Siemens S7-1200: Leading the New Trend in Small and Medium-Sized Automation Control Systems

Recently, there have been many news about the upgrading of small and medium-sized control systems in the industrial automation field. Among them, the Siemens S7-1200 PLC module has become the focus of the industry with its excellent performance. As a star product developed by Siemens for small and medium-sized control scenarios, the S7-1200 has core advantages of compact design and powerful communication functions, playing an irreplaceable role in various small and medium-sized control systems.​

In terms of models, the S7-1200 series has a rich lineup. In addition to the well-known CPU 1214C and CPU 1215C, there are also CPU 1211C, CPU 1212C, etc. The CPU 1211C has a digital I/O configuration of 6 inputs/4 outputs, suitable for extremely simple small control scenarios; the CPU 1212C has 8 inputs/6 outputs, which can meet slightly more complex control needs. These different models are like tailor-made for automation systems of different scales, accurately matching various production scenarios.

The compact design is a major highlight that has impressed many enterprises. According to industry research data, in small and medium-sized production workshops, for every 10% increase in space utilization, production efficiency can be increased by about 5%. The small size of the S7-1200 can just save a lot of space in the control cabinet. When a small electronic component processing factory upgraded its equipment, after adopting the S7-1200, the volume of the control cabinet was reduced by nearly one-third, freeing up valuable space for the workshop to add a small assembly line.

The powerful communication function is even more the "trump card" of the S7-1200. It supports multiple mainstream communication protocols such as PROFINET, MPI, and MODBUS. This feature enables it to easily build an automation network with touch screens, frequency converters and other equipment. Not long ago, after a food packaging enterprise introduced the S7-1200, by connecting with the touch screen, the time for operators to set production parameters was shortened from 15 minutes to 5 minutes, and the accuracy of parameter setting was increased to 100%; the seamless connection with the frequency converter reduced the energy consumption of the production line motor by 12%, saving nearly 10,000 yuan in electricity expenses every month.

In terms of application scenarios, the S7-1200 performs well in small automated production lines and simple mechanical equipment control. In the small assembly production line of auto parts, the S7-1200 precisely controls the actions of the robotic arms at each station and the material transmission speed, ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of parts assembly. Data shows that the product qualification rate of such production lines using the S7-1200 has increased by 3% compared with traditional control systems. In the control of simple mechanical equipment, such as small injection molding machines, the S7-1200 can realize precise control of parameters such as injection temperature and pressure. After a plastic product factory used it, the defective rate of products decreased by 2.5%.

With the in-depth advancement of Industry 4.0, the demand for automation control systems by small and medium-sized enterprises is growing day by day. The Siemens S7-1200, with its unique advantages, is becoming a powerful assistant to help these enterprises realize automation upgrading, leading the new development trend of small and medium-sized automation control systems.