Panel Builder Automation Products — Quick Answer
Panel builders commonly use Siemens PLCs, VFDs, HMI panels, distributed I/O, SITOP 24V DC power supplies and TIA Portal to build MCC panels, OEM machine control panels, skid control panels and customized industrial automation panels. The appropriate product depends on the machine architecture, I/O requirement, motor load, operator-interface requirement and panel application.
Panel builders work across multiple applications rather than a single industrial sector. A control panel manufactured today may be installed in a steel plant, water-treatment facility, packaging line, machine, pump skid or another industrial automation application.
For this reason, a panel builder's automation bill of materials generally needs to remain standardized, stockable and flexible. This page covers the Siemens PLCs, VFDs, HMI panels, distributed I/O, SITOP power supplies and TIA Portal engineering products listed for panel-building applications.
Panel Builder Automation Applications
Automation products used in control-panel manufacturing can support different machine, motor-control and process-control architectures.
- Motor Control Center (MCC) Panels — multi-feeder starter and drive panels for pumps, fans, conveyors and other plant loads.
- OEM Machine Control Panels — dedicated control panels supplied with specific machines after wiring, programming and testing.
- Pump & Compressor Skid Panels — compact panels installed on or near skids for local control and communication with higher-level control systems.
- HVAC & Boiler Control Panels — sequencing, interlocking and motor-control applications.
- Custom Process Control Panels — application-specific panels for sectors such as food, chemical, textile and other industrial environments.
Typical Siemens Panel Builder Control Architecture
- PLC Controller: SIMATIC S7-1200 G2 or S7-1200 for standard control applications, with S7-200 SMART listed for smaller standalone machines.
- Distributed I/O: ET 200SP or legacy ET 200S where field I/O is distributed across a machine or skid.
- Motor Drives: SINAMICS G120X and SINAMICS V20 are listed for drive applications, while MM420 is listed for legacy replacement requirements.
- Operator Interface: KTP700 , KTP1200 and TP1200 Comfort are listed for different operator-interface requirements.
- 24V DC Power: Siemens SITOP power supplies are used for panel DC power requirements.
- Engineering Platform: TIA Portal provides the engineering environment referenced on this page for PLC, HMI and drive configuration.
Siemens Automation Products for Panel Builders
The following product list is based on the automation products already included on this page. Product names, models and MLFB references should be checked against the applicable project specification before ordering.
| Type | Siemens Product | MLFB / Model | Typical Panel Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLC | Siemens SIMATIC S7-1200 G2 PLC | 6ES7212-1AG50 / 6ES7214-1AH50 / 6ES7215-1AG40 | Compact machine and skid control |
| PLC | Siemens SIMATIC S7-1200 PLC | 6ES7214-1AG40-0XB0 | Basic machine automation |
| PLC | Siemens SIMATIC S7-200 SMART PLC | 6ES7288-1SR20-0AA0 | Small standalone machines |
| Distributed I/O | Siemens ET 200SP Distributed I/O | 6ES7155-6AU01-0BN0 | Remote I/O and skid panels |
| Distributed I/O | Siemens ET 200S I/O System | 6ES7131-4BD01-0AA0 | Modular distributed I/O |
| VFD | Siemens SINAMICS G120X VFD | 6SL3200-0YC10 to 6SL3200-0YC28 | Pumps, fans and conveyors |
| VFD | Siemens SINAMICS V20 VFD | 6SL3210-5BE21-1CV0 | Small motors, feeders and auxiliary drives |
| VFD | Siemens SINAMICS MM420 VFD | 6SE9211-0DA40-1AA0 | Legacy motor-speed-control applications |
| HMI | Siemens HMI KTP700 Basic Panel | 6AV2123-2GB03-0AX0 | Compact operator panels |
| HMI | Siemens HMI KTP1200 Basic Panel | 6AV2124-0MC01-0AX0 | Machine-level HMI applications |
| HMI | Siemens HMI TP1200 Comfort Panel | 6AV2124-0GC01-0AX0 | Trending, recipes and larger displays |
| Software | Siemens TIA Portal | 6ES7822 series | PLC, HMI and drive engineering |
| Power Supply | Siemens SITOP Power Supply | 6EP1333 series | 24V DC panel power |
PLC VFD HMI 24V DC Power TIA Portal
Siemens Panel Builder Product Selection Guide
Standard panel stack: S7-1200 G2 + KTP1200 + G120X + V20 + SITOP with TIA Portal for the engineering environment.
Smaller machine panel: S7-200 SMART can be considered for the smaller standalone machine applications listed on this page.
Distributed I/O architecture: Add ET 200SP where I/O points are distributed across a skid or machine.
Why Standardize Siemens Automation Products for Panel Building?
Panel builders often benefit from a standardized automation architecture because the same engineering approach can be reused across multiple panel projects. The source page identifies TIA Portal as the engineering platform for PLC, HMI and drive configuration.
Using a consistent PLC and HMI family can also simplify spare-parts planning, programming libraries, HMI faceplates, wiring practices and engineering documentation across projects.
For applications where field devices are distributed across a skid or machine, ET 200SP can provide a distributed I/O architecture rather than bringing every individual signal back to the main panel.
For motor-control applications, the page lists G120X and V20 for new-build stock and MM420 for legacy replacement requirements.
Common Panel Builder Automation Mistakes to Avoid
- Using too many PLC and HMI families: Standardizing selected product families can make spare management and engineering reuse easier.
- Undersizing the 24V DC power supply: The SITOP power supply should be selected according to the total DC load and the planned expansion requirements of the panel.
- Ignoring distributed I/O architecture: For machines or skids with physically distributed field devices, evaluate ET 200SP against direct individual wiring.
- Not maintaining drive documentation: When different drive families exist across installed panels, maintaining clear as-built documentation can help future maintenance and replacement activities.
Siemens PLC · SIMATIC S7-1200 G2 · S7-1200 · S7-200 SMART · ET 200SP · ET 200S · SINAMICS G120X · SINAMICS V20 · SINAMICS MM420 · KTP700 · KTP1200 · TP1200 Comfort · SITOP · TIA Portal · MCC Panels · OEM Control Panels · Machine Control Panels
Frequently Asked Questions About Panel Builder Automation Products
What automation products are commonly used by panel builders?
Common products listed on this page include Siemens PLCs, VFDs, HMI panels, ET 200SP distributed I/O, SITOP 24V DC power supplies and TIA Portal.
Which Siemens PLC is suitable for panel building?
The page lists S7-200 SMART and S7-1200 G2 for compact and standard machine applications, with S7-1200 and ET 200SP included for distributed I/O architectures.
Which Siemens VFDs are used in control panels?
The page lists SINAMICS G120X, SINAMICS V20 and SINAMICS MM420. G120X and V20 are presented for new-build applications, while MM420 is listed for legacy replacement applications.
Which Siemens HMI is commonly used in panel building?
The page lists KTP700 Basic, KTP1200 Basic and TP1200 Comfort panels for different operator-interface requirements.
When should ET 200SP distributed I/O be used?
ET 200SP can be considered when I/O points are physically distributed across a machine or skid and field wiring needs to terminate closer to the distributed devices.
What software is used for Siemens panel engineering?
The page lists TIA Portal for PLC programming, HMI configuration and drive engineering.
Why do panel builders standardize automation products?
Standardization can support reusable engineering, common spare-parts planning, consistent wiring practices, programming libraries and HMI faceplates across multiple panel projects.
What power supply is used for Siemens control panels?
The page lists Siemens SITOP power supplies for 24V DC panel power requirements. The supply should be selected according to the panel's total DC load and planned expansion.
Siemens Automation Products for Panel Builders
PLC · VFD · HMI · Distributed I/O · SITOP · TIA Portal
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