Schneider Electric To Modernize Facilities, Introduces Automation System

Schneider Electric plans to modernize its U.S.-based facilities and bring new production lines to the United States through a US$40 million investment. The investment also includes digital training and upskilling opportunities for its workforce while also adding 130 jobs.

Additionally, Schneider Electric has released EcoStruxure Automation Expert, a software-centric automation system. Automation Expert enables automation applications to be built using asset-centric, portable, software components, independent of the underlying hardware infrastructure. It allows users to distribute applications to any system hardware architecture of choice with minimal to no additional programming effort.

The first release of EcoStruxure Automation Expert supports traditional automation platforms, such as Modicon PLCs, and Altivar variable speed drives and industrial PCs. Through the automation system, complex multi-drive control algorithms can be programmed and distributed to the drive controller without the need for a central PLC, the company said.

“EcoStruxure Automation Expert is the first step in the journey toward universal automation,” said Fabrice Jadot, senior vice president, next generation automation, Schneider Electric. “To fully realize the potential of next-generation industries, we must embrace a new way of thinking.”