Siemens S7 PLC Usage

"Redundant" or "obsolete"?

The S7 is widely in use within the water treatment industry in this part of the world, among other industries. Some operations have adopted it as a standard, so as to minimise spare part stockholding.

PWSlack,

Sorry, my second language English made me think ity is the same thing. He actually said "Obsolete, may have to be replaced".

TC

The S7 is an old PLC but I still see it being used in a lot of factories. We use Allen-Bradley ourselves and the PLC-5 is said to be stopped by 2011 though parts may still be available for 5 more years. It may be the same for the S7.

If it were up to me, I'd use the S7 for now. However, plan for replacing it in the near future in case it is obsolete. There are a lot of low cost PLCs out there that should be able to handle your induction furnace.

T4T,

I am also using S7 in many of my machines. It is the programming software for siemens plc software. what is the plc model s7-200 or s7-300 or s7- 400? to my knowledge s5, the previous programming software from siemens is becoming obsolete but still support is available from siemens. Am i right Slack?

Guest....

Thanks Guys,

I just wanted to make sure. My drive is capital saving in the short term. In 12 months we will be able to replace it with state of the art stuff, but for now to get it for "free" with the equipment is a bargain. I will get a older PLC technician to help with the programming.

Will keep you posted as progress is made. Payment for the equipment goes today, so by end Feb we should have it delivered.

Regards,

TC

The S7 is far from being obsolete. The S7 is used all over the world and according to Siemens there are no plans to releasing a new family of PLC's. ABB may want to sell you a DCS system for the furnace.

Just to add my two cents worth.

PLCMan is quite right.

One year ago we commissioned two Siemens 501D5A combustion turbines at 104 MW each, relatively large machines .

They came with Siemens S7 PLCs and Allen Bradley SLC5/04 PLCs runing three gas compressors.

They even had some S5 I/O cards in them.

I think you can keep the S7 going for 5 years yet very comfortably.

I have done many control system retrofits.

During the tail-end of most control system platforms as users retrofit "supposedly obsolete systems, the used ones which are replaced becomes available and you get them cheap allowing you to keep your "obsolete" equipment in service.

I have lots of "obsolete" Allen Bradley PLC cards for the Bulletin 1774 series of PLCs.

Lots of GE Mark I , Mark II and Mark IV Speedtronic cards.

Lots of Westinghouse P50 and G50 and Wetac control system cards available for donation , sale...whatever.

Allen Bradley is highly recommended for use as a replacement PLC .It is easy to use, a large population of PLC 5, SLC 100,200,....SLC5/04 Micrologix... in service.

Friends, i very agree above everyones idear.

in the future,i think S7 will be go far,for example now in china,about every factory control system compound by SIEMENS,and now in china,SIEMENS PLC may be occupy automatical market 70%,

S5 is "mature". Even though s5 parts are getting more expensive to get from Siemens there are 3rd party vendors supplying replacements.

S7 is far from obsolete. There isn't even a hint of a replacement product for S7. A major new version of the programming software - Step 7 - is due out in a few months. S7 is not going anywhere soon.