The Siemens 3RT7046-1AB00 is a size S3 contactor from the SIRIUS family, built for switching three-phase motor loads up to 690 V AC-3. It carries three normally-open main contacts and zero NC main contacts, so it's a straight motor-starting contactor — not a reversing or star-delta configuration out of the box. Mounting is flexible: screw it down or snap it onto 35 mm or 75 mm DIN rail. The enclosure rating splits — IP20 on the front face, IP00 at the terminals — meaning the wiring area expects panel protection, but the front is touch-safe in a standard enclosure.
That holding power is low enough that a 24 V DC supply can keep multiple contactors sealed without sagging. Switching frequency tops out at 800 operations per hour under AC-3 duty, dropping to 250 ops/hour under AC-4 (plugging/inching). If your application calls for frequent jogging, you'll want to stay under that AC-4 ceiling to avoid overheating the coil and arc chamber. Auxiliary contacts are rated for PLC-level reliability — 17 V, 5 mA minimum switching capability — so you can feed a 24 V DC digital input directly without worrying about contact oxidation over time. Shock resistance is specified at 10.6 g for 5 ms and 6.2 g for 10 ms sine pulse. That's enough for most industrial conveyor and pump applications, but if it's going on a stamping press or a vibrating screen, you may want to check the mounting orientation against the shock axis.
Dimensions are 70 mm wide, 148 mm tall, 139 mm deep — the S3 frame fits alongside other SIRIUS gear on a DIN rail. Terminals are screw-type for both main and auxiliary circuits, accepting 2x 0.5–1.5 mm² solid or stranded, or 2x 0.75–2.5 mm² with ferrules. That's enough for the control wiring typical of a motor starter cell, but if you're paralleling heavy power conductors, check the terminal capacity against your cable size.