Siemens extends its Simatic industrial automation controller range

Siemens is extending its Simatic automation controller series for PC-based applications.

The distributed automation controllers now include the new, more powerful Simatic ET 200SP Open Controller CPU 1515SP PC 2 – for standard and fail-safe applications up to Performance Level e.

The new Open Controller, which Siemens says is “particularly suitable for series machine building”, combines the functions of a PC-based software controller with visualization, Windows applications and central I/Os (inputs/outputs) in a single compact device. 

The new, fail-safe CPU1516pro-2 PN for the Simatic ET 200pro Distributed Controller also performs standard and fail-safe automation tasks up to Performance Level e in a single device.

Safety functionalities have now been integrated in the Simatic S7-1500 Software Controllers for the first time, says Siemens.

This makes the CPU 1507S F the world’s only software controller with fail-safe PC-based control which is operated independently of the operating system.

This guarantees high system availability and facilitates the controller’s rapid start-up.

What is more, installation of Windows updates and rebooting is now possible while the controller is running.

This also eliminates the need for the hardware controller that would otherwise also be necessary, thereby saving space and money and reducing engineering costs.

The combination of PC-based control and high-level language programs makes the Simatic S7-1500 Software Controller particularly suitable for special-purpose machine manufacturing.