The emergence of new-quality productivity marks a decisive shift away from extensive, resource-intensive manufacturing toward precision-driven production. Quality must improve. Lifespan must be extended. Reliability can no longer be negotiable. Switchgear, as a foundational component of power systems, sits directly at the center of this transformation and must evolve accordingly.

From Extensive Consumption to Refined Engineering

Traditional switchgear design has long relied on generous material margins to guarantee current-carrying capacity and mechanical robustness. This approach ensured safety, but at a high cost. New-quality productivity demands a different logic: optimized structures, accurate material selection, and performance achieved through engineering refinement rather than sheer material volume.

Products are expected to operate longer, fail less frequently, and consume fewer resources throughout their entire lifecycle—from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal.

The Challenge of Copper Dependence

One of the most prominent issues in modern switchgear is the excessive consumption of non-ferrous metals, particularly copper. Copper’s excellent electrical conductivity makes it the default choice for conductive paths. Busbars, contacts, and connectors are overwhelmingly copper-based to satisfy thermal and current requirements.

However, copper is a scarce resource. Long-term availability is under pressure, and price volatility has become a persistent risk. In contrast, aluminum is abundant and lightweight, yet its lower conductivity and mechanical strength have historically limited its direct substitution. Pure aluminum conductors often suffer from increased temperature rise, insufficient rigidity, and higher losses if applied without structural optimization.

Aluminum-Based Conductors as a Strategic Alternative

Rather than simple replacement, refined utilization is the key. Through the use of profiled aluminum conductors, aluminum alloy sections, copper-clad aluminum, and copper–aluminum composite laminates, aluminum-based solutions have begun to gain traction in selected applications. While these approaches have not fully displaced copper, they demonstrate that intelligent design can significantly reduce copper dependency.

Under dual-carbon objectives, switchgear designers must understand the nuanced performance of aluminum-containing conductors and select materials based on actual operating conditions. Precision selection replaces uniform overdesign.

For small- and medium-capacity conductive circuits, aluminum alloys can provide sufficient current-carrying capability while offering superior strength-to-weight ratios. By adopting special cross-sectional geometries, designers can mitigate proximity effects, reduce additional thermal losses, and achieve more compact layouts with fewer structural supports.

Optimized Busbar Geometry and Space Efficiency

Innovative busbar profiles exemplify refined material usage. D-shaped aluminum busbars illustrate this principle clearly. A single D-type aluminum busbar with a cross-sectional area of 1600 mm² can carry 1600 A continuously. Two such busbars can reliably support 2500 A, fully meeting the demands of most standard switchgear applications.

Beyond current capacity, the uniform electric field distribution of D-type busbars allows reduced clearances and smaller cabinet dimensions, directly enhancing system reliability. In low-voltage switchgear, C-type busbars further reduce copper usage while enabling hole-free connections that improve installation efficiency and consistency.

The Overuse of Epoxy Resin in Insulation Systems

Another pressing concern is the excessive reliance on epoxy resin in medium-voltage switchgear. In domestic designs, epoxy has become ubiquitous: fully encapsulated breaker poles, oversized insulation components with extended creepage distances, epoxy-cast current and voltage transformers, solid-insulated switchgear, and environmentally friendly gas-insulated systems all employ large volumes of epoxy resin.

Regulatory requirements—such as prohibiting insulation boards from acting as standalone shielding and mandating creepage distances exceeding 20 mm/kV—have further driven the proliferation of bulky epoxy components.

Alternative Insulation Materials and Global Practices

By contrast, many international manufacturers favor DMC (Dough Molding Compound) as an insulation material. DMC requires a creepage distance of only 12 mm/kV while meeting ANSI standards for tracking resistance and flame retardancy. It is lighter, easier to disassemble, and more environmentally responsible.

Circuit breakers supported by DMC insulation benefit from superior heat dissipation, reduced material volume, and improved sustainability. Similarly, low-voltage window-type current transformers eliminate epoxy entirely. Installed directly over contact boxes or insulated busbars, they remain unaffected by high voltage stress or short-circuit forces, while offering straightforward installation and maintenance.

Toward Green, Low-Carbon Switchgear Design

Whether in conductive circuits or insulation structures, the indiscriminate consumption of materials is no longer acceptable. Mature manufacturing processes and abundant suppliers cannot justify inefficiency. New-quality productivity demands innovative solutions that reconcile performance, reliability, and environmental responsibility.

With copper prices remaining persistently high, high-efficiency conductive materials translate directly into economic advantage. In the long term, reducing non-ferrous metal consumption, lowering energy use during production, and minimizing environmental impact at disposal are not optional—they are essential.

Clear waters and green mountains are assets of enduring value. Ecological sustainability is not a constraint on development; it is the only viable path forward for the switchgear industry in the era of new-quality productivity.