Is anybody aware that there is a Siemens S7, S5 compatible PLC from a company called VIPA in Germany? I understand that it is possible to mix parts from Siemens & VIPA, especially on the S7-300 series and also for the S5 series.

Has anybody succesfully implemented projects using a mixture of VIPA S7 series I/O cards with a Siemens S7-300 series CPU. We are thinking of using VIPA in our projects. Any opinions on performance etc. on VIPA PLCs will be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

I have implemented a small Intouch scada over ethernet using Vipa ethernet cards (CP143 H1/TCP) in three s5 plc's 115,135,150. The configuration is very easy, performance is very good and if there were problems there support is exellent.

Regards

R.Anderson
[email protected]

 

Hi,
here i'am.
My name is Klaus Loy, i'am working at VIPA hotline in VIPA headqarter germany.

While looking around in PLC forums, i found your mail.

We have S7 from Siemens compatible IO-cards for the 300 series from Siemens. We have also our own 300 series PLC-CPUs. It is no problem to mix Siemens and VIPA modules.

Please visite our homepage: www.vipa.de

Best regards
Klaus Loy


> Is anybody aware that there is a Siemens S7, S5 compatible PLC from a company called VIPA in Germany? I understand that it is possible to mix parts from Siemens & VIPA, especially on the S7-300 series and also for the S5 series.
>
> Has anybody succesfully implemented projects using a mixture of VIPA S7 series I/O cards with a Siemens S7-300 series CPU. We are thinking of using VIPA in our projects. Any opinions on performance etc. on VIPA PLCs will be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

but isn't it illegal to use VIPA in lieu of siemens modules? what about the patents?

 

It is also illegal to buy a piece of Siemens hardware and smash it up with a hammer and throw it in the bin, but that’s only because it is such a good PLC and a crime to see it going to waste.

I doubt there is any patent infringement by Vipa, Siemens hates competition and goes for it by the throat, if you think about it, that's one of the basic tenets of business and competition, if Siemens could have taken Vipa out, they would have by now, but they cannot take you out for using Vipa products, or at least I sincerely doubt it. I have never advocated the use of competitor products in a Siemens PLC unless separated from the PLC by a Profibus or Ethernet cable, so that the boundary between competitor products is very clearly defined. In this way it is possible to avoid "being in the middle" when something doesn't work.

Regards Donald Pittendrigh

 

With regards to Vipa "clones" of Siemens modules:

On August 30, 2003, Donald Pittendrigh wrote: <clip>
> I have never advocated the use
> of competitor products in a Siemens PLC unless separated from the PLC by a
> Profibus or Ethernet cable, so that the boundary between competitor
> products is very clearly defined. In this way it is possible to avoid
> "being in the middle" when something doesn't work.
<clip>

I would suggest that any customers who want to avoid this situation should state very clearly in their equipment specs that they want actual "Siemens" PLC components and avoid the use of the phrase "or equivalent". They should also examine any new machinery to see what was actually installed. I have seen pictures of Vipa I/O modules, and they appear very similar to the Siemens originals. It would be easy to mistake them for Siemens products unless you look closely.

I don't have anything against Vipa or their products, but I believe that customers should take care to know what they are getting. If they want to use Vipa modules, it should be a conscious decision.

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Michael Griffin
London, Ont. Canada
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