Step 9? Is there a new Siemens Software coming out?

[uptown47]

I have also "heard" that there will only be one programming package for both S7-200 and S7-300/400?

Can anyone confirm this?

That seems to me to be a sensible option. I've never understood why they didn't do this.

 

[JesperMP]

JesperMP, looks like you don't need wash your hat yet.

It was a pretty safe bet.

I have also "heard" that there will only be one programming package for both S7-200 and S7-300/400?
Can anyone confirm this?

That seems to me to be a sensible option. I've never understood why they didn't do this.

Not likely. The basic instruction sets of the two platforms are too different.

As CharlesM puts it, to me it sounds like an incremental improvement to STEP7. It is not a revolution. More like another "layer" of functionality.

 

[CharlesM]

I got a little bit of new information today. I don't know if its correct but this is what I was told.

July 2008 - WinCC Flexible 2008

First qtr 2009 - New Step 7
I was told that it was not complete to ship this fall so it would be early next year. Much improved interface. I was told select Siemens customers had a beta copy doing test now.

WinCC interface will start changing over to be more like Flexible. 2010 - WinCC Flexible & WinCC will become one.

 

[jstolaruk]

......Much improved interface......

Good, thats been my only gripe..slow, weak help system, and clunky moving around. Even my customers that are in the Siemens family of companies (automotive) complain. Overdue; I hope their timeline for release holds.

 

[PeterW]

That seems to me to be a sensible option. I've never understood why they didn't do this.

Because S7-200 early developement was done by Texas Instruments and the S7-300 and S7-400 are wholly Siemens.

 

[uptown47]

Because S7-200 early developement was done by Texas Instruments and the S7-300 and S7-400 are wholly Siemens.

I didn't realise TI had developed the 200 series software. Although I wondered if another company had done it just because of how vastly different it is to Simatic Manager.

 

[MorphuisOGrady]

Have they being able to confirm different architecture? Some claim they are moving to tag based addressing

 

[JDunne]

Warning

Do you mean this software:
http://phasebuilder.com/index.php?area=home ?
It looks like something for the proces industry.

I cannot imagine that Siemens would launch a strategic new concept unless they own it completely. The ownership of that company cannot be found on their website.
Is it a branch of this company maybe
http://www.logicon.ie/index.php?area=home ?
Also no info about ownership.

edit:
logicon seems to work with all these systems:
PLCs (Siemens, Allen-Bradley, Mitsubishi, Omron, GE Fanuc)
SCADA (Intouch, WinCC, RSView, iFix, Intellution)
Operator Panels (Siemens, PanelView, E-terminals)

Does not sound like it is Siemens-specific.

I downloaded this program and installed it yesterday. My PC crashed during installation and required a full rebuild.

Do not install this!!!!

 

[Frik]

I downloaded this program and installed it yesterday. My PC crashed during installation and required a full rebuild.

Do not install this!!!!

Thanks for the warning I was just about to download.

 

[Clay B.]

I had a conversation with m a Siemens Rep last week and he did say they were doing some major changes to S7-200. I was told I could get more info at the show they are having in Charlotte in December. He said Johson-City and Germans where talking everyday about the changes. My guess is they are trying to make the S7-200 more compatibable with the other systems.

 

[ArikBY]

My rep told me.They going to launch new S7-200 PLCs.Which will use Step 7 for programming.
Major change will be using Ethernet instead of PPI.
They started with the new panels, what they call "Basic Line".
At the end of this year we will see the new S7-200.

 

[JesperMP]

An S7-200 in the same family as S7-300/400 ! That is very interesting news.
I am sure that many S7-200 users will mourn this development - What does Terry Woods have to say about this ?

Anyway, I am thinking a little about what this COULD mean for STEP7.
Surely, Siemens does not mean that S7-200 users shall have to pay 2000 Euro to program an S7-200. So maybe thay also plan to make a version of STEP7 more in line with the price-level of S7-200.
There is already STEP7 Lite, but it doesnt support ethernet.
I could certainly use this.

 

[rdrast]

I downloaded this program and installed it yesterday. My PC crashed during installation and required a full rebuild.

Do not install this!!!!

Being insulated and isolated from Siemens PLC's now, I'm not going to take a look at this software, but the comment above makes me wonder yet again why anybody would try demo, or beta, or even just new software without loading it into a virtual machine first!

 

[tim__]

I downloaded this program and installed it yesterday. My PC crashed during installation and required a full rebuild.

Do not install this!!!!

We have checked through our web-logs from that time and we can clearly see that we did not have a corresponding download. The PhaseBuilder download has been extensively tested and we have received no negative feedback on it whatsoever.

It is also worth noting that the person making this comment joined this site at the same time and has only made this post.

We are more than happy to provide any clarifications to any person prior to download.

 

[jvdcande]

It is also worth noting that the person making this comment joined this site at the same time and has only made this post.

And that's also the case here...

Showing a little caution around downloaded software is always sensible doing. I agree completely with rdrast: always use a virtual machine when testing software downloaded from a source you don't know, even if it looks or sounds 100% trustworthy. You can't be too carefull in this world full of spyware, malware, virusses etcetera. If the software is bonafide, you can tell everybody your good experience. If it is malafide you can warn people without looking foolish.

Kind regards,