What is Altivar?
Altivar is the family of variable frequency drives (variable speed drives) from Schneider Electric that steplessly control the speed and torque of electric motors in industrial automation, process industry, infrastructure and building services. The name goes back to Telemecanique, which launched the first generation of Altivar inverters in the 1980s and was acquired by Schneider in 1988. Today the family runs from compact machine drives from 0.18 kW, through low-voltage process drives of up to 2,600 kW, to medium-voltage drives in the megawatt range. Within OT convergence, an Altivar is more than a motor controller: it is a networked asset that feeds data to PLC, SCADA and MES, and therefore belongs in your security programme as well.
🧠 What does an Altivar drive do?
An Altivar drive controls a three-phase motor by varying the frequency and voltage of the motor supply. This allows an installation to:
- Control speed - the pump, fan or conveyor runs exactly as fast as the process requires
- Save energy - especially on pumps and fans, where power falls steeply with speed
- Start and stop smoothly - no inrush peak, less water hammer and less mechanical wear
- Run process control - a built-in PID controller holds pressure, flow or level at a setpoint
- Monitor and diagnose - current, torque, temperature and energy use are measured and reported
Internally, every Altivar works on the same three-stage principle:
| Stage | Function | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Rectifier | AC to DC | Diode bridge or, on low-harmonic variants, an active front end |
| DC link | Buffer the voltage | Capacitors (and optionally a choke) stabilise the DC bus voltage |
| Inverter | DC to variable AC | IGBT switches use pulse-width modulation to create a variable-frequency voltage |
🏭 Which Altivar ranges are there?
Schneider Electric organises the family by application. The power figures below are indicative; exact limits vary by voltage class and region.
| Range | Positioning | Indicative power | Typical application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altivar 12 (ATV12) | Compact drive | Up to a few kW | Simple machines, small fans |
| Altivar Machine ATV320 | Machine building | 0.18 to 15 or 22 kW (by region) | Packaging, conveying and material handling at OEMs |
| Altivar Machine ATV340 | Machine building, higher dynamics | Up to about 75 kW | Hoisting and lifting, winders, motion control |
| Altivar 212 (ATV212) | HVAC drive | Small to medium power | Fans and pumps in buildings |
| Altivar Process ATV600 | Process drive | From 0.75 kW | Pumps, fans, water and wastewater |
| Altivar Process ATV900 | Heavy process industry | 0.75 to 2,600 kW | Mining, metals, oil and gas, lifting |
| Altivar Process ATV6000 | Medium-voltage drive | Megawatt range | Large pumps, compressors, fans |
| Altivar Soft Starter (ATS480, ATS490) | Soft starter | 4 to 900 kW | Soft starting without speed control; successors to the Altistart 48, alongside the older Altistart 22 (ATS22) |
Key selection criteria are the power range, control method, required safety functions, network connection and environment (IP rating, temperature, EMC).
🔄 Which control methods does an Altivar support?
| Control method | Characteristic | Typical application |
|---|---|---|
| V/f control | Fixed ratio between voltage and frequency | Pumps, fans, several motors on one drive |
| Sensorless vector control | Torque calculated from a motor model, no sensor | Conveyors, mixers, extruders |
| Closed-loop vector control | Feedback from an encoder | Hoisting, winders, positioning |
| Torque control | Torque instead of speed as the controlled variable | Winding and tensioning applications |
| PID process control | Built-in control loop on a process variable | Pressure control in pumping stations and air handling |
Vector control gives faster response, higher torque at low speed and more constant motor torque. For pumps and fans, V/f control with a quadratic profile is often sufficient.
🌐 How does an Altivar communicate with the OT network?
| Protocol | Role on Altivar |
|---|---|
| Modbus (serial) | Built in on almost every range, often via an RJ45 port |
| CAN / CANopen | Built in on the ATV320 among others, common in machine building |
| Modbus TCP | Embedded Ethernet on Altivar Process, option card on machine drives |
| Ethernet IP | Embedded or via an option card, common in Rockwell environments |
| ProfiNET | Option card, for connection to Siemens controllers |
| Profibus / EtherCAT | Option cards for existing fieldbuses and fast machine control |
| BACnet | On HVAC drives such as the ATV212, for building automation |
| OPC UA | Not a standard drive protocol; usually via a PLC or edge gateway |
These connections carry start and stop commands, setpoints, diagnostics, alarms and energy data to SCADA, the historian and MES. Altivar Process drives also include an embedded web server for configuration and dashboards, which is convenient for maintenance but also adds attack surface.
⚡ How much energy does an Altivar save on pumps and fans?
Centrifugal pumps and fans follow the affinity laws: flow is proportional to speed, pressure to the square of speed and shaft power to the cube (P ∝ n³). A small speed reduction therefore yields a large saving:
| Speed reduction | Theoretical shaft power | Power reduction |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | 0.9³ = 73% | approx. 27% |
| 20% | 0.8³ = 51% | approx. 49% |
| 50% | 0.5³ = 12.5% | approx. 87% |
In practice the saving is lower because of static head and motor and drive losses, but compared with throttling by a valve it remains substantial. Since 1 July 2021, the EU Ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2019/1781 also requires variable speed drives from 0.12 to 1,000 kW to meet at least efficiency class IE2 under IEC 61800-9-2. Applications include HVAC, water pumps, ventilation and compressors.
🛡️ How do you secure Altivar drives in an OT environment?
A drive with Ethernet is a full OT asset. Unauthorised parameter changes can disrupt a process or damage a motor, and Modbus TCP has no authentication.
| Risk | Possible impact | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised parameter change | Process disruption, mechanical damage | Network separation, access control, configuration management |
| Default or weak passwords | Takeover via the web server | Unique password per drive, changed at commissioning |
| Outdated firmware | Known vulnerabilities | Patch management and vulnerability management |
| Misuse of remote access | Production downtime | Access through a managed jump host, session logging |
| Lateral movement via the drive network | Attack on PLC and SCADA | Industrial firewall between zones |
Schneider has tightened password handling in firmware: ATV600 drives used the default password “ADMIN” before firmware V1.5, after which each drive received a unique password (ATV900 from V2.1), and since V3.3 that password must be changed on the first Ethernet connection. Broader measures follow IEC 62443, Defense in Depth and Zero Trust: record your drives in the asset inventory, place them in their own zone in line with the zones and conduits model and network segmentation, and use monitoring to detect unexpected write commands.
🔐 Which safety functions does an Altivar offer?
Drive safety functions are defined in IEC 61800-5-2. The ATV320, for example, offers:
| Function | Meaning | Maximum level (ATV320) |
|---|---|---|
| STO | Safe Torque Off: motor torque-free | SIL 3 / PL e |
| SS1 | Safe Stop 1: controlled braking, then STO | Depends on the inputs used |
| SLS | Safely Limited Speed | SIL 2 / PL d via logic inputs |
| SMS | Safe Maximum Speed | SIL 2 / PL d via logic inputs |
| GDL | Guard Door Locking: door opens only at standstill | SIL 2 / PL d via logic inputs |
Safe Operating Stop (SOS) is also an IEC 61800-5-2 function, but it is not part of the ATV320’s built-in set. Integration takes place with a safety PLC or safety relay, and the design is assessed against ISO 13849, IEC 62061 and IEC 61508 as part of wider machine safety.
🔧 How do you approach an Altivar project in practice?
A typical example is a sewage pumping station or drinking water booster station, where Altivar Process drives control pressure or level and connect to a PLC and SCADA over Modbus TCP. A practical approach:
- Size the drive - choose range and power based on motor current, load profile (quadratic or constant torque) and environment.
- Assess power quality - drives generate harmonic currents. Harmonics cause extra heating in cables and transformers, a poorer power factor and sometimes resonance with power factor correction capacitors. Check against IEC 61000-3-12 and, where needed, choose line reactors, DC chokes, harmonic filters or an active front end.
- Ensure EMC - shielded motor cables, correct earthing and filters in line with IEC 61800-3 prevent interference on Industrial Ethernet and measurement signals.
- Parameterise and record - store parameter sets centrally and record changes in configuration management.
- Secure - change passwords, disable unused services and place the drives in a separate OT network.
- Monitor - send alarms to alarm management and trend data to a historian for predictive maintenance.
For Dutch water boards and drinking water companies, the Cyberbeveiligingswet, the Dutch implementation of NIS2, applies. For manufacturers, the Cyber Resilience Act (reporting from 11 September 2026, full application from 11 December 2027) and the Machinery Regulation (applicable from 20 January 2027) add further obligations.
Typical failure patterns and their consequences:
| Failure | Consequence | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Overtemperature | Drive trips | Maintain cooling and filters |
| EMC interference | Communication errors | Shielding and earthing |
| Overload | Motor failure | Correct sizing, current monitoring |
| Network outage | Loss of control | Communication timeout with a safe fallback |
| Encoder fault | Unstable control | Encoder monitoring, spare encoders |
🔍 How do you manage Altivar drives over their lifecycle?
Drives often last 10 to 20 years, while capacitors and fans wear out sooner. Lifecycle management therefore covers firmware management, timely replacement of discontinued ranges, a stock of spare parts and recorded parameter sets. Link this to asset management so that replacement is planned rather than triggered by a failure.
In Industry 4.0 architectures, drives become data sources for Industrial AI, digital twins, edge computing, the IIoT and a Unified Namespace. Real-time data from drives supports predictive maintenance, energy optimisation and process optimisation.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Is Altivar the same as a variable frequency drive?
Altivar is Schneider Electric’s brand name for its variable frequency drives and soft starters. Every Altivar drive is therefore a variable frequency drive, but other manufacturers such as Siemens and ABB offer comparable drives under their own names.
What is the difference between Altivar Machine and Altivar Process?
Altivar Machine (ATV320, ATV340) is aimed at machine builders and offers compact dimensions, fast response and built-in safety functions. Altivar Process (ATV600, ATV900) targets pumps, fans and heavy process industry, with embedded Ethernet, a web server and power ratings up to 2,600 kW.
Which protocols does an Altivar support?
An Altivar supports Modbus as standard and, depending on the range, CANopen or Ethernet with Modbus TCP. Option cards add PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, PROFIBUS and EtherCAT among others, and HVAC drives such as the ATV212 support BACnet.
What is the default password of an Altivar ATV600?
ATV600 drives with firmware older than V1.5 used the default password “ADMIN”, while newer firmware gives each drive a unique password. From firmware V3.3 this password must be changed on the first Ethernet connection, so it is wise to update older Altivar drives to that firmware.
How much energy does an Altivar save on a pump?
According to the affinity laws, the shaft power of a centrifugal pump falls with the cube of speed, so running 20% slower theoretically needs about 49% less power. The actual saving of an Altivar depends on static head and the load profile, but compared with throttling it is usually substantial.
Which safety function does almost every Altivar have?
Almost all current Altivar ranges include Safe Torque Off (STO), which makes the motor torque-free without disconnecting the supply. Machine drives such as the ATV320 also offer SS1, SLS, SMS and GDL in line with IEC 61800-5-2.
📌 In summary
Altivar is Schneider Electric’s family of variable frequency drives, from compact machine drives to process drives in the megawatt range. The drives save energy on pumps and fans, offer built-in safety functions such as STO and communicate with PLC and SCADA over Modbus, CANopen and industrial Ethernet. That network connection is exactly what makes them OT assets that must be managed and secured.
An Altivar is not just a motor controller but a networked OT asset: size it for energy and power quality, and secure, document and patch it like any other control system.