AMNYTT Nr 1 - 2013 | Page 35

ARC Rapport 35 / 106 AMNYTT #1 ARC Insights, Page 3 troller platform targeted to replace the mid-range S7-300 family immediately and, in time, will replace the high-end S7-400 controller family. In the conservative automation markets, generation changes like this are indeed rare. The S7 succeeded the SIMATIC S5 after 17 years, but the two platforms were still sold in parallel to existing customers for many years after that, resulting in net lifetime of over 25 years for the S5. The new S7 hardware is an opportunity for Siemens to take a great leap forward not just in speed, but also in other areas like integrated diagnostics resulting from more intelligent hardware and peripheral devices. Self- diagnosing hardware cuts downtime and increases equipment availability by speeding maintenance. But a lesser-understood benefit is the savings in engineering time when in-context diagnostic information is made available by the system for display or evaluation, saving users the trouble of programming custom routines to access this information. Intelligence built into hardware is a prerequisite for a well-integrated engineering environment. Intelligence built into hardware is also a prerequisite for a Siemens well-integrated launched its engineering TIA Portal environment. engineering framework two years ago, and has now updated it with additional functions and support for the S7-1500. The new S7 platform now integrates motion control right in the PLC. While other suppliers have offered this for many years, Siemens developed and promoted a second platform called SIMOTION as its primary platform for motion-intensive applications. Standard PLCs offered basic motion control via "technology modules, but the integration with logic wasn't as tight as it could have been. With the S7-1500, the PLC itself now takes care of planning and executing motion commands and sending motion data via Profinet directly to the drives. One big advantage of integrated motion is that is reduces the system parts count by eliminating expensive and spacehogging technology modules. Siemens has stated that the integrated motion in the S7-1500 will be kept at the "basic" level and that SIMOTION will remain the controller of choice for complex motion tasks. That may disappoint some machine builders that prefer a PLC as their primary controller. Few suppliers offer both PLC and DCS controllers that use the same hardware. Exceptions include B&R, Rockwell Automation, and Siemens. In these cases, the engineering tool used makes it a PLC or DCS. While Siemens isn't ready yet to talk about future hardware platforms for its PCS- ©2012 • ARC • 3 Allied Drive • Dedham, MA 02026 USA • 781-471-1000 • ARCweb.com 2013