Successful Proof of Concept – SIMATIC ET 200SP HA and MTL SUM5

On 30th of March 2021 DI PA SE&C SO PCE demonstrated the verified functionality of MTL SUM5, smart universal marshalling module, in connection with the new configurable SIMATIC ET 200SP HA I/O card family. The involved team, consisting of members of the DI PA SE&C SO PCE, DI PA CGO 5 1, DI PA AE HW und Gecma Components electronic GmbH were very satisfied as it worked perfectly! Proof of concept successful!

What were the drivers?

Gecma Components electronic GmbH, an Eaton company and Siemens AG are looking for a long-term business relationship in the solution business. When Hermann Mueller, bid manager from “Proposal center of Excellence” at Siemens DI PA SE&C, was invited by Gecma Components electronic GmbH to join the market launch of the MTL SUM5, he immediately recognised the technical capabilities and contacted Marcel Hilger of Gecma Components electronic GmbH. Marcel immediately supplied two SUM5 modules so the preparations could start.

Firstly, a typical wiring scheme had to be developed as the MTL SUM5 had never been connected to SIMATIC ET 200SP HA before. This task was solved by the “Global Engineering Centre” from Siemens India. Furthermore, a test environment needed to be established and test scenarios created. Olaf Schnur from “Vertical Management Chemical Industry” at Siemens DI PA CGO 51 had successfully taken on this challenge. As soon as everything was working, he invited all involved parties to “Proof of Concept” to demonstrate all functions.

Why and for what?

In process controlled plants in the chemical and other industries, all process signals like pressure, temperature, flow as well as actuating signals for valves and drives are exchanged via input/output cards from the process control system to peripheral devices. Depending on the requirements, there will be binary inputs (e.g. valve feedbacks), binary outputs (e.g. command on/off) or analogue inputs (e.g. flow, pressure and temperature measurement).

These signal types must be defined at the beginning of plant configuration and hard wired. Later changes, when needed, require significant effort to implement. For these reasons Siemens designed new configurable I/O cards into their new SIMATIC ET 200SP HA family in order to make these signal types configurable.

Gecma Components electronic GmbH did the same with their new MTL SUM5 modules. As soon as both components are connected all signal types will be configurable without any changes in wiring during entire runtime of the plant.

Why do we need MTL SUM5 modules? Why no direct connection to the I/O cards?

The reasons are better maintainability and the requirement of galvanic isolation between each signal. In the case of disruption e.g. fault of a transducer, the loop needs to be disconnected and analysed without disruption to any other signals on same IO card (mostly 16 channels). Also, a short circuit of one signal should not interfere with any other signals. In former times these demands would be realised with a huge effort of wiring and a multitude of components like amplifiers, terminals and diodes.
With the MTL SUM5 only one module is required, connected with a pre-configured cable to the I/O card on one side and a field cable to transducers and drives connected on the other side.

“That means even a plant with 10,000 I/O signals requires only one wiring typical to cover the signal types analogue input, binary input and binary output” Marcel Hilger, Key Account Manager at Gecma Components electronic GmbH resumed. “Detail engineering could be done with a laptop and software changes don’t require wiring changes in the cabinets”

What about the customer’s benefit?

For the end customer and the user, it means less space requirement for cabinets and less susceptible components. Also, more flexibility for changes and rebuilds. MTL Instruments calculate the savings, accounting for space and cabinet requisition, potentially up to 70%.

For planner and plant designer it means time saving and greater flexibility, because each detail does not have to be fully defined from the beginning. Therefore, other dependencies and throughput times could be drastically reduced. The term: “More later more costly” for changes has lost its significance!!

What about benefit for Siemens and MTL Instruments?

Both companies are focused on the customer’s benefits. “A customer in solution business buys our products and solutions, so he can run his production more flexible, better and safer” says Miriam Stricker, head of “Proposal Centre of Excellence” at Siemens DI PA SE&C in Karlsruhe”.….means when he has benefits” adds Ulrich Künzli, Sales Manager at Gecma Components electronic GmbH. In this case both companies have combined their newest products to an innovative solution.

Left: Miriam Stricker, Leiterin DI PA SE&C SO PCE
Right: Hermann Müller, Bid Manager DI PA SE&C SO PCE
Testing area in the background
Contacts:
Miriam Stricker, Miriam.Stricker@Siemens.com
Marcel Hilger, MarcelHilger@Eaton.com