What this breaker is and what the ratings mean
The Siemens 3VA1140-5EE42-0AA0-ZD00 is a 4-pole IEC molded-case circuit breaker on the 3VA1 frame, sized for line protection in 40 A circuits where a 55 kA interrupting capacity at 415 V is required. The breaking capacity class M rating means it can safely clear faults up to that level without upstream cascading — critical for selectivity in a distribution panel where downstream breakers are coordinated to isolate only the faulted branch. The thermal-magnetic TM220 trip unit gives adjustable overload protection (Ir = 28 A to 40 A) and a fixed short-circuit pickup at 10× In (400 A), so the same breaker can be dialed in for a 32 A motor feeder or a 40 A lighting panel without swapping hardware.
Deployment context
The 3VA1 frame mounts on a DIN rail or directly to a panel backplate via the integral screw terminals — typical for a main or branch breaker in an industrial control cabinet feeding a 40 A motor starter or a sub-distribution board. The 4-pole configuration (three phases plus switched neutral) suits a TN-S or TN-C-S system where the neutral must be disconnected for isolation. The N conductor unprotected note means the neutral pole does not carry a trip element; it switches only, so the breaker relies on the phase poles for overcurrent sensing.