S7micro/win32 vs Step 7

My boss wants me to get aqainted with a couple of Siemens machines that we have in the factory. I can take whatever courses are necessary for this. My question is how different are the programming packages for the S7 and S7 micro PLCs.
Are the packets similar in a way that RSLogix5 and RSLogix500 are?
If I was to take a course in Step 7 would this be suficient for S7micro?

Hi There,

You can find the different courses on http://www.ehrbecker-schiefelbusch.nl/at/s7.htm.
Here are all the vailable courses for the different PLC´s.

The S7-200 (which I assume is what you are calling micro) is similar to other brands but offers alot of power in a small package. The programming is similar too.

S7 300/400 programming is another game though, BUT if you can train for this and comprehend then any plc should be easy.

Go for the S7 300/400 training (unless specific needs say 200). Check the Siemens site for training info. They even offer some courses online.
Siemens training page

The above is my opinion or choice, you should decide what is best for you and your company.

There's a BIG difference between STEP 7 (S7-300/400) and S7 MicroWin (S7-200). The S7-200 PLC's are derived from the TI PLC's, whereas the S7-300/400's are the successors to the S5 series from Siemens.

S7-200 is only used for little installations (max about 100 I/O's). S7-300/400 can go up to about 64k I/O's.

Here at VDAB in Flanders we give training sessions for both. The sessions for S7-200 take about 5 days, for S7-300/400 you need 18 days. All depending upon previous knowledge of PLC's of course. You see the difference!

If you want to get more info, check the VDAB website at http://vdab.be or my personal website at http://www.SectiePLC.Brugge.yucom.be

S7-micro/Win is only for S7-200 series S7 is only for S7-300/300 and M7, you first must decide what plc to use.

for decide the plc is very difficult if the machine is complex is better to use S7-300, but if the machine is small with no more I/O you can use S7-200.

JVDCANDE is right! There is a HUGE difference between the two.
(These are my opinions only. These do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Management and their lackys.)

The S7-300, -400 is definitely a Siemens Product! The programming methods used for those PLC's are out of the range of "normal" thinking. That is, they are NOT intuitive. You definitly have to learn the Siemens way of thinking.

The S7-200 series is a horse of a different color. This PLC is a miniature version of the Texas Instrument 505. (Siemens bought the Texas Instrument PLC Division... SOB! <- you can read that as a tearful reaction or as an acronym - both apply!)

The difference between the two is like...

 

        S7-200  vs.  S7-300, -400



     Texas Instruments vs. Hewlett-Packard

     (Normal Thinking)     (RPN - Reverse Polish Notation)

     (In my opinion!)      (This is a "given"!)



             PC (Open) vs. APPLE (Closed)

.
.
(This is not to say that the S7-200 is anymore open than any other PLC. This is only to illustrate the polar-nature of the difference.)

And, as much as I hate to say it...

 

               "BASIC" vs. "C"



                     - AND -



         MicroSoft O/S vs. Unix O/S

.

I have to say this because, while "C" and "Unix" are indeed more powerful than "BASIC" and "MicroSoft O/S", they ("BASIC" and "MicroSoft O/S") are easier for the uninitiated to get around in.

Terry,

maybe it is my fault because I'm used to the "Siemens way of thinking", but I do consider myself as being and thinking "normal" .

And sorry for those who don't speak Dutch, but my personal website is Dutch only. I do have some stuff I would like to translate and maybe donate to this site. I only need more time. I wish every day had 28 hours, but then maybe I would work more and still lack time !

A Whole New Can-O'-Worms???

JVD (if I may be so familiar),

Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and ... all think that they are normal too!

Claiming to be normal is absolutely a relative thing. And, we all claim that we are the reference point.

So, what the hell is "normal"?

"Normal" is whatever the popular trend happens to be! Ain't that an awful truth?

But, none of that has anything to do with the way that various vendors design their PLC's. They simply design according to their idea of how the world should be - nothing new there.

This seems like the beginning of a wild and exciting tangent... but, I gotta go to work right now.

Later.

Terry woods heeft het goed omschreven. (al heeft tie dat zelf waarschijnlijk niet eens door)
De s7-300 en 400 serie's zijn echt van siemens.
de s7-200 of micro is origineel van texas instruments.
als je echter een cursus doet in step 7 dan kan je met gebruik van een handboek ook redelijk snel en goed overweg met s7-micro.

een aanrader is inderdaad de cursus van ehrbecker - schiefelbusch deze cursus is anders van opbouw dan een cursus van siemens zelf en het handboek wat je hierbij krijgt is ook een beduidend beter naslagwerk . (ik kan het weten, ik heb zelf deze cursus gegeven).
het boek van siemens gebruiken als naslagwerk is nagenoeg ondoenlijk. tevens is het zo dat Ehrbecker een eigen helpdesk / supportafdeling heeft waar ze specifiek siemens ondersteunen zowel S5 als S7-300,400 en 200.


Succes

I recently did an online course with Technique Training, they enabled me to understand both Step 7 and MicroWin fully, and i did not think there was that much difference. In fact the software and addressing structures are very similar. They can be found at www.techniquetraining.co.uk

OK, here's my best shot at translating what Rverhoeven said...


Terry woods heeft het goed omschreven.
Terry Woods has a good description.

(al heeft thawed dat zelf waarschijnlijk rivet eens door)
All have thawed that self probable rivet just/once through/by/due to.

De s7-300 en 400 series it zijn really van Siemens.
The S7-300 and 400 series is really from Siemens.

De s7-200 of micro is origineel van texas instrument.
The S7-200 micro is originally from Texas Instruments.

As the real ice cursus doet in step 7 kan served per met gebruik van
As the real ICE course does in Step-7 can served per(?) with use of

ice handboek ook redelijk snel en goed overweg met s7-micro.
ICE Handbook is also friendly, quick and good consultation with S7-micro.

Ice aanrader is inderdaad de cursus van ehrbecker - schiefelbusch
ICE aanrader is really the course from ehrbecker - schiefelbusch

deze cursus is differently van opbouw ice cursus van Siemens zelf
this course is different from opbouw .(?) ICE courses from Siemens themselves

en het handboek served wade per hierbij krijgt is ook ice beduidend
and the handbook served value(?) per hierbij krijgt is also ICE to offer

beter naslagwerk. (Ik kan het weten, ik lift zelf deze cursus gegeven).
better naslagwerk. (I know it, I lift myself with this course geveven).

Het boek van Siemens gebruiken as a naslagwerk is nagenoeg ondoenlijk.
The book from Siemens I use as a naslagwerk is nagenoeg cloudy/indistict.


tevens is het zo dat Ehrbecker ice characteristic helpdesk / as a S7-300,400
tevens is the so that Ehrbecker ICE characteristic helpdesk as a S7-300,400

en of supportafdeling heeft waar zen specifiek Siemens ondersteunen
and or support have where sense/desire/sentence/disposal/will specific
Siemens under-a-rock (?)

zowel S5 200.
zowel S5-200.



I don't know... you tell me!

Maybe JVC can jump in and fix the possible mis-spellings and slang.

sorry, wil reply only in english from now on.

i wrote:
Terry woods has it right. Siemens S7-300/400 are made by siemens itself. S7-200 is originaly form TI. If you have had a course in siemens Step7 Pro, however, you should also be able to program a S7-200 PLC.

If you haven't had a course yet, i do recommend the course from ehrbecker - schieffelbusch in the netherlands. (only for dutch people they don't give the course in another language) With this course comes a rather good book, that can be used (don't know the word??) in the future to read back if you don't know something.

I should know because i have given this course myself in the past. also the company that gives the course, has it's own supportdesk for Siemens automation related materials.

new:
i don't work ther anymore however, my own careerplan's didn't combine with the plans my boss had. so please don't ask me personaly all the questions you would have, but ask them. or post them here, i've been away to long to know the answers anymore.


Phew dutch is easier.

Terry,
I want to know how many projects have you done using Step 7?

Several.

You just always seem pretty quick to dog it- but I dont think you know anything about it. Did you ever take advantage of the FC's/FB's, how about integrating drives/Operator panels into Step 7 and connecting through profibus. Uploading and downloading drive parameters and operator panel configurations through profibus. Making custom FC/FB's and reusing the code, then putting it into your own library.

No- You havent used it.
You loaded it into your machine- then whined because it isnt like "everyone elses"