Software Service Pack Expands Functionality

Upgrade gives S7-1200 expanded HMI tag count and enhanced indirect addressing.

Service Pack 2 for Step 7 Basic, the next generation Simatic engineering software for S7-1200 compact controllers and Simatic Basic HMI panels, targets the need for enhanced indirect addressing and increased HMI tag counts. The additions of the new FieldRead and FieldWrite instructions enable dynamic indexing to/from a variable data table for automation systems that need indirect addressing routines.

The software enables programmers to develop enhanced array algorithms more easily for complex data handling. The need for enhanced indirect addressing is often required in automation systems that include sortation functionality, event prioritization functions, and string data manipulation. The software even supports some recipe and alarm management tasks at the controller level.

Additional capabilities in Service Pack 2 for Step 7 Basic include expanded tag count for the new HMI Basic panels. The KTP400 4-inch touch screen display can now support 250 tags and the larger 6-inch, 10-inch and 15-inch models have increased their tag count to 500 tags. The HMI Basic panels are economically priced and a great fit for small controller applications that require built-in Ethernet connectivity and only need the most common HMI functionality.

Simatic Step 7 Basic engineering software is the industry’s first integrated automation programming software specifically designed for the Compact Controller class. It includes all the software tools necessary for programming the Simatic S7-1200 compact controller and Simatic HMI Basic panels from one integrated software package eliminating the typical requirement of maintaining multiple projects for controller and HMI.

By providing compact controller, HMI and networking configuration that are fully integrated with one engineering software package, Simatic Step 7 Basic helps OEMs, system integrators and end users significantly reduce development time and cost. The new engineering software provides a single interface with one user program, eliminating the need to purchase and maintain multiple engineering software packages. The automated interfaces between controller and HMI configuration lessen the error potential common with manual entry. Task-oriented and intuitive editors in Simatic Step 7 Basic support both industry standard LAD (ladder logic) and FBD (function block diagram) programming languages with a high degree of user-friendliness and engineering efficiency.

Tight integration between small controllers, HMI panels and the engineering software satisfies users’ need for flexible control systems that can perform multiple operations and require minimal changeovers. Using the integrated capabilities within the Simatic Step7 Basic engineering software, manufacturers can now add new equipment and retool production lines more easily with less engineering cost and time.

For more information on the Simatic Step7 Basic service pack 2, please click here.