Development trend and Prospect of low voltage electrical equipment industry

1. vertical integration

If the manufacturer is defined as the manufacturer of low-voltage electrical components, the biggest buyer of low-voltage electrical products is the low-voltage complete equipment factory. These intermediate users purchase low-voltage electrical components, and then assemble them into low-voltage complete sets of devices such as distribution panel, power distribution box, protection panel, control panel and then sell them to users.

With the development of vertical integration trend of manufacturers, the intermediate manufacturers and component manufacturers are constantly integrated: traditional manufacturers only produce components also start to produce complete equipment, and traditional intermediate manufacturers also participate in the production of low-voltage electrical components through acquisition and joint venture.

2., one belt, one road to promote globalization.

China’s “one belt, one road” strategy is essentially to drive China’s output and capital output. Therefore, as one of the leading industries in China, policy and fund support will help countries along the line to speed up the construction of power grid, and at the same time, it has opened up a broad market for China’s power equipment export, and domestic relevant grid construction and power equipment enterprises benefit significantly.

The power construction of developing countries in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, Africa and Latin America is relatively backward. With the development of national economy and the increase of electricity consumption, it is urgent to speed up the construction of power grid. At the same time, the technology of the local equipment enterprises in developing countries is backward, and the import dependence is high, and there is no tendency of local protectionism.

At top speed, China’s enterprises one belt, one road, and the other, spillover effect will accelerate the pace of globalization. The state has always attached great importance to the export of low-voltage electrical appliances, and has given support and encouragement in policy, such as export tax rebate, relaxation of the right to import and export self-operation, etc., so the domestic policy environment for the export of low-voltage electrical products is very good.

3. transition from low pressure to medium high pressure

In the past 5-10 years, the low-voltage electrical industry will realize the trend from low voltage to medium and high voltage, analog products to digital products, product sales to complete engineering, medium and low end to middle and high-end, and the concentration will be greatly improved.

With the increase of large load equipment and the increase of power consumption, in order to reduce the loss of the line, many countries vigorously promote 660V voltage in mining, petroleum, chemical industry and other industries. The International Electrotechnical Commission also strongly recommends 660V and 1000V as industrial general voltage.

China has used 660V voltage in mining industry. In the future, the rated voltage will be further improved, which will replace the original “MV”. The German Conference in Mannheim also agreed to raise the low pressure level to 2000V.

4. maker and innovation driven

Domestic low voltage electrical enterprises generally lack enough independent innovation ability and lack of high-end market competitiveness. In the future, the development of low voltage electrical appliances should be considered from the perspective of system development. At the same time, it is necessary to consider the overall solution of the system, and from the system to all the components of distribution, protection and control, from strong to weak.

The new generation of intelligent low voltage electrical appliances has the remarkable characteristics of high performance, multi-function, small volume, high reliability, green environment protection, energy saving and material saving, among which the new generation of universal circuit breaker, plastic case breaker and circuit breaker with selective protection can realize the full range of low-voltage distribution system in China (including terminal distribution system) The full current selective protection provides the basis for improving the reliability of the low-voltage distribution system, and has a very broad development prospect in the middle and high-end market.

In addition, new generation contactors, new generation ATSE, new generation SPD and other projects are also actively R & D, which has added a back force to lead the industry to actively promote independent innovation of the industry and accelerate the development of low voltage electrical industry.

Low voltage electrical products have been focused on the transformation to high performance, high reliability, intelligence, modularization and green environmental protection; In manufacturing technology, it has begun to transform to improve the professional technology level; In the process of parts, it has begun to transform to high speed, automation and specialization; In terms of product appearance, it has begun to transform to humanization and aesthetics.

5. digitalization, networking, intelligence and connection

The application of new technology has injected new vitality into the development of low-voltage electrical products. In an era of everything connected and intelligent, it may lead to a new “revolution” of low-voltage electrical products.

The development of various technologies, such as “Internet of things”, “Internet of things”, “global energy Internet”, “industry 4.0″, “smart grid, smart home”, will eventually realize the “ultimate connection” of various dimensions of things, and realize the organization of all things, the interconnection of all things, the intelligence of all things and the thinking of all things; And through the integration and integration of collective consciousness and collective structure, it becomes the central nervous system which affects the efficient operation of modern human society.

Low voltage electrical appliances play a major role in this revolution, will play the role of connector of all things, and can connect all things and islands and everyone into a unified ecological system. In order to realize the connection between low voltage electrical appliances and network, three schemes are generally adopted.

The first is to develop a new interface electrical apparatus, which is connected between the network and the traditional low voltage electrical components;

The second is to derive or add the function of computer network interface on traditional products;

The third is to develop new electrical appliances with computer interface and communication function directly. The basic requirements for communicable electrical appliances include: with communication interface; Standardization of communication protocol; It can be directly hung on the bus; Meet relevant low voltage electrical standards and relevant EMC requirements.

According to its own characteristics and its role in the network, communicable electrical appliances can be divided into the following categories: ① interface appliances, such as ASI interface module, distributed i/o interface, and network interface. ② It has interface and communication function electrical appliances. ③ A unit serving a computer network. Such as bus, address encoder, addressing unit, load feed module, etc.

6. the fourth generation of low voltage electrical appliances will become the mainstream

The research and development of low voltage electrical products in China has realized the leap from imitation design to independent innovation design.

In addition to inheriting the characteristics of the third generation, the fourth generation low voltage electrical products also deepen the intelligent characteristics, and also have the characteristics of high performance, multi-function, miniaturization, high reliability, green environmental protection, energy saving and material saving.

Accelerating the development and promotion of the fourth generation of low voltage electrical appliances in China will be the focus of the industry in the future. The fourth generation of low voltage electrical appliances is something with high-tech content. It’s not easy to copy. These technologies all have a lot of intellectual property rights, which makes it impossible for manufacturers to repeat the old way of copying others.

In fact, the competition of low voltage electrical appliances market at home and abroad has been very fierce. In the late 1990s, the third generation of low voltage electrical products in China was developed and promoted. Schneider, Siemens, abb, Ge, Mitsubishi, Muller, Fuji and other foreign major manufacturers of low-voltage appliances launched the fourth generation products. The products have made new breakthroughs in the comprehensive technical and economic indicators, product structure and material selection, and the application of new technologies.

7. development trend of product technology and performance

The development of low voltage electrical appliances depends on the development of national economy and the needs of modern industrial automation, as well as the research and application of new technologies, new processes and new materials. At present, the domestic low-voltage electrical products are developing towards the direction of high performance, high reliability, miniaturization, digital modeling, modularization, combination, electronics, intelligence, communication and parts generalization.

Product quality is the premise of all development. It must meet the requirements of excellent performance, reliable work, small volume, combined design, communication, energy saving and environmental protection, and shall have the functions of protection, monitoring, communication, self diagnosis, display, etc.

There are many new technologies that affect the development of low voltage electrical appliances, such as modern design technology, microelectronics technology, computer technology, network technology, communication technology, intelligent technology, reliability technology, test technology, etc.

In addition, the new technology of over current protection needs to be focused on. It will fundamentally change the selection concept of low voltage circuit breaker. At present, although China low voltage distribution system and low-voltage electrical equipment have selective protection, selective protection is incomplete. The concept of full current and full range selective protection (full selective protection) is proposed for the new generation of low voltage circuit breakers.

8. market shuffle

Low voltage electrical manufacturers without innovation ability, product design technology, manufacturing capacity and equipment backward will be eliminated in the industry shuffling. However, the third generation and fourth generation medium and high-end low-voltage electrical products have their own innovation ability. The enterprises with advanced equipment manufacturing will be further distinguished in the market competition, The concentration of low voltage electrical industry and products may be further improved. Those who remain in the industry will be divided into two levels: small specialization and large-scale comprehensive.

The former is positioned as the market filler, and continues to consolidate its own professional product market; The latter will continue to expand market share, improve product line and strive to provide more comprehensive services for users.

Some will leave the industry and enter other industries with higher profits. There are also many informal small manufacturers, which will disappear in the fierce market competition. The sand is the king.

9. development direction of quality standard of low voltage electrical appliances

With the update and replacement of low voltage electrical products, the standard system will be gradually improved.

In the future, the development of low voltage electrical products will be mainly manifested as product intelligence, and the market needs high-performance and intelligent low-voltage electrical products, and it requires products to have protection, monitoring, testing, self diagnosis, display and other functions; With communication interface, it can communicate with many open Fieldbus in two-way, and realize the communication and networking of low voltage electrical equipment; Carry out reliability design, control reliability (vigorously promote online testing device) and reliability factory inspection during product production, especially emphasize the reliability and EMC requirements of electronic devices; The environmental protection and energy conservation requirements should be emphasized, and the “green” products should be developed gradually, including the influence of product material selection, manufacturing process and use process on the environment and the effective utilization of energy.

In line with the development trend, four technical standards need to be urgently studied:

1) Can cover the latest product comprehensive performance, including technical performance, use performance, maintenance performance of technical standards;

2) The standard of product communication and product performance and communication requirements is organically combined to make the products have better interoperability;

3) To establish the reliability and test methods standards of related products to improve the product reliability and product quality, and to improve the competitiveness of foreign products;

4) To formulate a series of environmental awareness design standards and energy efficiency standards for low voltage electrical products, guide and standardize the production and manufacture of energy-saving and environmental protection “green appliances”.

10. Green Revolution

The green revolution of low carbon, energy saving, material saving and environmental protection has had a profound impact on the world. The global ecological security problem represented by climate change is becoming increasingly prominent, which will lead to the fundamental change of economic and social development mode in the world. Advanced low-voltage electrical technology and energy saving technology have become the frontier of world science and technology development and hot field of technology competition.

For ordinary users, in addition to the quality and price of low-voltage electrical appliances, more and more attention is paid to the energy saving and environmental protection performance of products.

In addition, the state also requires the environmental protection and energy-saving performance of low voltage electrical products used by enterprises and industrial construction users. In the future, such restrictions will only become stronger and stronger.

It is a trend to build green energy-saving appliances with core competitiveness and provide customers with more safe, intelligent and green electrical solutions.

The coming of green revolution brings both challenge and opportunity to manufacturers in low voltage electrical industry.