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SIMATIC S5 - Press release regarding product phase-out
New controller generation to replace successful models
Siemens Automation and Drives (A&D) will be phasing its successful Simatic S5 PLC models out of its standard delivery range starting 1 October 2003. The 20 year-old Simatic S5 has sold 2.6 million central modules, making it the market leader and a synonym for this technology. Since 1996, Siemens has offered its customers a migration strategy to Totally Integrated Automation and Simatic S7, more modern systems with clearly improved functions. These measures announced in advance and the long-term transition strategy scheduled to run until 30 September 2015 should provide Siemens customers sufficient time to integrate the current Simatic S7 control generation in their automation solutions. Over 90 percent of newly supplied central modules now come from the Simatic S7 generation, with the monthly tendency rising.
The individual Simatic S5 products will first be classified as "discontinued", at which point they will no longer appear in the catalog or mall but will still be available as usual for one year. After another year, the products will be classified as spare parts, which will then be available for nine more years.
The switchover will start on 1 October 2003 with the mini PLCs Simatic S5-90U, -95U/F and -100U, which will be classified as discontinued at that point. These products will then be available as usual through 30 September 2004 and then as spare parts until 30 September 2013. The dates for the Simatic S5-115 controls, the medium performance range systems, are 1 October 2004, 30 September 2005 and 30 September 2014. The applicable dates for the large-scale Simatic S5-135/155 systems are 1 October 2005, 30 September 2006 and 30 September 2015. Within the scope of its spare parts guarantee, Siemens will also supply an ample quantity of critical, i.e. hard-to-obtain, components.
It has become increasingly more difficult to find technically appropriate components at a reasonable price on the market for the 20 year-old Simatic S5 devices. Therefore, some considerable price adjustments were necessary over the past few years – with a worsening price/performance ratio compared to the current S7 generation. The long-term transition strategy from Simatic S5 to Simatic S7 and Totally Integrated Automation is intended to give Siemens customers a chance to secure the know-how invested in their automation solutions. In addition, the current systems open up new options for improving productivity. Regional Siemens contact persons and the central support hotline will provide customers with worldwide support for the migration.
You will find more information on the Internet at:
www.siemens.com/automation/migration-support
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