Control Panel Design
We provide bespoke HVAC control panel design and upgrade services to clients across the manufacturing, production and processing industries.
The control panel is one of the most important aspects of your operations.
Mistakes such as insufficient temperature control and unsuitable components can be costly, while a poor interface or lacking functionality can create operational inefficiencies.
FEG’s in-house mechanical, electrical and process design team offer full HVAC control panel design services to help ensure your production facility is performing to its full capacity. We can design and install stand-alone control panels to full PLCs working alongside complex networks of interface panels and HMI terminals.
We specified control panel design alongside an optimisation project for this materials and paper products group
Operational requirements turned into functional panel outputs
We operate via a vertical start-up approach, incorporating feasibility, concept design and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) project management methods to ensure the right questions are asked at the beginning of the project. This gives us the opportunity to fully understand our clients’ requirements and provide solutions that meet them.
We use the latest AutoCAD software to generate layouts/schematics, wiring and bills of materials. This documentation is not only important for visualising and confirming your build but can also form crucial references for future upgrades and system modifications.
Our control panel installation and commissioning is led by a safety-first approach. Qualified and experienced engineers ensure a protective environment through optimal combination and installation of components such as wiring, labelling, operator devices, overload relays, circuit breakers, disconnect switches, pushbutton stations, timers and switches.
Our HVAC control panel design services form part of our comprehensive automation design service, from concept to commissioning.
Control Panel Design Services
- Feasibility and design
- Machine integration
- Control panels upgrades and refurbishment
- Electrical design and automation
- Industry 4.0 integration
- MES systems
- Fieldbus communications and technology
- PLC/SCADA programming
- Remote and distributed I/O systems
- PLC programming & SCADA via HMI and PC display
- Control panel interface design and on-site installation
- Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT)
- Hardware & controls design
- Thermal and ventilation problems
- Motor Control Centres (MCCs)
- Process control panels
- Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)
- Machine safety
- BS EN ISO 12100:2010 compliance
- BS EN ISO 13849-1:2015
- BS EN ISO 13850:2015
- Commissioning and certification
- Customised layout and configurations
- Mild steel, stainless steel and GRP builds
- Power and control cabling design and scheduling
- Maintenance, training, support and aftercare
- Local or central Human Machine Interface (HMI) units
- Control cabinet and back panel layouts
- Bills of materials
- Front panels and faceplates
Key control panel design considerations
Location
The control panel location will have an impact on material, size, temperature and power supply. We take a holistic approach to design to ensure we have a full understanding of the control panel’s surroundings. For example, food processing facilities will require a stainless-steel panel to fulfil hygiene requirements, whereas GRP may be more suitable for panels located in chemical plants.
Temperature
Appropriate heating or cooling and ventilation arrangements are an essential consideration but can be complex to work around. For example, solutions such as fans for cooling may be inappropriate in food processing environment which is regularly hosed down.
Safety
Health and safety is of paramount importance and it’s important we understand the existing equipment safety requirements so we can incorporate them into our control panel design. For integration with new equipment, we liaise carefully with suppliers to ensure unfamiliar hazards are designed for. We will take into account machine enclosures/guards, emergency shut-off measures and operator safety requirements, working to BS EN ISO standards and CE certification.
We use equipment from major manufacturers, including Siemens, Allen-Bradley and Mitsubishi and work internally to ISO 9001 standards in quality management.
Sustainability
Today’s control panels must work not only for the current production process but that of the future too. Increasing regulatory requirements and technological innovations combined with changes to plant environments mean control panels can quickly become outdated and/or unsuited to requirements. Ongoing modifications can create bulky and overloaded systems that can compromise warranties as well as increase maintenance and downtime. We take a sustainable approach to control panel design, taking into account new innovations and client future goals and growth plans.
Recipe Management and Ingredient Batching Systems
Consistency of production, quality and reduction in waste is a critical KPI of any recipe management or ingredient batching system. We are highly experienced in the food and beverage industry and can support your control panel design when either simply integrated into your SCADA system or built into complex PLC logic in larger batch processing environments.
Associated Services
Take a look at our other automation services.