As industrial automation systems become increasingly complex, control panel design must also be more thoughtful. If ergonomics is not closely monitored, panels can become cluttered and confusing, leading to safety hazards, operational errors, and prolonged maintenance delays. To avoid these issues, designers must prioritize human factors to help ensure panel operation is intuitive and easy to maintain.
This article first provides a brief overview of the challenges faced in control panel design. Then, Panduit's complete set of solutions was introduced, and how these solutions worked together to create a safer and easier to maintain control panel, resulting in reliable system performance.
Why is cable management system important
Many usability challenges of control panels stem from wiring issues. Common issues include unclear component labels, tangled wiring, and poor access to critical areas.
The best way to solve these problems is to adopt a comprehensive cable management system, such as the one provided by Panduit. These systems consist of components such as labels, cable trays, cable ties, and cable fixing devices, which can work together, are easy to install, operate reliably, and achieve clean and safe cable management.
Organize and protect cables with cable trays
The cable tray is a fundamental component for maintaining the orderliness of the control panel. They provide a structured cable routing and protection method, helping technicians understand the overall layout and reduce the risk of accidental disconnection.
These advantages are fully reflected in the Panduct F-type trunking series. This product series adopts a "finger groove" design, with solid parts (fingers) and open spaces (grooves) alternately distributed along the side walls of the pipeline. The slot spacing is 0.5 inches, which facilitates neat wiring of high-density terminal blocks and dense components.
The slots in this series are only 0.2 inches wide and can tightly fit the outgoing cables. The protruding part in the middle helps to secure the wires. This dual restriction design reduces the need for cable ties and trunking covers, simplifying installation and maintenance. In cases where a larger cable outlet is required, a single hard finger or larger sidewall portion can be easily removed through an integrated engraved line.
The size range of this series varies from the F1X3LG6 (Figure 1) measuring 1.25 x 3.13 inches to the F4X5LG6 measuring 4.25 x 5.1 inches. These choices make this series of products suitable for both compact control panels with limited space and large facilities that require managing complex cable bundles.
Panduit F-type trunking series member F1X3LG6 picture
Figure 1: The size of F1X3LG6 in the F-type trunking series is 1.25 x 3.13 inches (Image source: Panduit)
Matching cover plates, such as the 4-inch wide C4LG6 (Figure 2), help conceal and protect rarely touched cables, reducing the risk of accidental interference.
Picture of Panduit C4LG6 cover plate for F-type trunking series
Figure 2: The C4LG6 cover plate of the F-type trunking series is 4 inches wide. (Image source: Panduit)
All Panduct F-type pipes are made of lead-free PVC and comply with RoHS, UL, CE, and CSA requirements. Their flammability reaches UL94V-0 level, providing consistent safety and performance levels for the entire product line.
Use cable ties to secure and organize cable bundles
Cable bundling is crucial for maintaining a safe and intuitive control panel layout. Proper bundling can not only improve visual clarity, but also reduce the risk of accidental disconnection, wear and tear, and mechanical strain.
When choosing cable ties, designers must consider factors such as environmental exposure, tensile strength requirements, and material compatibility with other panel components. Compliance with industry standards such as UL 62275 for cable management systems also plays a crucial role in ensuring long-term reliability and safety.
Panduit offers a variety of cable ties to meet various requirements. The Pan Ty PLT series and Dome Top Barb Ty BT series showcase the diversity of available options. Both series offer a variety of sizes and materials to accommodate different wire harness diameters and environmental exposures. The main difference between them is the locking mechanism.
Pan Ty cable ties use an integrated plastic lock, which is a structure familiar to many installers. PLT2I-M is an example (Figure 3). PLT2I-M is designed for indoor use and is made of nylon 6.6 with a curved tip for easy operation and quick installation. It supports wiring harnesses with a maximum diameter of 2.0 inches and is suitable for compact and space limited control panel layouts.