Glossary · Electrical engineering and control panels
Control panel
Also known as: Operator control panel, Control desk, Pushbutton panel
German: Steuerungstafel
In machine and plant engineering, a control panel is a panel, desk or enclosure front that carries control and indicating devices, such as pushbuttons, selector switches, indicator lights, operator panels and emergency stop devices, for operating a machine or plant.
- Control panels
In one sentence
A control panel carries pushbuttons, switches, indicators and displays for operating a machine; in US usage it can also mean the cabinet.
Example
The control panel of the press has two-hand controls, a mode selector switch, indicator lights and an emergency stop device.
How it applies
- Engineering: Colors and markings of pushbuttons and indicator lights are specified in IEC 60204-1 and IEC 60073 (for example red for stop and emergency stop). Arrange controls logically and protect against unintended actuation.
- Safety: Safety-related controls on a control panel, such as Emergency stop devices or Two-hand control device units, are part of safety functions and have their own requirements beyond panel design.
- Documentation: The operating manual should show the control panel with every element labeled and explained, in the order the operator uses them. Labels on the panel and terms in the manual must match exactly.
Control panel vs. control cabinet
In European usage, the control panel is the operating surface and the Control cabinet the enclosure for the equipment. In the US, "industrial control panel" (as in UL 508A) means the assembly of control equipment, which is closer to a cabinet.