POWERLINK Option Card for Altivar Drives
The Schneider Electric VW3A3321 is a POWERLINK option card that adds real-time Ethernet connectivity to compatible Altivar variable speed drives. It mounts into the drive's expansion slot, enabling deterministic cyclic data exchange with a POWERLINK master controller on the automation network.
As a communication card, the VW3A3321's key fit parameter is protocol compatibility: it implements POWERLINK, a deterministic Ethernet-based fieldbus for motion and real-time control. The card occupies a dedicated slot inside the drive enclosure, so the drive model must support this option slot. No external power supply or additional wiring is needed beyond the RJ45 connection to the network.