Industry 4.0 and Smart Surge Protectors

Our world has been undergoing a very rapid digital transformation since the early 1990s. As a matter of fact, we can observe this transformation everywhere today, from daily life to industrial facilities. The global industry has actually been going through a digital transformation with the innovations it has implemented since the beginning of the 21st century. At the point of Industry 4.0, we are now talking about a complete digital transformation in factories or, more generally, in industrial facilities.

The first industrial revolution, Industry 1.0, was based on water and steam power. Industry 2.0 emerged with the start of mass production through electrically powered production lines. Industry 3.0 began with the automation of production lines thanks to PLC technology. So, what awaits us in Industry 4.0?

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We can say that Industry 4.0 is developing itself under 3 main headings.

• Integration of IT technology into production automation
• Maximum optimization and efficiency in product and design processes
• Implementation of cyber systems

Industry 4.0 aims to make all devices in factories smart. In this context, all devices will be able to communicate with each other and connect to the internet. Thus, people and objects will be able to communicate with each other in real time and carry out production within a huge network.

Industry 4.0 and Surge Arresters

One of the main challenges that will arise with Industry 4.0 is the increasing use of more sensitive devices. As the number of electronic components in devices increases, we need smarter and more sensitive technologies to protect these devices against lightning and overvoltage impulses. Surge arresters that frequently use varistor technology make surge arresters unintelligent and bulky devices. In regions with frequent lightning activity, maintenance personnel often have to replace the surge arrester cartridge frequently, which leads to loss of time and money. Thanks to the VG technology developed by Raycap, both the durability of surge arresters has been increased and a fast response time to incoming impulses has been achieved. In addition, Raycap surge arresters operate fully integrated with your automation systems. Thus, you can remotely monitor and control the protection system installed in your facility. Moreover, as voltage levels and current flowing through systems decrease, the need for protection increases. Systems operating at low voltages such as 5 V, 12 V, and 24 V can be damaged even by sudden overvoltage impulses that were previously considered normal. Another characteristic of Industry 4.0 is the miniaturization of devices, increased sensitivity, and expanded functionality. The reduction in volume leads to an increase in economic value. At this point, the importance of LV surge arresters once again comes to the forefront. In order to ensure sustainable production and prevent system losses, we must provide protection against lightning and sudden overvoltage impulses with smart surge arrester systems.