Industrial Automation Control Panel Manufacturer, Supplying Australia-Wide
An automated line or process rarely runs from a single panel. Control, motor power, operator screens and field I/O often sit in separate enclosures, and every one of them has to be engineered to work with the others.
IPA designs, builds and FAT-tests industrial automation control panels as a matched set at its South East Queensland workshop, then supplies them Australia-wide.
You might bring a functional description, a full drawing package or something in between. We can engineer the set from your intent or build it to your documentation.
One Automation Control Panel Set,
Engineered as a System
Most industrial automation jobs split the electrical equipment across several panels. A central control panel holds the controller and network gear. Motor power sits in an MCC. Operators work from an HMI panel, and remote I/O panels sit close to the field equipment they serve.
Within a set, IPA builds:
- PLC control panels
- MCC panels for motors, pumps, conveyors and fans
- HMI and operator interface panels
- Remote I/O panels
- Variable speed drive and soft starter panels
- Instrumentation panels
- Hazardous area (Ex-rated) panels
Splitting the set this way keeps field cable runs short, lets maintenance work on one panel without opening the others, and leaves room to add a remote I/O panel when the line grows.
Engineered From a Functional Description or Your Drawings
Many industrial automation projects start with a sequence of operation or functional description rather than finished drawings. IPA can take that document and engineer the full panel set to it: panel split, I/O allocation, motor circuits and operator controls, all traced back to your sequence.
Already have a design? IPA also manufactures to approved drawings, specifications and supplied documentation such as a bill of materials.
Every set is documented in EPLAN, with schematics, I/O lists, cable and termination schedules, and as-built drawings that match what leaves the workshop.
Third-Party Machines and Machine Safety in One Control System
Production lines often combine machines from several OEMs, each with its own controls. An automation control panel set ties them together: handshake signals between machines, interlocks that stop upstream equipment when a downstream unit faults, and communication with existing equipment.
Machine safety can sit inside the same set. Safety relays suit a small number of safety functions; once a machine needs four or more, or safety signals have to travel over a network, a safety controller is usually the better fit.
For machinery, IEC 60204-1, the standard for electrical equipment of machines, applies from the point where the supply connects, and its requirements include emergency stop and control circuit protection.
Need the panels programmed too? IPA’s electricians also program PLC and HMI equipment through our industrial automation service.
A Production Line Panel Set in Practice
Project Example: Fussy Cat Production Line
Fussy Cat needed a new chilled-range production line at Yatala. IPA handled the industrial automation scope. The line’s panel set comprised one MCC panel, one HMI control panel and two remote I/O panels, serving eight motors.
The scope also covered integration of third-party equipment: a Makum filling system, an Ulma tray sealer and an HMPS case packer, plus control of the conveyor system. Factory acceptance testing (FAT) was part of the work.
Motor power, operator interface and field I/O sat in separate panels and ran as one system. Read the full Fussy Cat project.
What Integrators Get From an IPA Panel Set
Choosing one builder for every panel in the set cuts the hand-offs. Integrators, contractors and OEMs choose IPA to be that builder because;
One workshop for the whole set. Engineering, panel manufacture and testing stay under one roof, so the set shares one drawing package and one test process.
An experienced panel team. Between them, the team brings 80+ years of combined hands-on experience across mining, renewables, manufacturing, food and beverage, OEM machinery and water.
EPLAN electrical design. Drawings for each panel in the set are produced in EPLAN and handed over as as-built documentation.
AS/NZS 61439 design verification. Low-voltage assemblies up to 1,000 V a.c. fall under the 61439 series, and IPA provides design verification where a project requires it.
Quick builds on standard enclosures. Where a panel suits a standard off-the-shelf enclosure, IPA averages 14 days from drawing approval, with component availability the main variable.
Get a Quote on Your Automation Control Panels
Send us what you have: a functional description, sequence of operation, I/O list, drawings or an equipment list, and we will quote the full set.
Still at concept stage? Speak with our team and we’ll help shape the panel set from day one.
FAQs
What does an automation control panel include?
An automation control panel houses the electrical equipment that runs an automated machine, line or process: the controller, I/O, motor control, operator interface and safety circuits. Larger jobs spread that equipment across a set of panels engineered to work together.
How is an automation control panel set different from a single PLC panel?
A PLC panel holds the controller and its I/O. An automation control panel set adds the panels around it, such as an MCC for motor power, an HMI panel for operators and remote I/O panels near the equipment. The Fussy Cat line used four.
Can IPA build from a functional description?
Yes. IPA can engineer the panel set from a functional description or sequence of operation, with drawings produced in EPLAN. If you already have approved drawings and specifications, we can build to those instead.
Can you integrate third-party and OEM machines?
Yes. An automation control panel set can carry the signals, interlocks and communication that tie OEM machines into one control system. On the Fussy Cat line, the scope included integrating a filling system, tray sealer and case packer from different suppliers.
Which documents help IPA price an automation panel set?
A functional description or sequence of operation, an I/O list, any existing drawings and a list of the equipment each panel will control. Enclosure requirements, such as stainless steel or hygienic panels for washdown areas, also help us quote accurately.
Can a full panel set be delivered interstate?
Yes. Every panel in the set leaves our South East Queensland workshop tested and ready to travel, and we deliver anywhere in Australia. Each set ships with its test records and as-built drawings. Ask for a delivery timeline when you request a quote.
