Hi all.
I have just received a new Siemens KP700 panel.
I am going to test this extensively, as I (and my colleagues) have high hopes for that we can standardise on this panel.
I will report my findings in this thread.
The review will be a prolonged affair and will be extended over several posts, and probably for several months. This because it can only be programmed with the new TIA Portal / WinCC v11. Since my first test of TIA Portal I have stopped working with it, since I found that it was not finished enough to make a real project - at least for my patience.
For this KP700 however, I will make a small project that has to be finished in 4-5 months. WinCC v11 was also a bit more finished than STEP7 v11, so I have hopes for that it will go OK.
(will continue my TIA Portal review as well).
On to the KP700 review ......
Simply from examining the specs, and considering the price, I think this panel can be a world-beater. Of course, if it is a dog to program, or totally unreliable, it will fail.
The KP700 is the latest in a long series of graphical panels that started with the OP25. The KP700 will fit in the same panel cut-out as the OP25, and its later replacement panels, OP27-6..OP270-6..OP277-6..MP277-8.
See the attached pictures.
I have laid an MP277-8 next to the new KP700, to show the differences. Visually there are not so many differences.
The KP700 has an almost all-metal body, as opposed to the MP277 that has a plastic body. This is probably Siemens response to critique that the plastic frame on the x77 panels was not solid enough. Some users have experienced cracked frames after tightening the mounting hasps. I havent experienced any cracks though.
The entire body of the KP700 feels much more substantial and heavier than the MP277.
There are a lot of onboard ports. Noticably, the ethernet port is now a 2-port switch. There are two USB-host ports, and a USB-device port. There are two SD card ports, one for backing up the panel incl. operating system, the other for datalogging.
On the front, the KP700 LCD is slightly bigger than the MP277, with a slighly higher resolution as well. The LCD is widescreen format, as opposed to the older 4/3 format on the MP277.
Just by using the onboard keyboard, the panel feels really snappy and responsive.
That is how far I can go today. I shall continue later with how the programming and the use of the panel goes.
stay tuned .............................
I have just received a new Siemens KP700 panel.
I am going to test this extensively, as I (and my colleagues) have high hopes for that we can standardise on this panel.
I will report my findings in this thread.
The review will be a prolonged affair and will be extended over several posts, and probably for several months. This because it can only be programmed with the new TIA Portal / WinCC v11. Since my first test of TIA Portal I have stopped working with it, since I found that it was not finished enough to make a real project - at least for my patience.
For this KP700 however, I will make a small project that has to be finished in 4-5 months. WinCC v11 was also a bit more finished than STEP7 v11, so I have hopes for that it will go OK.
(will continue my TIA Portal review as well).
On to the KP700 review ......
Simply from examining the specs, and considering the price, I think this panel can be a world-beater. Of course, if it is a dog to program, or totally unreliable, it will fail.
The KP700 is the latest in a long series of graphical panels that started with the OP25. The KP700 will fit in the same panel cut-out as the OP25, and its later replacement panels, OP27-6..OP270-6..OP277-6..MP277-8.
See the attached pictures.
I have laid an MP277-8 next to the new KP700, to show the differences. Visually there are not so many differences.
The KP700 has an almost all-metal body, as opposed to the MP277 that has a plastic body. This is probably Siemens response to critique that the plastic frame on the x77 panels was not solid enough. Some users have experienced cracked frames after tightening the mounting hasps. I havent experienced any cracks though.
The entire body of the KP700 feels much more substantial and heavier than the MP277.
There are a lot of onboard ports. Noticably, the ethernet port is now a 2-port switch. There are two USB-host ports, and a USB-device port. There are two SD card ports, one for backing up the panel incl. operating system, the other for datalogging.
On the front, the KP700 LCD is slightly bigger than the MP277, with a slighly higher resolution as well. The LCD is widescreen format, as opposed to the older 4/3 format on the MP277.
Just by using the onboard keyboard, the panel feels really snappy and responsive.
That is how far I can go today. I shall continue later with how the programming and the use of the panel goes.
stay tuned .............................