Eaton's SmartWire-DT came from its European business. Here's the original promotional video for German-speakers.

Eaton Corporation is expanding connectivity options for the SmartWire-DT panel wiring system, a control panels technology and process that make panel construction easy. Replacing numerous wires used to connect motor control components with a single cable, the SmartWire-DT system is now available to North American customers with Ethernet/IP and Modbus TCP, in addition to PROFIBUS-DP and CANopen. This added flexibility allows the SmartWire-DT system to more easily integrate with original equipment manufacturer’s (OEMs) preferred industrial network.

The SmartWire-DT panel wiring solution uses an eight-conductor, flat cable located in the control cabinet to connect motor starters, pushbutton actuators, and indicator lights. The start of the system is a SmartWire-DT gateway, which establishes the connection to standard programmable logic controller (PLC) fieldbuses, now including Ethernet/IP and Modbus TCP, as well as PROFIBUS-DP and CANopen.

“Eaton is helping customers make their processes more competitive with Lean solutions designed to dramatically reduce the assembly and commissioning time, while maintaining or improving the quality of the control system,” said Richard Chung, Eaton product manager. “By replacing complex wiring inside control cabinets, the SmartWire-DT system automates, simplifies and expedites connecting control panel components – establishing a new level of efficiency, accuracy and reliability. Further, with the addition of Ethernet/IP and Modbus TCP connectivity, the SmartWire-DT system provides versatile connectivity options – integrating with a broad range of customers’ choice protocols. ”

Eaton’s electronic overload relays are now available up to 175 ampere (A) and feature integral ground fault protection and communications capabilities in a single, compact device.

Designed for global applications, Eaton's expand line of C440 and XT electronic overload relays provide an integrated starter solution and eliminate the need for an external current transformer(CT), reducing overall space and equipment requirements

For applications requiring National Electrical Manufacturer Association (NEMA) size 4 and 185A International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) contactors, the electronic overload relays provide an integrated starter solution. Additionally, the new frame is available in cable-in/cable-out and pass-through versions, making it well suited for upgrading existing customer infrastructure.

Customers can select the motor protection features they need, with selectable trip class, ground fault detection, phase imbalance and full load current (FLA) adjustment (5:1). Further, the C440 and XT overload relays can integrate into plant management systems, allowing network monitoring and providing asset protection. Eaton C440 and XT overload relays feature integral communications capabilities, which allow the relays to easily integrate with customers’ preferred industrial network. DeviceNet, PROFIBUS, Modbus, Modbus TCP, Ethernet/IP communication protocols are supported.

A light-emitting diode (LED) display on the device provides easy-to-see indication of device status and fault indication, allowing maintenance personnel to quickly determine if the device and motor are operating appropriately.

These relays meet Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and Conformité Européenne (CE) standards. Additionally, the solid-state overload relays are Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliant.

Eaton's new C441 Ethernet series of communications cards allow customers to select from Ethernet/IP, Modbus TCP, HTTP web services and Modbus RTU communication protocols in a single card. The innovation is designed to help industrial customers, machinery OEMs and panel builders with flexible communication options to configure, control and monitor their systems.

Integral web services provide an easy-to-use web-based graphical user interface (GUI) to make it easier to recognize potential problems. Using a laptop or smart device, customers can drill down to a given load by simply entering an IP address into their web browser. With four levels of access, the cards ensure only those with credentials have access to critical or sensitive functions.

An Eaton representative explained, “Integral web services allow for configuration, control, monitoring and diagnostics. Also, the flexibility in communications allows OEM customers to add value to their equipment with simple and desirable features, like supervision and control.”

The C441 is compatible with Eaton C440, XTOE and C441 electronic motor protection relays, S611 soft starters, and can be used as stand-alone input/output (IO). Now, the suite of protocols available for Eaton motor protection and soft starter solutions includes PROFIBUS, Modbus TCP and RTU, DeviceNet, and Ethernet IP.

Problems can be addressed in real time with intelligent monitoring readouts from starters and onboard available four digital inputs (120 volts alternating current or 24 volts direct current) and two discrete relay outputs. With a dual port switch, the Ethernet card allows for easy daisy chaining and reliable ring configurations. Additionally, customers have the ability to use one network for control and another for monitoring – through the Modbus serial protocol used in parallel with the Ethernet network –allowing redundant communications and greater reliability with a single card.

According to a recent report from IMS Research, pumping applications account for the majority of the global medium voltage motor control centers market. From an industry perspective, this market is heavily concentrated in the oil & gas and mining sectors, which account for more than half of total revenues in 2010. Other notable industries in this market included chemicals, commercial HVAC, power generation, pulp & paper and water & waste-water. Together, these sectors contributed another 26% of market revenues during the year. Highest growth forecasts are projected for the oil & gas and mining segments of this market from 2010 to 2015, largely due to high commodity prices that are expected to persist.

The global market for medium voltage motor control centers was worth more than $140 million in 2010, with more than 5,300 units shipped during the year. It was a recovery year following a dismal 2009, albeit as slow one. The US market comprised more than 60% of the global market during the year, while Canada accounted for nearly 20% of total revenues. The markets in EMEA and in Asia Pacific were much smaller, together comprising only 13% of total market revenues in 2010.

The main reason for the market’s concentration in North America stems from the fact that US end-users have a different approach to systems engineering. In the US, for example, much of the engineering expertise at many OEMs and end-users continues to be downsized, and companies increasingly rely on system engineering services from some of the larger industrial automation suppliers such as ABB, Eaton, Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric and Siemens, who carry-in their own MCC solutions.

Outside of the US, the most common approach to starting and stopping medium voltage motors is to use vacuum breaker based medium voltage switchgear, normally designed and installed by a systems integrator, not one of the larger automation suppliers.

Eaton Corporation has launched the PowerEdgeTM mobile application for the Apple iPhone® or iPad® devices to make it easy to learn about, share and organize information on all Eaton’s electrical power management solutions.

The app allows users to access the entire electrical product catalog, download catalog pages, search for specific products, access video training and locate the closest channel partner to purchase Eaton’s electrical solutions and to allow users to learn more about Eaton products and to share that knowledge by emailing individual catalog pages, entire volumes or videos.

The PowerEdge app is compatible with Apple’s iOS 5 platform and features real-time access to Eaton’s electrical solutions and features:

The entire electrical product catalog – 14 volumes that feature product selection details and technical specifications for thousands of electrical products.

• Ability to easily search within a catalog to find specific features or catalog numbers
• A robust video library with business overviews, training and expert interviews
• Locator function searches within a radius and product category to map the nearest Eaton channel partners
• MyFiles functionality to create a personal library for quick access and content categorization

The PowerEdge application can be downloaded at the App Store at no charge. Visit PowerEdge.Eaton.com for more information.

Eaton has announced a new family of soft start controllers available for current ranges from 16 to 32 amps. An asymmetric delay angle control helps make torque behavior similar to a three-phase starter. The DS7 series can take 24 volts (V) of direct or alternating current, or 110V/230V of alternating control voltage. It is also Underwriters Laboratories (UL) approved.

From the release: "Designed for pump, fan and conveyor belt applications, as well as water/wastewater and heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) industries, the DS7 soft starters reduce the demands made on a motor during start up, resulting in reduced energy requirements."

Eaton is expanding its circuit protection product offering with the PM3 power monitoring and metering module, which monitors the power of branch and main circuit applications. The PM3 measures current and voltage, calculates power and energy usage, and provides breaker status. It is designed for Eaton Series G® L-Frame and Series C® K-Frame molded-case circuit breakers.

Eaton says the PM3 offers real-time monitoring, metering and communication of phase current and voltage, with real and reactive calculated power and energy and helps detect potential power concerns.

An Underwriters Laboratories® (UL) listed, add-on communications device, the PM3 module can be mounted to the load side of three-pole Series G LG and Series C KD breaker frames and monitors electrical system parameters. Regardless of whether the trip unit is thermal-magnetic or electronic, the PM3 can be adapted to applications where monitoring is critical. It can also be installed in reverse-feed applications with reverse-fed breakers. Measurement accuracy is within two percent of the reading.

The PM3 power monitoring and metering module communicates through INCOM^TM protocol, and is compatible with Eaton® Power Xpert® Gateway (PXG) for web page and Ethernet capability and communicates to the web or Modbus TCP/IP through any of the Eaton PXG gateways.  

A 480 volt (V) PM3 module operates in 208V to 480V applications, and includes an integral power supply. The 600V model operates 208V to 600V applications and requires 24V direct current auxiliary power.

Eaton is growing its line of direct current (DC) molded case circuit breakers in response to increased fault current requirements. Designed to meet data center, photovoltaic, and electric vehicles applications, the breakers are rated for voltages up to 600 volts (V) DC.

This new DC circuit breaker family is Underwriters Laboratories® (UL) 489 listed and exceeds the requirements in UL 489 Supplement for UPS applications. Eaton breakers are marked for use in both ungrounded and select-grounded applications.

After clearing an electrical fault, these breakers can be reused. Once the condition that created the electrical fault is identified and fixed, the circuit breaker can be reset and there is no need to dispose of hazardous materials.

With current ratings from 15 to 2,500 Amperes (A) and a full-scale of voltage interrupting capability, Eaton DC circuit breakers have a variety of accessories to customize to site specifications.

Eaton Corporation is introducing the SmartWire-DT^TM panel wiring solution in North America. Already available in Europe under the brand SmartWire Darwin, the system is designed to reduce panel wiring complexity, improve system reliability, save installation time and reduce panel space. The idea changes the way panels are constructed by eliminating conventional wire and wiring found in the control circuit into a single cable, connecting motor control components to customers’ PLCs.

The SmartWire-DT system is engineered to reduce panel wiring complexity and assembly labor time, speed the start-up commissioning processes, and provide extensive run-time diagnostics. It links standard motor control components within the panel, separate distribution panels or remote control stations, and creates communications enabled devices. Additionally, the SmartWire-DT flat cable connections safeguard the control panel from unauthorized wiring changes, helping to protect the craftsmanship and integrity of the control panel.