Relays are a common form of electrically operated switch capable of using single or multiple control signals to manage circuits through making and breaking contacts. While many types of relays consist of various moving parts that help facilitate operations, solid state relays, in particular, are a more specialized switching device that can switch between on and off states with the use of external voltage supplies to its control terminals. With their lack of moving components, solid state relays exhibit much longer service lives, making them a fairly reliable option for many applications. To help you decide whether or not a solid state relay is the right fit for your needs, we will discuss their functionality and design in more detail.