A Closer Look at Siemens SIMATIC S5 Programmable Controllers

It could be argued that despite being outdated, the Siemens SIMATIC S5 range of programmable logic controllers is still one of the most popular automation systems on this planet, with a large number of manufacturers around the world still relying on this technology. .

Manufactured and sold by Siemens AG, the Siemens SIMATIC S5 range was first presented at the Hannover Fair in 1979 and quickly established itself as a favorite of machine builders, system integrators, panel builders and automation distributors. . In the early 1980s, automation customers were demanding more system functionality, and the SIMATIC S5 range was the answer.

Available in a variety of different chassis styles (90U, 95U, 101U, 100U, 115U, 135U, and 155U), the Siemens S5 offered users a choice of various CPUs, memory types, I / O, power supplies, communication cards, interface modules. and function modules. These S5 options can be configured to suit your production requirements and budget. A general rule of thumb is that the higher the S5 chassis number, the more sophisticated and expensive the system will be. Siemens SIMATIC S5 are versatile and can be used in any number of industries and functionalities.

In the mid-1980s, programming on the Siemens S5 became much simpler due to the introduction of operator panels and graphical programming tools such as Step 5. Step 5 is a PC-based software programming tool that is the premier tool for programming, testing and launching programs. for SIMATIC SIEMENS S5 PLC. The original versions of Step 5 ran on the CPM operating system. Later versions ran under MS-DOS and then Windows versions through Windows XP. The final version of Step 5 is version 7.2. Since then there has been no further development of this product line, due to its announced obsolescence.

Despite being obsolete, Siemens S5 remains a popular platform and can be found installed in thousands of manufacturing facilities around the world. More and more users are migrating to Siemens Simatic S7, the next generation programmable logic controllers from Siemens AG.