HMI Options with Siemen's STEP5

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Thread Starter

Tom Idstein

Can someone please let me know what HMIs are available for use with the current version of STEP5? I would like to know if any versions of WinCC can be used with STEP5 or if InTouch can be used with STEP5. Also, any other choices. Thank you.
 
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ITS SHAHID WAQAS CHAUDHRY

Hello,
With Step5, I understand that you mean S5 PLC.
You can use WinCC with S5. You have the options of using:
1) AS511 Option: Connecting through the programming port (PLC) and serial port(PC)
2) Profibus: Option of using DP and FDL using CP5431 (for S5-115,135,155) and CP5613 (PC)
3) Industrial Ethernet: Using CP143(PLC) and CP1613(PC).

Furthermore, you can also use third party HMI with S5 plc like Intellution iFix, Intouch, CiTect etc. However, you will require to purchase the IO driver seperately for each third party software whereas with WinCC they are built-in.

Also, if the number of tags is not very large (less than 2048 tags), another option from Siemens is to use the PC based Protool/Pro.

Hope this helps.

- Shahid
 
Do you use any of these HMI's? Can you tell me any advantages/disadvantages between these that you are aware of, i.e., which is more user friendly, easier to implement and change, easiest setup, best support? Thank you.

Tom
 
just to clarify drivers for Citect are supplied when you buy the software package you would not need to pay extra for the S5 driver unless you had
a particular application that required a driver to be written. The Licence is based on number of I/O points I think 75 points is the smallest licence you can buy.

I may be a little biased as I mainly use Citect
I find it the most Flexible with built in programming called Cicode which if you know other languages such as C you will have no trouble picking up, they also support a form of VBA now.

The downside is I think the first couple of projects may take a little more engineering time
while you learn the system because it is so flexible.

Support is pretty good, usually get back to me within a couple of hours depending on the urgency
which I think these days you probably won't get much better without paying extra for it.

For a comparison check out the archives!
 
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ITS SHAHID WAQAS CHAUDHRY

------------ Forwarded Message ------------
From: ITS SHAHID WAQAS CHAUDHRY <[email protected]>
To: "'[email protected]'" <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: HMI: Options with Siemen's STEP5

The comparison has been covered many times on the list. The best place to look would be in the archives.

However, in my personal opinion:
Siemens PLC - Siemens HMI (WinCC, ProTool or older: Coros etc)
AB PLC - AB HMI (RSView)
Multivendor PLC - InTouch or iFix
SCADA Application - InTouch, iFix or Citect

I am sure the other people would have a lot more to add.

- Shahid
 
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