose the right brand.
Whether you procure from an Automation Parts Distributor or directly from the manufacturer, it is important to select the right brand for industrial power supplies.
What Are the Things to Consider When Buying Power Supplies
When selecting a power supply for your industrial application, here are a few things that you need to keep in mind:
- Power requirement of the specific equipment.
- Compatibility with the grid and the devices.
- Efficiency of the power supply.
- Environmental conditions in which they need to operate.
- Presence of EMI/RFI filtering.
- Built-in protection mechanisms like those for over-voltage, over-current, and short-circuit protection.
- Redundancy of the power supply for mission-critical systems.
- Remote monitoring and modularity of the system.
- Physical dimensions of the power supply.
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Top 5 Brands for Industrial Power Supplies
Most leading automation parts distributors will offer the following five brands when you look for industrial power supplies:
1. Siemens Power Supplies
Siemens power supplies, particularly those belonging to the SITOP series, are industrial-grade switched-mode power supplies (SMPS). Thus, they convert AC to a stable DC voltage with high efficiency and offer features like overload capabilities, permanent condition monitoring, and error-free wiring.
These energy-efficient devices offer wide compatibility in terms of input voltage ranges, are easy to install with DIN rail mounting and push-in terminals, can be combined with a DC UPS for increased availability, and can be used in hazardous areas. These features make Siemens power supplies a popular choice for industries.
2. Pepperl+Fuchs Power Supplies
Pepperl+Fuchs offers a range of industrial power supplies designed for safety-critical applications and hazardous areas. Thus, they provide power to signal circuits while ensuring system integrity. Further, Pepperl+Fuchs designs power supplies intended to support industrial communication networks like AS-Interface and FOUNDATION Fieldbus.
Offering features like high reliability, redundancy options, easy system integration, active inrush current limitation, and safety certifications, Pepperl+Fuchs is one of the best choices for power supplies to be used in hazardous areas.
3. Honeywell Power Supplies
From industrial automation to building management, Honeywell produces a wide range of power supplies. Honeywell’s industrial power supplies are designed to provide stable, regulated power for automation and control systems.
These flexible devices have a robust design and offer features like 24V DC output, short-circuit and overload protection, thus powering controllers, sensors, and other industrial devices. They have the necessary safety certifications and wide applications, due to which they are found in manufacturing, energy, process control, building automation, and water treatment plants.
4. WAGO Power Supplies
WAGO has a wide range of DIN-rail-mountable power supplies designed for industrial automation applications. These devices cater to a wide range of power needs, offering both compact power supplies for smaller jobs, high-performance systems with communication capabilities, and comprehensive modules with UPS, buffer modules, and circuit breakers.
Further, these high-efficiency devices are designed to offer tool-free connection, have global approvals, a space-saving design, and capacitive buffer modules for trouble-free operation even during brief power interruptions.
5. Yokogawa Power Supplies
Yokogawa power supplies are designed to deliver stable and reliable power to various industrial components. They have both AC and DC input options and cater to a wide range of applications and power requirements. Further, Yokogawa also offers high-density power supplies that can power a large number of devices.
With different input voltage ranges, output voltage ratings, and current capacities, these devices are designed to support a wide range of systems. Additionally, you may also opt for a dual-redundancy configuration for greater reliability.
Comparison Between the Top 5 Brands
A tabular comparison between the five given brands is as follows:
| Feature | Siemens | Pepperl+Fuchs | Honeywell | WAGO | Yokogawa |
| Primary Focus | Industrial automation, factory automation (PLC power) | Process automation, hazardous area applications, and intrinsic safety | Building management, industrial controls, process solutions | Control cabinet components, renewable energy, building automation | Process automation, distributed control systems, and safety systems |
| Key Features | High efficiencyAdvanced diagnosticsIntegrated functionality | Designed for hazardous and regular applicationsPre-configured systems | Overload protectionParallel connection capability | High efficiencyTool-free push-in connectionsSupports multiple communication protocols | High-reliabilityRedundancyEasy integration with DCS platforms |
| Connectivity and Integration | Integrated into Siemens’ (TIA) Portal and offers PROFINET communication | System-specific solutions and integrated with FOUNDATION Fieldbus | Designed to power Honeywell’s controllers and building management systems. | Supports multiple communication modules for system data integration and parameterization | Integrated directly into Yokogawa’s DCS architecture for system-level diagnostics and redundancy |
| Application | General industrial automation and machinery. | Oil and gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, and other industries. | Commercial buildings, HVAC, security, and infrastructure automation. | Control cabinet power, panel building, renewable energy, and machinery. | Large-scale process plants, refineries, chemical factories, and power generation. |
Table: Comparison of Power Supplies from the top 5 brands.
Wrapping Up
From Siemens power supplies to ones made by Pepperl+Fuchs and Yokogawa, automation parts distributors offer power supplies for industrial applications from the top brands. Account for power rating, ease of installation, and reliability, and select a power supply based on these parameters.
Selecting the Right Industrial Power Supplies
Need a reliable power supply for your industrial application? Choose between the top brands and select one that is suited to your industrial application.
