New Firmware Version V1.5 for SIMATIC S7-1500 CPUs

The new CPU firmware V1.5 for the SIMATIC S7-1500 controllers implements functional enhancements as well as new mechanisms for option handling (reconfiguration of a PLC via the user program).

Existing SIMATIC S7-1500 controllers in the field can be updated to the new CPU firmware V1.5 without any restrictions. The necessary update files plus a description of the procedure for the firmware update are provided on our Service&Support pages. 

Affected Modules: 

A description on how to update the firmware is provided at entry ID 77492231

Compatibility between CPU firmware and display firmware: 
A CPU with firmware version V1.0 or V1.1 can be run together with a display with firmware version V1.5, and a CPU with firmware version V1.5 can be run together with a display with firmware version V1.0 or V1.1. 

New features of the CPUs with firmware V1.5: 

-         Option handling (reconfiguration of a PLC via the user program) also possible for centrally locted I/Os

-         Shared I-Device for up to four higher-level controllers

-         PROFINET V2.3 conformity

-         Diagnostic information of connected PROFINET stations will be indicated after a return of the station with the error message

Programming:

-         Data type WCHAR supported

-         Data type WSTRING supported

-         Expanded instructions:
JOIN: join several character strings into one character string with separators

SPLIT: converts a long source character string with separators into several separate character strings

GetSymbolName: Read the name of a tag on the input parameter
GetInstanceName, GetBlockName: Read the name of the instance or block during program runtime

-         Function block RT_INFO for information on the runtimes of certain OBs, the communication or the user program.

Display:

-         The IP-address of the integrated CPU interface is displayed on the starting screen,

-         Additional overview page on displays with 3.45cm screen diagonal to indicate information such as IP-address of the integrated interface or the FW version.

-         Russian, Turkish, Japanese, Portuguese and Korean added to the user interface languages of the displays

-         A user-defined logo can be inserted on the display

-         Automatic update for the diagnostic buffer and message indication on the display

-         Change of the time zone setting on the display

-         If write protection has been activated for the SIMATIC Memory Card this will be indicated on the display

-         Reading access to configured force and variable tables

-         The IP-addresses of the connected Ethernet CPs can be set via the display

Web Server:

-         Display of the communication statistics on the web server

-         Display of the available connection resources

-         Reading access to configured monitoring tables in the web server

-         Reading access to the variable status via the web server

-         Printing from the web server

-         Basic Pages for connected devices with a low resolution

Spare part replacement: 

If a CPU with firmware V1.0 or V1.1 is replaced against a CPU with firmware V1.5, the STEP 7 project need not be changed. It is also not necessary to upgrade the STEP 7 software.