Schneider Electric EcoStruxure Automation Expert version 21.1

Schneider Electric has released version 21.1 of EcoStruxure Automation Expert, its software-centric universal automation system. The technology is suitable for adoption by, for example, consumer-packaged goods, pharmaceutical and logistics enterprises.

By separating the hardware and software life cycles, the system enables automation applications to be built using asset-centric, portable software components, independent of the underlying hardware infrastructure. This software-centric approach is designed to deliver cost and performance gains and allow engineers to innovate by automating low-value work and eliminating task duplication across tools.

For example, the system has been used in one application to simplify the integration between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) to provide fast time to market and flexibility for food and beverage and pharmaceuticals industry applications.

Because the software is decoupled from the hardware, modifying the conveying line to adapt as flow requirements change can be easier and more cost-effective. Identifying the root cause of failure and troubleshooting is claimed to be four times faster using the automation system, with 45% less products on the error line and throughput increased by 5.3%.

Among other advancements, EcoStruxure Automation Expert V21.1 includes enhanced cybersecurity, diagnostics, discovery and commissioning features; and expanded libraries and language support.

In addition, improved integration with AVEVA System Platform allows users to take advantage of AVEVA’s software for supervisory, enterprise SCADA, MES and IIoT applications with minimal engineering overhead.

Industrial developers can create their own software components and solutions based on the IEC61499 standard, which can easily interoperate with EcoStruxure Automation Expert.