Industrial control and automation components are built for speed of assembly and repair. This design philosophy is critical for restoration of broken machinery. Recall that equipment down time is incredibly expensive, measured in hundreds of dollars per minute for a small facility upwards to thousands of dollars for a large factory.
This article is part of the DigiKey Field Guide for Industrial Automation
Location: Integrate It → Panel Construction.
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Author: Aaron Dahlen | MSEE | Senior Applications Engineer, DigiKey
Last update: 06 Mar 2026
Use a Purpose-Built Installation Tool
The 22 mm panel mount devices such as the Schneider pushbutton and indicator as shown in Figure 1 may appear to contradict this philosophy as the green installation nut is inconvenient. However, with the correct tool the installation is fast and trivial.
Figure 1: Picture of the Schneider Electric ZB5AZ905 tightening tools along with several Harmony XB5 22 mm panel mount devices. The wrench makes it easy to tighten the green installation nuts.
Figure 2: Close up image of the three components of the normally closed Schneider Harmony XB5AA42 pushbutton and the ZB5AZ905 installation tool (sold separately).
Tech Tip: Industrial control and automation components are often grouped into families. The Schneider Electric Harmony HB5 is a representative family with nearly 2000 individual related products. Be sure to look for similar installation tools for your favorite series of switches and indicators.
Do you have any time saving tricks and tips for industrial control? We would love to hear from you. Please leave your comments and recommendations in the space below.
Best Wishes,
APDahlen
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About This Author
Aaron Dahlen, LCDR USCG (Ret.), is a Senior Applications Engineer at DigiKey in Thief River Falls. His background in electronics and industrial automation was shaped by a 27-year military career as both technician and engineer, followed by over a decade of teaching.
Dahlen holds an MSEE from Minnesota State University, Mankato. He has taught in an ABET-accredited electrical engineering program, served as coordinator of an electronic engineering technology program, and instructed military technicians in component-level repair.
Today, he has returned to his home in northern Minnesota, completing a decades-long journey that began with a search for capacitors. Read his story here.