GE 516TX Industrial Ethernet Switch: Your Production Line’s Network Guardian

If you’ve ever lost an hour of production because your network switch choked on voltage spikes or factory dust, you’ll appreciate how this GE 516TX (model 336A4940DNP) just keeps humming. One thing I’ve noticed after seeing these deployed across auto plants and chemical facilities? They rarely make headlines because they don’t fail when things get messy. You might not think about your network backbone until it’s down—but when your PLCs and HMIs need rock-solid comms in a vibrating cabinet or a humid bottling room, this is the switch engineers quietly specify.

Why It Stays Online When Others Don’t

• Fanless industrial design – No moving parts to clog with sawdust or fail in -25°C freezer tunnels. I’ve seen these run for years in meat processing plants where condensation wrecks cheaper switches.
• Dual 24VDC power inputs – Keeps operating during brief outages or if one line gets accidentally disconnected during maintenance. Saved a bakery client from losing a $20k dough batch last winter.
• M12 Ethernet ports (IP30-rated) – Vibration-proof connections that won’t wiggle loose on conveyor lines. No more “oops” moments when a cable slips during forklift traffic.
• Layer 2 managed with QoS – Prioritizes critical traffic like safety-system signals over file transfers. In my experience, this avoids latency hiccups during robot arm synchronization.

Specs You Can Actually Use

Where It Earns Its Keep

You’ll typically find these in places where network drops mean real money vanishes—like automotive paint shops where humidity kills standard switches, or food processing lines where washdowns demand sealed electronics. A client in Wisconsin told me how it survived 18 months in a potato chip fryer area where oil mist coated everything… except this switch’s conformal-coated PCB. It’s not for office closets, but in harsh industrial corners? Absolutely dependable.

Why Procurement Teams Keep Ordering It

Look, you could save $50 with a no-name switch—but when your line stops, that “savings” evaporates fast. This GE unit integrates seamlessly with ControlLogix and PACSystems controllers (no weird driver headaches), and its 5-year MTBF means fewer emergency service calls. One plant manager calculated it paid for itself in 3 months by avoiding just one unplanned downtime event. Oh, and GE’s firmware updates actually work—no bricking devices during upgrades like some brands.

Installation & Care Tips

Mount it on a standard DIN rail in a NEMA 12 cabinet—no special cooling needed since it’s fanless. Leave 50mm clearance above/below for airflow; I’ve seen guys cram it next to VFDs and wonder why it trips (heat kills electronics faster than dust). For maintenance? Wipe vents quarterly with a dry cloth and check firmware every 6 months via the web interface. Calibration isn’t needed—it’s Ethernet, not a sensor—but do verify port stats if you notice intermittent issues. Safety note: Always disconnect power before servicing; those dual inputs can trick you into thinking it’s dead when it’s not.

Certified for Real-World Stress

CE, UL 61010-1, and RoHS certified—no paperwork nightmares at customs. GE backs it with a 365-day warranty (parts/labor), but in most cases, failures are rare enough that you’ll likely retire the switch with the machine it served. From my experience, the real value isn’t the warranty—it’s knowing you won’t need it.

Getting It Running Quickly

We ship in-stock units within 1 week (max 4 weeks if backordered). Payment’s 50% upfront, balance before shipping—FedEx/UPS/DHL options available. No games, no hidden fees. Just the switch that shows up ready to work while others are still being troubleshot.