The Siemens TIA Selection Tool has become a primary tool in selecting components and software for Siemens automation systems.  Among other things, it helps check for part consistency, suggests accessories, lists what modules are available for a CPU or I/O device, generates a final parts list in Excel, and gives shortcuts to the Siemens Support Site for detailed information on components.  Here, I’ll try to touch on some of the more useful features.

So you have a machine with a few PLC’s and HMI’s talking over Ethernet.  You’re good with that.  But that machine is shipping to the North Pole, and you really don’t want to go there every time an elf mis-aligns a prox.  So you’ve added an eWON remote routing device to your system so you can log in to monitor and download without getting on a plane or dog sled.

Cost or function? That's the choice many design engineers have to make when it comes to I/O. With products like Siemens ET200SP Remote I/O, you can strike a balance between cost and function for the best possible result.

Watch a servo or drives person in action, and it is generally only a matter of time before they are looking at a velocity vs time trace to fine tune the performance of a motor system.  The reason: events that are occurring much faster than the eye can observe must be scrutinized.  In Siemens TIA Portal, we have the ability to generate and save traces of our PLC logic.

Your Siemens G120 or G120C AC drive is installed and running.  Now the thought hits you as to how to back up the configuration in case of a failure in the future.  Siemens offers several options for you, including a software tool, operator panels, and memory cards.

Over the last three years, Siemens has been rolling out their new generation of PLC hardware.  These PLC platforms, the S7-1200 and S7-1500 families, are programmed using the newer TIA Portal development environment, and offer many advantages to their legacy counterparts in the S7-200, 300, and 400 families.  First and foremost, these tag-based controllers share the new Portal programming software, which means you have one software platform to cover the full breadth of product (also including most 300 and 400 series).

Getting good diagnostic information about your system components doesn't need to be a hassle anymore.  With Siemens S7-300, S7-400, and S7-1500 series PLC’s, a simple checkbox can enable System Diagnostics that work in conjunction with Siemens Comfort series HMI’s.  Ok, sounds good, but what is it?