We have installed a system consisting of a WinCC server on WindowsXP and one S7-314PtP PLC Rack. Currently, the WinCC communicates to the PLC via the USB/MPI adapter cable. However, the client has requested that we consider replacing the adapter with a PCI CP5611 MPI card. Can anyone tell me the advantage of a PCI adapter over the USB for a Point-to-Point (single PC to single PLC) communications setup??

 

From S7 instructor,
Looking to the future, the CP5611 or the CP5613 provides more flexibility.

- faster updates, mostly of interest in multi-plc MPI nodes
-The use of a diagnostics option in the Set PG/PC Interface dialog
- it is somehow more elegant to have in network card inherant to the PC rather that and external converter cable ( matter of opinion)

--GW--

P.S. the PC could also be used to test out the soft PLC option with the CP5611/5613 ( that is WinAC)

 

WinCC Server should be installed on Windows 2000 server or Windows 2003 server! WinCC standalone or Client can be installed on XP.

Reason are performance and legality (Microsoft licensing).

 

First, I would like to say that you cannot install the WinCC Server option on Windows XP, you must use Windows 2000 or 2003 Server.

That being said here is the answer. There are some restrictions when using the USB>>MPI Adapter:

- It is not possible to load firmware into a CP via an adapter
- The adapters do not support any PROFIBUS address assignment
- Only 16 Connections with max. 4 DP Slaves can be addressed.

That's it in a nutshell. From your post it looks like none of the above restrictions would affect you. My personal preference would be to use the CP5611 not a programming adapter. What ever makes the customer happy.

Ron P