Schneider Electric to Showcase Exciting 2025 Offerings Reshaping Automation at SPS Fair

Summary

NUREMBERG, Germany - Nov. 12, 2024 - Schneider Electric, a global leader in energy management, and automation, will offer a sneak peek into its upcoming innovations for 2025 at the highly-anticipated SPS Fair. This event will serve as a platform to introduce groundbreaking advancements in automation technology that are set to redefine industry standards.
 
The focus of Schneider Electric's showcase at SPS, (Hall 1 Booth 540) will revolve around automation and digital solutions that are specifically designed to reduce complexity, enhance system performance, and create open interfaces for seamless integration of pioneering software solutions.
 
Reinforcing its commitment to software-defined, open automation, Schneider Electric is continuing to support its customers’ digital transformation and ability to innovate through a single, scalable industrial automation environment. This evolution will enable industrial companies to embrace cutting-edge technologies like EcoStruxure Automation Expert, increasing scope for IT/OT integration whilst protecting their existing investments.
 
This single, multi-user environment unifies applications for continuous, hybrid and discrete processes, linking event-based and cyclic execution models while supporting digital continuity across the asset lifecycle to achieve new levels of agility, efficiency and reliability.

Key innovations for 2025

The Modicon M660 is an advanced Industrial PC (IPC) Motion controller that combines precision motion control, safety features, and edge computing functionalities within a single device. This integrated approach enables seamless integration of control, data processing, and communication in any applications where real-time control, low latency, and immediate decision-making are crucial. Easily programmed via a single, scalable industrial automation environment, it simplifies the connectivity of advanced data-driven functionalities (artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital twin), while being compatible with the current motion portfolio. This environment also extends EcoStruxure Automation Expert to our customers, who can now capitalize on existing know-how and tools for high-performance motion applications while leveraging the software-defined benefits of EcoStruxure Automation Expert for additional applications. Furthermore, this unified environment streamlines workflows by enabling seamless data exchange across applications, without the need for new libraries or extensive reconfiguration. Offering modularity in build time, runtime, and hardware, the Modicon M660 takes motion control systems to the next level.

Modicon Edge I/O NTS: is a future ready unified I/O solution tailored for data aggregation. With its distributed IP20 design, it provides a diverse range of options to accommodate various applications within a single I/O family, ensuring adaptability and future readiness. Modicon Edge I/O NTS seamlessly integrates with our platforms, setting us apart as I/O specialists by providing a unified, comprehensive solution that ensures unparalleled interoperability and efficiency. Engineered to address all industrial I/O needs, it integrates open IP Ethernet protocols, cutting-edge technologies, and advanced cybersecurity measures, delivering time and cost savings through streamlined design and wiring, accelerated new machine start-ups, easier diagnostics, and monitoring, all contributing to improved efficiency, flexibility, sustainability, and profitability.

Altivar Process ATV6100: Schneider Electric has expanded its Altivar Medium Voltage Drives with the introduction of Altivar Process ATV6100. This new addition, designed for Mining, Minerals & Metals (MMM), Energy & Chemicals (E&C), and Water/Wastewater (WWW) industries, features a more compact footprint and optimized design. The drive system enables process optimization, energy management improvements, and asset management, contributing to energy efficiency and lower CO2 footprints. It offers up to 20% reduced Total Cost of Ownership, up to 10% increased operational effectiveness, and saves up to 40% of space, while meeting IEEE-519 standards for low harmonics. Additionally, Schneider Electric has also launched Altivar Predict, a sensor-less monitoring technology for the Altivar Process VSD and pumps. This innovation aims to improve operational and energy efficiency by providing predictive monitoring, cloud connectivity, and early fault detection.

The Lexium 38i is a compact solution for decentralized motion control systems, integrating drive and motor with servo and stepper technology into a single unit. Engineered for energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness, Lexium 38i integrated drive offers higher power density than market references within a small footprint, also featuring integrated safety, and flexibility for low voltage devices with an output power of up to 1.2 kW. It optimizes integration, commissioning, and operational processes thanks to standardized interfaces, reducing time to deployment and installation costs.

The Lexium Scara is a high-speed industrial robot designed for diverse industries like battery manufacturing, electronics, warehousing, and consumer packaging. The robot offers fast and precise movements, making it ideal for tasks such as machine loading and unloading, pick-and-place, assembly and material handling applications. Notably 40% smaller than comparable robots, it optimizes floor space and automates repetitive tasks, enhancing production line efficiency. Lexium Scara integrates seamlessly with a unified control system and can be virtually designed and tested using the EcoStruxure Machine Expert Twin digital twin solution, speeding up time-to-market and reducing cost-of-ownership.

EcoStruxure Edge compute ecosystem is a complete edge compute apps ecosystem with an Edge Manager for centralized deployment and monitoring across multiple hardware devices. It operates with Linux-based Edge Runtime, delivering fast and efficient deployment through zero-touch automatic on-boarding. Individual Services and Connectivity Edge apps provide advanced data collection, computation, and analytics at machine or plant level, leveraging AI for fast return on investment. With a flexible approach, users can build solutions themselves or via Schneider Electric. The pre-defined solutions for Asset Performance, Product Quality and Operation Optimization are cybersecure, scalable, and suitable for various industries such as Water and Wastewater, Food & Beverage, Life Sciences, Mining, and Oil & Gas. They are all designed to be compliant with the future open interoperable edge standard Margo.

CONNECT: The continued evolution of CONNECT enables new levels of innovation. AVEVA further expands the CONNECT platform with a broad range of new use cases such as data sharing, digital twin visualization and AI and Analytics, in support of its extensive partner ecosystem. When it comes to design, teams can now move from sequential workflows to real-time collaboration and community data sharing via CONNECT, reducing discrepancies and accelerating innovation. For operations, Data management capabilities now enable a new ecosystem and use cases including AI-powered analytics for quality and production optimization. Customers can take advantage of pre-defined and self-service editable dashboards to holistically visualize complex interactions. The combination of AI and visualization allows them to investigate issues, solve problems, and gain actionable insights for optimizing production and the business. Users have access to purpose-built AI capabilities for optimizing production throughput, quality and sustainability metrics. Last but not least, new write-back capabilities from CONNECT to AVEVA PI Server enable real-time collaboration between operations experts and other stakeholders such as analysts and data scientists. Customers are already achieving breakthrough results in productivity, quality, uptime and cost savings when they integrate their industrial data from the edge, the plant and the cloud using CONNECT.

SEE Electrical 3D Panel, an ETAP Software, revolutionizes the way of designing and manufacturing electrical cabinets, switchboards and panels. It allows you to design and manufacture electrical cabinets by using a professional and intuitive interface using data from electrical projects made in SEE Electrical software or from any other electrical cad systems. This leads to streamlined design integration, improved quality by streamlining the flow of electrical diagrams with cabinet layouts design with using the same electrical database, It is also a key tool to improved production automatization and productivity thanks to automatic functions, like wire routing and automatic generation of wire manufacturing lists easy to import in any cable preparation machine on the market.

Speaking on the upcoming showcase, Ali Haj Fraj, SVP Digital Factory at Schneider Electric, expressed enthusiasm about the company's commitment to driving technological advancements. "We are excited to provide a glimpse into our future-ready innovations at the SPS Fair. Our 2025 offerings embody our dedication to empowering businesses with automation solutions that are not only cutting-edge but also help them to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.”
 
“The market for distributed I/O is being driven by digital transformation, which is rapidly increasing demand for additional manufacturing data to support analytics, AI, virtualization, asset management and predictive maintenance, the industrial internet of things (IIoT), digital twins and simulation, augmented and virtual reality, and IT and OT convergence," said Craig Resnick, vice president, ARC Advisory Group.“

However, distributed I/O must be designed to be sustainable, support open I/O protocols, future proofed, and certified to be operationally resilient, such as IEC62443-4 for cybersecurity, and internal busses based on OPC UA over TSN, all while meeting vigorous industrial standards and certifications regarding temperature, harsh, severe and hazardous operating environments, vibration, and electromagnetic compatibility. Schneider Electric’s new Modicon Edge I/O NTS next generation distributed IP20 I/O system meets these market and design requirements and will provide its users with a solution that will help to accelerate their digital transformation journey.”
 
The SPS Fair will serve as an exclusive opportunity for industry professionals to witness Schneider Electric's vision for the future of automation and engage with the company's experts to gain valuable insights into the next generation in automation technology.
 

Key demonstrations on the booth include (Hall 1, Booth 540)

Gollman Storage and Retrieval System: designed for fully automatic storage and dispensing of medicines in pharmacies, Schneider Electric customer Gollman’s storage and retrieval system features key benefits including space saving - due to patented roller cabinet technology - allowing up to 50% more product storage on the same floor space compared to conventional machines. Staff can focus entirely on customers without leaving them to retrieve medication, enabling more time for up- and cross-selling.

The system also provides safety benefits by automatically outsourcing expired medications, offering financial advantages through potential returns to wholesalers. Additionally, it simplifies tasks such as inventory management. With the expected shortage of pharmacists in the coming years, this system addresses crucial operational needs in the pharmacy industry.
 
Flying Gears: The demo features the new Modicon M660, the advanced industrial PC (IPC) Motion controller with data management, along with the Modicon Edge I/O NTS. By combining synchronized motion control and edge computing functionalities, the visualization and related runtime is executed on the embedded Windows OS of the Modicon M660 controller. The demo utilizes the Lexium Cobot Compact Controller to control assembly of the Modicon Edge I/O NTS, along with EcoStruxure Machine Expert Twin for virtual design and commissioning.
 
Press Activities: Schneider Electric sessions for media and analysts include: 

• Tuesday, Oct. 12. 13:00-14:00 CET: Press lunch followed by guided booth tour (In German) Lissabon Room - close to booth in Congress Area NCC Mitte followed by tour at booth (Hall 1, 540)
• Wednesday, Oct. 13, 09:30-10:45 CET – Analyst guided booth tour followed by Q&A (in English) Schneider Electric stand (Hall 1, booth 540) in the booth hospitality area  

About Schneider Electric

Schneider’s purpose is to create Impact by empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability. At Schneider, we call this Life Is On.  Our mission is to be the trusted partner in Sustainability and Efficiency. 
  
We are a global industrial technology leader bringing world-leading expertise in electrification, automation and digitization to smart industries, resilient infrastructure, future-proof data centers, intelligent buildings, and intuitive homes. Anchored by our deep domain expertise, we provide integrated end-to-end lifecycle AI enabled Industrial IoT solutions with connected products, automation, software and services, delivering digital twins to enable profitable growth for our customers.  
 
We are a people company with an ecosystem of 150,000 colleagues and more than a million partners operating in over 100 countries to ensure proximity to our customers and stakeholders. We embrace diversity and inclusion in everything we do, guided by our meaningful purpose of a sustainable future for all.