SINGAPORE - RS Components (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), the global distributor for engineers, has announced that, from October 2014 , the popular Simatic S7-200 programmable logic controller (PLC) from Siemens is to be discontinued and fully replaced by the new generation Micro-SPS Simatic S7-1200 controller, which offers significant price and performance advantages over the previous model.
The compact Simatic S7-1200 controller has been engineered to reflect the growing importance of flexibility, modularity and scalability in hardware design, while providing powerful integrated functions that are easy to use. It offers five CPU types with different performance ratings and a modular design that can be expanded with additional inputs and outputs. The system can be finely scaled by installing 'signal boards' on an interface directly on the CPU to add a few digital or analogue channels, thus reducing space requirements in the control cabinet. The inputs and outputs of the CPU are also designed for motion control applications so that flexibility is already integrated in the basic module. Integrated technology functions include PID closed-loop control, motion and axis control.
The Simatic S7-1200 controller is configured with the STEP 7 Basic engineering software in the TIA Portal (Totally Integrated Automation). This means users have access to a standardised, comprehensive engineering tool for logic operations, HMI and networking with one shared editor. The entire navigation, all symbols and menus are standardised in all views, which makes the software easy to learn and use.
The S7-1200 features an integrated Profinet interface, which is standard in all CPUs and designed as a 2-port switch interface in the larger models, and supports distributed architectures with inputs and outputs, HMI, drives and other Profinet field devices. This feature is particularly useful if the controller operates in a networked system or if more than one HMI device is to be connected. Separate expansion modules are available for Profibus communication.
In addition, a GPRS module supports remote access from almost any location in the plant. This is useful during plant service, enabling faults to be eliminated remotely and service personnel to obtain information from transmitted diagnostics in advance, or order hardware components prior to the service call.
The Siemens Simatic S7-1200 PLC is available to purchase from RS stock globally.
