Siemens’ Totally Integrated Automation Portal latest version is due for release just after the Smart Production System (SPS) trade fair in Nuremberg later this month.
TIA V21 coincides with and supports the release of several new devices, or firmware versions for devices that we know our customers will enjoy. The below is a snapshot of the highlights we think will be most valuable for our Siemens NZ customers.
For those of you who buy your Siemens Software Update Service for TIA Portal from us, updates will be progressively sent out after the release date.
For others, there is still time to purchase your software update service, give our office a call HERE.
Else we can quote you after the 4th of December for full new packages to TIA V21.
FEATURES
3rd Party Version Control Software Support Improvements
Support for 3rd party ‘Modern’ software version control software has been strengthened. For those of you who use GIT Hub or similar for your version control, this is a great upgrade. The key enabling feature is called “SIMATIC Source Documents’, and the exported and subsequently imported files now consist of human readable code, not simply slugs of binary that was once the case. Get in touch with our team for details on this, if you use or are considering using such external version control system for your Siemens Industrial Automation code.
Avoid Data Block Re-Initialisation for Structural Changes
NOTE: This feature requires both TIA-V21, and Siemens PLCs running Firmware Version 4.1.
As many of you will know, changing the structure of data blocks (e.g. add or remove variables) in the past has invariably meant that the system re-initialises all values back to default. Obviously this means extra care, attention, and typically stopping your machine or process is required.
In TIAV21, with PLCs running Firmware version 4.1 one can avoid this re-initialising in many cases. Particularly when adding or deleting elementary data types. As many of our readers here will attest to, this will be super helpful.
Multiuser Enhancements
Totally Integrated Automation Portal has Multiuser capabilities as many of you know, and some of you use. The innovation in V21 is removing the need to “Synchronise the PLC after a Multiuser Check-in and refresh from the project server”. A lovely time saver.
Motion Control – Multicore Support
For motion control technology objects, one can now spread the load over more cores of Siemens’ newer Multicore PLCs. With the option “Improve System Performance” checked within a technology object OB, the controller will share the processing load over two of the four cores rather than it all staying on the one core as previously. This can reduce technology object processing time by up to 30%.
Motion Control – Enhanced Technology Object Tracing
Tracing has been enhanced in TIAV21 for motion control technology objects, bringing it more in line with the exceedingly powerful trace functions available with Simotion Scout. The additional trace functionality will give users more meaningful insight into Technology Object (TO) behaviour for system understanding and debugging.
SINAMICS Start Drive V21 Highlights
New hardware support, as well as engineering efficiency improvements are the core here:
1. Support for the new control unit for the S220 range (Eventual successor to S120), this S220 control unit is know as the CU320-3. Look out for our coming blog post with additional information on the CU320-3, which is being released with several other S220 innovations at the SPS trade fair in Nuremberg, November 25th until 27th 2025.
2. Extended drive compare function, for up to 5 drive objects at one.
3. Mass firmware upgrade for multiple drives.
4. Configure traces directly on next generation Siemens Sinamics drives.
5. Direct support for R/H Systems. This permits configuring drives in S2 redundancy connected to S7-1500R (redundant) or S71500H (High availability) using Sinamics Start Drive.
Simatic S7-1200 G2 Enhancements
The Simatic S7-1200 G2 PLC is based on the same internal hardware architecture as the S7-1500. So with TIAV21, a new S7-1200 G2 firmware release (To FW V4.1) brings the firmware versions in line between the S7-1200 G2 and S7-1500 PLC lines.
With the new release of firmware, the S7-1200 G2 gains the following features we think our customers in New Zealand will find most useful:
NOTE: These will be very familiar to our existing S7-1500 customers:
1. OPC UA Server.
2. System web pages served from onboard.
3. Additional motion control functions.
4. S7-PLCSIM Advanced Support.
5. Modbus TCP redundancy instructions.
6. PROFINET security class 1.
Regarding additional hardware releases for the S7-1200 G2, as part of the progressive replacement of the S7-1200 original, the following are being released in parallel with TIA V21.
1. SM 1223 DI 16x 24VDC/DQ 16x relay
2. SM 1223 DI 16x 24VDC/DQ 16x 24VDC Sink
3. SM 1223 DI 16x 24VDC/DQ 16x 24VDC
4. Battery Board (maintains system clock and retain values on power failure)
5. Communication Processor CP 1243-1 G2 (Additional Ethernet Port)
S7-1200G2 safety modules are not being released at this time, and are due for progressive release during calendar year 2026. Hence as many of our customers are currently doing, one can use ET200SP safety I/O as remote I/O to the S7-1200G2 safety PLCs, to bring in and send hard wired safety signals. (As well as obviously network Profisafe to the extensive range of Sinamics drives and any other hardware that supports Profisafe communication from both Siemens and the many 3rd parties who sell such devices).
Cyber Security
TIA V21 and the associated new firmware for S7-1500 and S7-1200 G2 PLCs further enhance the security of Siemens PLC systems within the broader Cyber Security framework. Siemens is working towards ensuring that all of their ‘digital industries’ networked devices, and their underlying ecosystem will adhere to the “European Union Cyber Resilience Act” that is coming into effect in approximately two years time. So we will see continued progressive security upgrades over time.
S7-1500 CPU Enhances System Web Pages.
The system web pages have been enhanced with firmware V4.1. So when you get your next new Siemens S7-1500 CPU from us, connect into it and check out the new web pages. Particularly if you don’t currently use the default web page functionality. Enhancements and additions have been made around:
1. Extended basic information
2. Extended virtual operator panel.
3. Enhanced hardware status window
4. Service data download
5. Motion control diagnostics
6. Failsafe system administration.
There may be something in the above that smooths and/or speeds your diagnostics/maintenance/fault finding procedures going forward. (Or maybe de-skills them, so more people can help out when required).
S7-1500 Redundant PLC System Enhancements
Many enhancements have been made, but the one that we feel our customers will get most benefit from is:
1. Allowing Hardware Configuration changes in Run. E.g.:
a. Add new PROFINET IO-Device in Run
b. Change IO-Module settings in Run (E.g. enable wire break detection).
S7-1500 Software Controller / IPC Enhancements
For those of you who love your IPCs (industrial PCs), you know Siemens has a huge range of power and form factors available. A couple of additions worth mentioning are:
1. Addition of Software Safety PLC to more IPC models.
2. Nvidia GPU-Card Support extended:
a. Supports up to two GPUs, enabling more complex AI solutions directly on machine, in the field.
3. Additional security measures, such as “Secure boot”.
TIA Portal Safety Validation Assistant
Further enhancements and supported hardware additions have been made. What do I use ‘TIA Portal Safety Validation Assistant’ for? It provides:
1. Guided validation of the machine safety functions.
2. Easily validate the entire chain of safety functions using the in-built guided test wizards.
3. I.e. It validates and exports a single test report from Sensor to Actuator of each safety function. It supports Simatic, Sinamics and Sirius products. The tool is qualified against IEC31508-4 from TIA V21.
SUMMARY
If any of the above features will assist you in your execution of the automation projects you are undertaking, be sure to get in contact with CNC Design to either purchase the appropriate Software Update Service before the release of TIA V21 on the 4th of December. Or get in touch with us to purchase your full version of TIA V21 thereafter. This will permit you to take full advantage of the new features associated with Simatic Firmware Version 4.1, plus the other automation hardware releases outlined above.
Look forward to hearing from you. Your Siemens NZ distributor with the field hardened engineering team to support your detailed questions, and provide you with as little or as much support as you would like to reach your machine automation goals.