According to the appearance and structure, the electric control cabinet and distribution cabinet (switchboard) are of the same type, and the electric control box and distribution box are of the same type. The electric control box and distribution box are sealed on six sides, and generally are wall mounted devices. The top and bottom of the box are provided with knock off holes to facilitate the access of wires and cables to the electric control box and distribution box. The electric control cabinet and power distribution cabinet are sealed on five sides and have no bottom. They are generally floor to wall devices.

The switchboard is generally sealed on both sides, and there are also three, four and five sides. The switchboard is a floor mounted device, but the back side cannot lean against the wall. It is necessary to reserve operation and protection space at the back side of the switchboard. Specific sealing of several sides of the switchboard shall be required when ordering. For example, if five switchboards are connected side by side, as long as the first left demand baffle, the fifth right demand baffle, and the second, third, and fourth left and right sides are open. If a switchboard is used independently, there are baffles on both sides. In most cases, the back of the switchboard is open, and there can also be a door at the back according to user requirements, which can not only prevent dust, but also facilitate operation and protection.

From the functional point of view, the distribution panel, distribution cabinet and distribution box belong to the same category, and the electric control box and electric control cabinet belong to the same category. Generally speaking, the power distribution panel is used to distribute electric energy to the lower level distribution cabinet and distribution box, or directly distribute electric energy to the electrical equipment. The distribution cabinet and distribution box directly distribute electric energy to the electrical equipment. Sometimes, the distribution cabinet is used to distribute electric energy to the lower level distribution box. Electric control box and electric control cabinet are mainly used to control electric equipment, and also have the function of distributing electric energy to electric equipment.

The main devices in the distribution cabinet, distribution box and distribution panel are knife switch, knife fuse switch, air switch, fuse, magnetic starter (contactor), thermal relay, and sometimes current transformer, voltage transformer, ammeter, voltmeter, watt hour meter, etc. In addition to the above electrical elements and equipment, the electric control box and electric control cabinet are also equipped with intermediate relay, time relay, control button, indicator light The change-over switch and other functional switches and control equipment, some even put the frequency converter, PLC, single-chip microcomputer, I/O conversion equipment, AC/DC voltage regulator and other devices in the electric cabinet and electric control cabinet, and some also put the appearance of temperature, pressure and flow on the electric cabinet and electric control cabinet.