What Is an Industrial Relay?
Relays are a common component found in various types of machinery and systems, serving as a type of electrically operated switch. Relays can serve various roles, though they are most often implemented to control a circuit with an independent low-power signal or to manage multiple circuits with a single signal. While relays initially served long-distance telegraph circuits for repeating signals, they have since been diversified to accommodate applications such as industrial processes and automation. In this blog, we will discuss industrial relay parts, allowing you to better understand their functionality and use.
In general, the industrial relays that support automation, food & beverage manufacturing, wood processing, and other such applications are electromechanical. In their most basic form, electromechanical relays have the ability to control high power electrical devices as a type of switch, and they utilize signals for their actuation. As electromechanical relays encompass various components, the design of the relay will often depend on the particular mechanical device that it is installed in. For instance, some applications necessitate the use of relays with electromagnets, allowing for control to be established as a magnetic field is produced with the presence of electric current.
Electromechanical relays are important when an application demands a small amount of power to be transformed into a larger power, and this is done through the various electronic components and elements that make them up. The electromagnet is the part that opens and closes the relay, and this is executed through the adjustment of an armature. Springs are a common mechanical component present within a typical electromechanical relay assembly, allowing for all parts to return to their resting state when signals cease to transmit. Lastly, power is transferred to and from the relay through the presence of electrical contact sets.
While electromechanical relays make up a significant portion of industrial relays, a number of applications have begun to take advantage of what are known as solid-state relays (SSR). Unlike other various relay types, solid-state relays are devoid of moving components, instead taking advantage of a thyristor, TRIAC, or similar switching device that is actuated by a control signal. With their lack of moving components, solid-state relays are known for having longer service lives and necessitating very little mechanical repair.
As relays can perform numerous roles in a device, and there may be a large number of relays present, there are various industrial relay accessories that one may take advantage of. Sockets are useful for an ease of wiring and to establish protection against vibration, and they often come in the form of screw and screwless assemblies. Since vibration and loosening can be highly detrimental to any operation, clips are another beneficial accessory for industrial relay components. Lastly, if you have many relays and sockets that are bunched together, labels are very useful to ensure proper management for operations and maintenance.
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