Schneider Electric shows Initi@tive at event

Brussels, Belgium— More than 2,000 customers attended Schneider Electric ’s Initi@tive event here during the week of Dec. 1. Citing a sales increase of 5% during 2002, when the automation market was down by 5%, the company used the event to publicize its plans for market positioning in 2004.

Alain Marbach, senior industrial automation VP, said Schneider is the world leader with 15-20% market shares in human-machine interfaces, electromagnetic motor starters, ac inverters and soft-starters, electromechanical pushbuttons, limit switches, and Ethernet-enabled automation and control. He said the company is “committed” to coming back in PLCs, motion and vision, and electronic sensors. Long-term strengths in the automotive body shop, painting, and final assembly; pharmaceutical; airport infrastructure; and cement, coal, and mining industries (in emerging countries) will be augmented by an increased focus on food and beverage, tunnels and pipelines, and building control, in addition to plans to reclaim share in automotive powertrains and chemical processes.

Schneider Electric debuted 10 new products at the Initi@tive event, which also marked the 80th anniversary of the Telemecanique brand. These products included:

The Unity platform of PLC processors and automation software. For more details about Unity, click here to read Control Engineering ’s exclusive coverage.

Advantys STB, an open, modular I/O for integrating Schneider’s and third party I/O devices and control system components. It also features a wiring interface and power management device, and can interface with most major fieldbuses and networks.

Modicon TSX Micro automation platform for implementing small and medium-sized control systems up to 248 I/O points. It offers more than 40 application-specific modules to support control and automation functions.

Magelis XBT G graphic terminals with touch-sensitive screens feature an onboard Ethernet connection, a multipoint link for simultaneous connection to Uni-Telway, Modbus, and Modbus TCP/IP. Mutlimedia voice/data/image information is managed at all levels. An external data carrier in the form of a compact flash card stores production and backup data for the applications.

Zelio Logic smart relay range for small automation systems comprising 10 to 40 I/O points. Two ranges are available: Zelio Logic compact for simple automation systems up to 20 I/O; and Zelio Logic modular comprising two bases with 10 and 26 I/O that can be expanded to 40 I/O.

TeSys model U, a compact expandable motor starter, combining mechanical, electrotechnical, and electronic technologies, is designed for starting motors up to 15 kW. This model combines isolating and switching power functions and control (protection) with function blocks and communication functions (processing and connection).

Telemecanique Altivar 31 variable speed drive for the control of three-phase asynchronous motors with power ratings from 0.18 to 15 kW. This compact drive (145 mm high x 72 mm wide x 140 mm in diameter), featuring an integrated RFI class A filter, offers four voltage ranges: 240 V ac single-phase, and 240, 500 and 600 V ac three-phase.

Twin Line drives, used with SER brushless motors, designed for industrial motion applications up to 8 kW, now feature a fourth product family—TLC 63 drives. These drives are suitable for applications that, in addition to motor control, require simple sequential processing with fieldbus inputs and outputs.

Harmony control and signaling units include pushbuttons, emergency stop buttons, selector switches, and pilot lights in 22-mm and 16-mm diameter versions. The Harmony line’s optoelectronic technology offers continuous service life of 100,000 hours or 10 years, compared to 2,000 hours for conventional bulbs.

Global Detection, which include detectors focusing on Osiconcept to simplify selection, stockage, installation, set-up and maintenance for Osiris photoelectric sensors; Osiprix inductive proximity sensors; Osiswitch limit switches; and Nautilus pressure switches.

XPS-MS configurable multifunction safety controller for applications requiring simultaneous safety functions. Software includes a library of 22 certified safety functions, such as emergency stop monitoring, two-hand control, monitoring of guard covers, colored magnetic switches, mats and security light barriers, for applications that conform to category 4 of EN 954-1.

ACM wall-mounted, metal enclosures for electrical equipment conform to NF C 15-100 standard, which applies to low voltage electrical installations.

The Initi@tive event also showcased the seven companies that have partnered with Schneider to provide specific functionality to the Unity software platform. These partners are:

ARC Informatique for SCADA

Citect

ECT International

MDT for change management

MYNAH Technologies for simulation

Software Logistics for monitoring and management

SPAC Automazione for CAD.

Control Engineering Daily News DeskDavid Greenfield, editorial directordgreenfield@reedbusinesss.com

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