What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3VM1163-4EE46-0AA2 is a 4-pole IEC frame 160 molded-case circuit breaker rated for line protection in distribution panels and motor control centers. Its 36 kA breaking capacity at 415 V (class S) means it can safely interrupt fault currents up to that level without upstream cascading — critical for selectivity coordination in a plant's main or sub-main switchboard.
Protection settings and adjustability
The TM220 thermal-magnetic trip unit gives you a continuous current rating (In) of 63 A, with overload protection (Ir) adjustable from 44 A to 63 A via a dial on the front face. That range lets you fine-tune the pickup for cable or busbar ampacity without swapping the breaker body. Short-circuit magnetic pickup (Ii) is fixed at 10 x In (630 A), which is a standard motor-starting curve — it rides through inrush on a 45–50 A motor load but trips fast on a bolted fault.
Where it fits in the panel
This breaker mounts on a DIN rail or bolts into a fixed-mount panel base, occupying the 160 A frame footprint. The N conductor is unprotected (solid neutral), so it's intended for 3-phase + N systems where the neutral is not switched or protected — common in TN-S or TN-C-S distribution. Terminal connections accept standard copper or aluminum conductors up to the frame's rated cross-section.