Firmware updates for modular RTUs based on Simatic expand possible uses

Tailored remote terminal units

Siemens is expanding the possible uses of Simatic remote terminal units through firmware updates for the Telecontrol communications processors (CPs). With the new versions it is possible to create substations, which can handle a larger number of process values. This opens up additional possible uses for modular Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) in Telecontrol applications.

S7-1200 CPs and ET 200SP CPs enable the creation of Telecontrol substations based on the Simatic S7-1200 controller or the Simatic ET 200SP distributed I/O system. The new firmware V3.2 for S7-1200 CPs and V2.1 for ET 200SP CPs increases the data point quantity, which means that the maximum number of configurable data points for the Sinaut ST7, DNP3 and IEC 60870-5-104 telecontrol protocols also increases. For the S7-1200 the number rises from 200 to 500, while for the ET 200SP it rises from 500 to 1500 data points. This means that the remote terminal units can perform even more complex telecontrol tasks.

With the new firmware versions, the CPs now also support simple direct communication between individual RTUs using the DNP3 and IEC telecontrol protocols. This means that communication does not have to involve the control center. With the new firmware the Simatic CP 1542SP-1 IRC, CP 1243-1 and CP 1243-8 IRC support additionally for the DNP3 telecontrol protocol the connection to a third master (Disaster Recovery Server) with the same DNP3 address. This increases the availability of the telecontrol control center.

For the CP 1542SP-1 IRC communications processor, time synchronization with the ET 200SP CPU (Central Processing Unit) has been improved. In the new version, the CP time is forwarded automatically via the backplane bus. Since the CPU adopts the CP time automatically, the forwarding option via a PLC variable is no longer required. For Open User Communication, both CP 1243-1 and CP 1243-8 IRC can now also use the corresponding blocks for secure communication (secure OUC) and FQDN-based addressing (Fully-Qualified Host Name).