ALL NEW FROM SIEMENS

Phil Black - PII Editor 16/08/2011

128 6 minutes read

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Siemens IA&DT has enhanced a number of products from its Simatic automation technology portfolio. Gary Provis from Siemens Industry Automation provides some highlights which include improved functionality, compact designs, energy-saving capability, flexible options and increased operational efficiencies.

Compact, energy-saving devices for harsh industrial environments.
The Simatic IPC227D Nanobox PC and Simatic HMI IPC277D Nanopanel PC are highly compact embedded industrial PCs.(IPCs). They are power-optimized with Intel Atom E6xx processors of the latest generation and are suitable for simple control, visualization and communication tasks and as data controllers in areas such as mechanical engineering, building automation, traffic technology and energy transmission.

The extremely robust nano IPCs are designed for maintenance-free, continuous 24-hour operation and meet high temperature, vibration, shock and Energy Monitoring and Controlling (EMC) requirements. They have a maintenance-free structure with an integrated 24V industrial power supply. High data security is ensured by robust mass storage devices with 50 GB solid-state drive, and Compact Flash cards up to an 8 GB as well as a 512 Kb non-volatile remanence memory, of which 128 Kb can be written by WinCC. Two teaming-capable Gigabit Ethernet connections, of which one can be used optionally as a Proficient interface with real-time functionality, ensure high data transfer rates and redundancy.

The dustproof IPC227D Nanobox PC, with a volume of just one liter, offers a large number of interfaces and extensions, such as the four HI-speed USB 2.0 ports and an RS232. A PCIe slot, three additional serial interfaces, and four digital I/Os are also available as options. Four-state LEDs enable efficient self diagnosis. The IPC227D is easy to wire because all interfaces are on one side. DIN rails, wall book, or side assembly make the device extremely flexible in its assembly.

The Simatic HMI IPC277Ds have widescreen fronts with touch displays in 7-, 9- and 12-inch formats and high resolution. The robust displays have wide viewing angles and 100 percent dimmable background lighting offering brilliant display and the possibility of reducing power consumption.
The long-term available nano IPCs can be configured online and are delivered with a pre-installed and activated operating system. Ready-to-go bundles with visualization or control software are available for fast commissioning.

Double Speed
The performance of the new compact Simatic S7-300 CPU 314C-2 PN/DP V3.3 – with firmware V3.3 – has been increased considerably in comparison with the current CPU 314C. User programs run about twice as fast on the new CPU. Processing times for bit commands of 60 n are achieved for all data types. Thanks to the 2-port Profinet interface (Switch function), a simple, low-cost implementation of line structures and I/0 concepts is achieved. In addition, the new Profinet innovations in 2010 such as clock synchronicity, intelligent CPU as IO-device, shared device, media redundancy protocol (MRP), and user-defined web sites are implemented.

More Power – More Memory
The compact CPUs 312C to 314C-2 PtP/314C-2 DP and the CPU 317(F) -2 DP have been considerably improved. With the firmware Version 3.3, the revised CPUs experience the same increase in performance as the standard CPUs previously. In comparison with the previous compact CPUs, the user programs are processed up to nine times faster on the innovated processors. The user memory has also been increased, and the width reduced from 120 mm to 80 mm in the CPU 313C-2 PtP/DP and from 80 mm to 40 mm in the CPU 317(F)-2 DP.

Communication for all cases
There are new modules and firmware for the Simatic S7-1200. With the new CM 1243-5 communications module, up to 16 DP slaves can be connected to the S7-1200 as a Profibus DP master, for example distributed Simatic ET 200 I/O modules. But the S7-1200 can also be used with the CM 1242-5 as a DP slave. The new CP 1242-7 communication processor allows remote access to the S7-1200 for monitoring, control and diagnostics. The CPU firmware V2.0 supports communication with the devices as a Profinet-IO controller. Process and CPU data can be called up by a standard web browser.

Time planning and monitoring under control
The Simatic WinCC V7 software has been extended with the optional Event Notifier function. This enables simple management of time planning for employees who are to receive notification of automated processes that are monitored by Simatic WinCC. With the Event Notifier, the user can configure all the actions necessary for process control in a typical Simatic WinCC project independently of the time schedule. Names in each of the project languages and user authorization for creation of the time schedule can be assigned for every action. The time schedules can be created and edited in run time. The right person based on the time of day and day of the week is then notified in the event of an alarm.

Telecontrol with Simatic
With Siplus RIC, the Simatic WinAC RTX software controller can now also perform telecontrol, for example on the Simatic IPC427C. Siplus RIC is a telecontrol system with internationally standardized communication protocols. It enables the monitoring and control of widely distributed systems even under extreme ambient conditions such as at temperatures of minus 40 degrees to plus 70 degrees. It is therefore particularly suitable for industries such as oil and gas, water and wastewater, energy production and distribution, and transport and traffic.

Maximum Computing Performance with latest Processors
The new Simatic IPC547D is an attractively priced 19-inch rack PC with powerful Intel Core processors of the second generation, up to the 4-core processor Core i7 with integrated graphics chip. It is available with a memory extension of up to 32 GB and 64-bit operating systems. The IPC547D offers maximum computing, system and graphics performance for industrial image processing and process visualization at ambient temperatures up to 40 degrees. The two teaming-capable Gigibit Ethernet interfaces provide high data transfer rates. High system availability and data security are ensured by redundant hot-swap power supply, RAID 1/RAID 5 hard disk configurations in the hot-swap frame, or alternatively a solid-state drive. The front LED display enables efficient self-diagnoses of temperature, fan, and hard disks in the RAID configuration.

For demanding Industrial Server Applications
Options are now available for the robust and long-term available 19-inch Simatic IPC647C/847C industrial PC (IPC) for demanding industrial server applications that require maximum system performance and availability, as well as data security, for example, process automation with redundant data storage. The devices have an on board RAID controller for RAID 1/RAID 5 configurations with 500 GB SATA hard disks in the hot-swap frame. Alternatively, there is a hardware RAID controller for the use of fast SAS hard disks with 300 GB in RAID 1/5 configuration in the hot-swap frame. SAS hard disks, hardware RAID controllers, and the modules of the redundant power supply can be monitored by the Simatic IPC DiagMonitor diagnostic software. The 64-bit Windows Server 2008 R2 server operating system is available for demanding applications.

For demanding HMI tasks
An HMI device series for demanding applications has been added to the Simatic HMI product portfolio: Simatic HMI Comfort Panels. The devices are available in versions for operation by widescreen touch displays or keys. All function keys offer tactile feedback when pressed and are fitted with LEDs. Since all devices have full zero-voltage safety without additional UPS (uninterruptible power supply) by means of two SD cards, both data in the internal memory and archives and recipes are saved. Projects are loaded via Profinet, Profibus, or standard USB cable. All data are saved on the system card located in the device, which can be used for simple project transfer.

The system diagnostic possibilities in connection with Simatic controllers are also new. Diagnostic information for which a programming unit was previously required can now be read out by the Simatic Comfort Panel. Approvals for use in explosive areas and in shipbuilding are available. A highlight is configuration by the intuitive engineering framework of TIA Portal with the new Simatic WinCC V11 HMI software. The controller and the panel are configured by the same application – TIA Portal. This ensures great clarity of the total automation project.

Efficient Telemaintenance and Telemanagement
Teleservice concepts for Simatic Industrial PCs (IPCs) with Intel Core i7 and i5 processors can be implemented with the new Simatic IPC Remote Manager software package. System or program errors can be eliminated and BIOS and program updates carried out worldwide or from a control room without on-site assignments. Central switching on and off of systems and copying of updates outside production times increase productivity and reduce costs for energy supply and service. Remote access is password-protected and inaccessible to unauthorised persons thanks to secure connections with HTTPS or TLS encryption.