Siemens 1200 flash and firmware

I have a customer that has a failed 1200, they are getting a replacement from me its a 6ES7212-1AE40-0XB0, his original has FS02 and the new one is a FS04 firmware, they do not have any software they only have the program on a MMC running in the PLC

18 months ago they had a failure and swapped the PLC and also the MMC and its ran great but it was a FS02 swap to a FS02

So my question is can they take the MMC and install it in the new PLC with the two different firmwares ?

Yes. In theory, if the part number is the same, and the FW on the new module is same or higher than the old module, you should be able to move the SD card no problem.

I've never been 100% clear on what the FS numbers mean, but it definitely isn't the major firmware rev. The part number you listed doesn't support firmware below V4 (newest is v4.2) It's possible it represents minor firmware updates, but I think it just means manufacturing changes that don't require a full part number change.

In my experience, Siemens projects tend to be pretty portable to newer models. Siemens very rarely breaks compatibility with old FW versions. Upgrading from V3 to V4 in the 1200's was a mess (part number, portal version, and FW all had to change together), but besides that Siemens PLCs have been pretty flexible for spare part compatibility. They will almost always pretend to be older FW revs or prior part numbers, and sometimes similar part numbers as well. I wouldn't be all that surprised if you could take that 1212 project and swap it into a 1214.

Thank you very much!

Not sure if you know... but reading further am I correct in that the 40 in the part number is the major firmware, trying to decipher their part numbers

6ES7212-1AE40-0XB0

Group (PLC) = 6ES7
Family=212
Power and I/O = 1AE
Firmware = 40
Group (PLC) = 0XB0



Thanks
Mark

From TIA Portal 13
6ES7 212-1AD30-0XB0 is firmware 2.2
6ES7 212-1AE31-0XB0 is firmware 3.0
6ES7 212-1AE40-0XB0 is firmware 4.1

From TIA Portal 14
6ES7 212-1AD30-0XB0 is firmware 2.2
6ES7 212-1AE31-0XB0 is firmware 3.0
6ES7 212-1AE40-0XB0 is firmware 4.2

I stopped trying to figure their parts reference logic many years ago, it probably makes perfect sense in German. Although the S7-1200 seems to be more multicultural so that probably gets even more confusing. Expansion units for the S7-200 used to end in 0XA0, but the PLCs were 0XB0. The SIRPLUS versions end in 4XB0. I know that on a cold day I like a nice hot drink of OXO.

BryanG said:

I stopped trying to figure their parts reference logic many years ago

Click to expand...

Maybe I will join you

A couple other vendors I can just make up a part number with what I need and see if its a real part

Phoenix Contact is another one