Programming Siemens

[joaco1993]

Hi everyone,

Im having a future project involving siemens PLCs.. dont know exactly which models, and also dont know if there is a difference in order to learn to program siemens plc..

Im proficient in rockwell.. Rslogix5, Rslogix500 and Rslogix5000, also honeywell and AutomationDirect.

How would you aproach this situation ?? anyone aware of courses online or where to gather information, etc..

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[cardosocea]

There's a couple... for starters, you can download TIA Portal (and I think Step 7) without a license and try for 15 or 21 days unlike Rockwell.

In terms of hardware, I think it's similar, you add on the hardware that you are going to use to the project. Networking is easier in TIA Portal than step7.

In terms of programs, you have OB's that are the equivalent of tasks on Logix. If using TIA Portal, there is a description with the type of OB you can create. Usually most people just have the OB1, OB100 (warm start or restart), OB83 and OB121 (error OB's).

You then create your program with FB and FCs. FB's are compared to AOI's, although you can modify them online. FC's are similar to subroutines, but take in inputs and outputs and, in my opinion, are nicer to visualise.

There is no online editing... you change the block and you download it. This means you can download all your program or a single block with a simple modification to the controller.

You can use all languages without costing you an arm and a leg... and even better, in the same FB or FC you can mix languages in different rungs as you please.

There are more nice things about Siemens PLC's, but for starters this should be enough.

Also, there is a concept of DB's which makes data easier to organize than just have all your variables in a tag list like in Logix.
Edit: if you're doing process stuff, look into Siemens Open Library.

[JRW]

If your buying from a local distributor, they will help get you started.

[Rson]

Siemens sells some kits that come with a plc + software that is somewhat affordable.

I believe around $300-400 for some of the 1200 series processors with TIA portal.

Also, I think they have a simulator, but I haven't had time to look into it personally.

Be aware, there are rumors that a new version of TIA portal will be out by the new year, so I would keep a support contract through the new year if you buy a license right away.

Some of the Siemens structures are quite different from rockwell (data blocks vs ladder files, etc) but most of the ladder programming is similar.

[mister x]

If you want online courses root around Udemy. If you're doing hmi this is a nice tutorial :

https://www.pccweb.com/2018/12/17/si...aining-series/

I've seen good Siemens produced videos on YouTube as well with helpful tips.

[cardosocea]

Originally Posted by Rson

Also, I think they have a simulator, but I haven't had time to look into it personally.

Ups, forgot the simulator. A version of the simulator comes bundled with TIA Portal (it was a separate product in Step7). The simulator is almost as good as having a PLC on your bench.



You can create two instances of the simulator download one different program to each and see them communicate in simulation. That is a godsend for testing communications without hardware!!

[geniusintraining]

Originally Posted by joaco1993

Im having a future project involving siemens PLCs.. dont know exactly which models, and also dont know if there is a difference in order to learn to program siemens plc..

Once you find out the platform we sell trainers that may work for you... I have had a lot of customers buy a trainer and rip them apart and install them on a machine after they learned the programming side

[joaco1993]

Thanks all for answering,

I was looking for an answer more like this, for example in AB for programming the PLC:

PLC5-Rslogix5
SLCs,Micrologix(1000,1100,1400,etc)-Rslogix500
Contrologix,Compactlogix-Rslogix5000/Studio5000

Regarding the SCADA we may use FTView ME or SE for any of the PLCs.

I would like to have the same comparison with Siemens..

Like s7-400 with what software..
s7-1200 with what software ?

S7-400 is like a contrologix ?
s7-1200 is like a micrologix ?

And any other opinion, comparison would be great!

Thanks!

[geniusintraining]

Originally Posted by joaco1993

I was looking for an answer more like this

Its too broad of an opinion and its just a opinion of the person using the PLC

You can search and find several threads on it and many different parts of the PLC, Size, Scan Speed, Memory, etc.

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=92775
http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=120869
http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=54055

Many more

[sigmadelta]

Like s7-400 with what software..
s7-1200 with what software ?

Don't leave S7-1500 off the list! I doubt you will be doing an S7-400 new project, unless you have a very specific reason to do so, or your boss or client told you to do so.

S7-400 Software: STEP 7 V5.6
S7-1200 Software: STEP 7 Basic or Professional V15.1
S7-1500 Software: STEP 7 Professional V15.1

Regarding the SCADA we may use FTView ME or SE for any of the PLCs.

WinCC Basic/Comfort/Advanced V15.1

[joaco1993]

Originally Posted by sigmadelta

Don't leave S7-1500 off the list! I doubt you will be doing an S7-400 new project, unless you have a very specific reason to do so, or your boss or client told you to do so.

S7-400 Software: STEP 7 V5.6
S7-1200 Software: STEP 7 Basic or Professional V15.1
S7-1500 Software: STEP 7 Professional V15.1



WinCC Basic/Comfort/Advanced V15.1

Great! why do you say that about the S7-400, isnt it like a contrologix ? I mean a very powerfull PLC for big applications??

I have been reading and the S7-400 would be like a contrologix, and a S7-1200 would be a more powerfull micrologix1400, but less than a compactlogix, something in between.

S7-1500 in which type of plc would it be ? for big medium or small applications ??

So basically if I learn to program in STEP 7 I could program practically any siemens PLC ?? or there are differences between the versions pro, basic, etc ?? Im asking this because i might do some courses and would like to know which ones would be the best in order to program the more siemens plc..

Thanks!

[Ken Moore]

S7-1500 is slowly replacing the S7-300's, I suspect once PCS7 moves from 400's to 1500's the 400's will go away too. I think that has been rolled back to 2025. I may be wrong, but with the licensing scheme of the S7-410 (current model), I doubt it will work with any system other than PCS7.

The S7-1500's are fast, have a much faster back plane, and support Profinet remote IO.
Future development will focus on the 1500 platform. The S7-1200 now has a fail safe model and is gaining a customer base for machine safety.

[Rob...]

Originally Posted by Ken Moore

S7-1500 is slowly replacing the S7-300's, I suspect once PCS7 moves from 400's to 1500's the 400's will go away too. I think that has been rolled back to 2025. I may be wrong, but with the licensing scheme of the S7-410 (current model), I doubt it will work with any system other than PCS7.

The S7-1500's are fast, have a much faster back plane, and support Profinet remote IO.
Future development will focus on the 1500 platform. The S7-1200 now has a fail safe model and is gaining a customer base for machine safety.

S7-1500 is designed to replace the 400, however they still haven't cracked redundancy with them, hence the reason the 400 is still around.

The s7-1200 and ET200 are replacing the S7-300.

Or that's how our rep explained it when they were first released.

[sigmadelta]

S7-1500 is designed to replace the 400, however they still haven't cracked redundancy with them, hence the reason the 400 is still around.

S7-1500R - Redundant:

https://w3.siemens.com/mcms/programm...dant-cpus.aspx

S7-1500H - High Availability:

https://w3.siemens.com/mcms/programm...able-cpus.aspx

[Rob...]

Originally Posted by sigmadelta

S7-1500R - Redundant:

https://w3.siemens.com/mcms/programm...dant-cpus.aspx

S7-1500H - High Availability:

https://w3.siemens.com/mcms/programm...able-cpus.aspx

When were these released?

WE tend to use microbox's for larger projects, so I'm a little out of touch with the 1500 range.