Intelligent MCC

"What makes a motor control center (MCC) intelligent? Motor control centers provide monitoring and control for the operation of a collection of electrical loads. ... Intelligent MCCs allow you to easily access data, make more informed decisions, and control the MCC to optimize facility, process and power system performance."

What an excellent topic for an internet search engine to respond to.

The difference is that an Intelligent MCC uses what are referred to as IMC (Intelligent Motor Control) units inside and has a factory configured communications network built into it that has already been programmed and tested at the factory so that when the MCC arrives on site, it is ready to be connected to the controller without a lot of field work. So basic motor starters will all have Solid State Over Load relays with network communications ports, VFDs and Soft Starters all have communications cards in them, then all of the communications wiring and network infrastructure is already installed in the structure of the MCC using cables that are rated for the environment, for example 600V insulated Ethernet cables.

the big savings come from using the network to control each individual unit as a communications node rather than hard wiring I/O in the PLC or DCS out to each unit. The network comms path is already set up, Electronic Data Sheets are pre-loaded and in some cases Add-On Profiles are provided to the control system programmers in advance of the hardware even arriving so that commissioning time is cut to a minimum and the project is up and running faster.

it’s actually rare that you would put the actual PLC inside of the MCC cabinet. With modern networking there is no need to.