Organizing a PLC Lab

Hi,

We are planning to establish a PLC training lab in our university, based on Siemens products. I have already prepared some virtual plants using LabVIEW and OPC protocol and checked it with STEP7 5.5 ans S7-300 CPU series. Now I decided to buy some S7-1200 PLCs, because they are brand-new and relatively cheaper. But I have no experience about them. I know that these series use TIA 2012. 

I would like to know that to what extent S7-300 PLCs could be replaced by S7-1200 series? The lab plants are relatively small-sized and don't need specific processing capabilities.

Besides this, as I never installed a PLC by myself, I would like to know what is necessary for a basic PLC installation? As I know, for a CPU like 314-2DP, a power supply, a memory card, a PG/PC interface and a rail are needed. Anything else needed for such installation?

Thanks.

Hi!

I suggest you first to check SIDEMO  and lok at prebuild systems they have.

For Simatic, here is a pdf with all training systems.

hi Iman,

S7-1200 PLC´s are mounted on a DIN-Rail and you don´t need a MMC for it. 

Everything else depends on what you want to do and what kind of PLC you are buying. They all have integrated IO´s depending on the type. Also the powersuply is variable on type. 

Take care of what kind of PLC you buy. S7-1200 PLC`s with FW-Version 4 are only projectable with TIA V13. See the specification of the PLC first, before buying or ask your Siemens distributer what you need else. 

Thank you very much,

I've found 1215c with order no. 6ES7215-1AG31-0XB0 with firmware version 3.0.

The rail you mentioned is different from the rails for s7-300 series?

hi Iman,

I´m glad that I could help you

The S7-300 has a special S7-Rail, you see here:

S7-Rail

DIN-Rail is a common Rail were other components, like relays, could be mounted too:

DIN-RAIL

hope this helps,

regards,