CPU 1513-1 AL01 Firmware V2.1 Missing from TIA Portal V13 Catalog

Problem Overview

When commissioning a SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1513-1 AL01-0AB0 delivered with firmware V2.1, the device is not visible in the hardware catalog of TIA Portal V13 SP1 Update 9. The catalog lists the same CPU only with firmware V1.8, and even after installing the latest Hardware Support Package (HSP) the V2.1 entry does not appear. TIA Portal refuses to add the device to the project tree because it cannot match the order number plus firmware combination to any known catalog entry.

This is a firmware/TIA-version compatibility gap, not a hardware fault. The CPU is fully functional; the engineering tool simply predates the firmware release. Symptoms engineers report in the field:

• CPU shown in online accessible devices but unavailable for insertion from the hardware catalog.
• Device detection wizard reports "no compatible device description found".
• Project tree rejects the CPU after manual order-number entry because the firmware version is unknown.
• Download to the V2.1 CPU from a V1.8-configured project is permitted but emits an online/offline version mismatch warning.

Root Cause Analysis

The S7-1500 CPU firmware and TIA Portal catalog versions are tightly coupled. Every firmware release is paired with an updated GSD-like device description (SDB container plus module description) that is shipped exclusively with a specific TIA Portal release (or a subsequent HSP for that release). The compatibility matrix for the 6ES7513-1AL01-0AB0 follows the rules below:

The matrix shows why a V13 SP1 installation cannot see firmware V2.1: the device description for V2.1 was not authored until TIA Portal V14 SP1. Adding an HSP to V13 SP1 does not backport the V2.1 device description because the underlying TIA Portal version is below the minimum supported baseline. The Siemens firmware update entry 109478459 confirms that V2.1 was released as part of the V14 SP1 catalog wave and is not delivered as a stand-alone backport for V13.

Identifying Your Hardware and Firmware

Before selecting a solution path, confirm the exact order number and current firmware. Three reliable methods are available in the field:

1. Module label: Read the MLFB (order number) printed on the front of the CPU. For the device in this scenario it is 6ES7513-1AL01-0AB0. The trailing -0AB0 suffix is fixed; earlier suffixes such as -0AA0 indicate pre-production samples and may have different firmware mappings.
2. Display / Web server: Navigate to Settings > Overview on the CPU display or open the integrated web server. The firmware version is shown as Firmware V2.1.0 (build number follows, e.g., V2.1.0_45.01.01.01).
3. TIA Portal Online > Diagnostics: With V13 SP1 connected online, expand Online > Accessible nodes, select the CPU, and read the firmware under Properties > Diagnostic > Firmware. The version field will read V2.1.0 even though the offline catalog is V1.8.

Record the full firmware build string. This value determines which downgrade firmware file you can apply. Siemens distributes each firmware version as a self-extracting .upd file delivered via the SIEMENS Industry Online Support portal under entry 109478459.

Solution Path A — Upgrade the Engineering Tool

The cleanest resolution is to bring TIA Portal to a release that natively knows the V2.1 device description. Use this path when you intend to develop new code, add option handling, or run trace features introduced with V2.1.

Prerequisites

• Windows 10 64-bit (1809 LTSC or later) or Windows Server 2016/2019.
• 30 GB free disk for TIA Portal V14 SP1 + Update 7 or later.
• Valid TIA Portal V14 SP1 license (floating or single-user) and the corresponding SIMATIC STEP 7 V14 SP1 license.
• Project compatibility: V13 SP1 projects open in V14 SP1 in read-only; perform a one-way upgrade in V14 SP1 with Project > Upgrade project before editing.

Procedure

1. Install TIA Portal V14 SP1 (DVD or downloaded installer) and apply at minimum Update 4; Update 7 is recommended to obtain the V2.1 catalog patch and known-issue fixes.
2. Open TIA Portal V14 SP1. From Options > Manage General Station Description Files (GSD), confirm that the S7-1500 catalog entry CPU 1513-1 AL01-0AB0 V2.1 is present.
3. Open the existing V13 SP1 project; choose Upgrade when prompted. The project file format changes from .ap13 to .ap14. Verify the CPU in the device configuration now shows Firmware V2.1.0.
4. Compile the project (Hardware and Software) and download to the CPU. The online/offline mismatch warning no longer appears because the firmware levels match.

Verification

• CPU display shows RUN with green RUN/STOP LED steady.
• Web server Diagnostics > General reports Operating mode: RUN and Firmware: V2.1.0.
• Project tree in TIA Portal shows no yellow triangle or red X under the CPU after online compare.

Solution Path B — Downgrade the PLC Firmware to V1.8

Use this path when you must remain on TIA Portal V13 SP1 because of project standardization, machine-builder contractual obligations, or licensing constraints. The downgrade is supported by Siemens for production CPUs that have not been re-flashed beyond the V1.8 contract region.

Prerequisites

• Firmware file 6ES7513-1AL01-0AB0_V1.8.0.upd downloaded from entry 109478459.
• SD card (Siemens branded recommended) or direct Ethernet connection to the CPU.
• PLC in STOP mode and operator acknowledgement that all retentive data, parameter sets, and trace recordings will be retained, but program blocks loaded on the CPU will be lost when the firmware is reapplied.

Procedure

1. Save the current project from the CPU using Online > Upload from device (software) to a backup folder.
2. Insert a SIMATIC SD card into the CPU. Place the .upd file in the root directory of the card. The file name must remain unchanged.
3. Set the CPU mode selector to STOP. From the display, navigate to Settings > Firmware update > From SD card and confirm the V1.8 file. The CPU display indicates UPDATE with a progress bar.
4. Wait for the CPU to perform the automatic restart. The display briefly shows FW UPDATE, then resets. On completion the display returns to the CPU name plate and the firmware version reads V1.8.
5. Alternative: perform the update online from TIA Portal. With V13 SP1 connected to the CPU in STOP, select Online > Accessible nodes > CPU > Online & Diagnostics > Functions > Firmware update. Browse to the .upd file, click Run update, and confirm the prompt.
6. Power-cycle the CPU once after the update completes; this ensures the new firmware is initialized for the secure-boot chain.

Verification

• CPU display reads Firmware V1.8 after restart.
• In V13 SP1, open the project, double-click the CPU in the device configuration, and confirm the firmware field shows V1.8.0 with no yellow warning icon.
• Compile and download the saved project. The online/offline version-mismatch warning must be gone.

Solution Path C — Cross-Version Download (Siemens-Documented)

This is the lowest-impact workaround and is the path most field engineers actually choose. It exploits a Siemens-documented behavior of the S7-1500 loader: a project configured for firmware V1.8 can be downloaded to a CPU running firmware V2.1 as long as the order number matches. The CPU emits an online/offline version mismatch diagnostic buffer entry and a yellow online marker on the project tree, but the program executes correctly.

When to Use

• No spare SD card or license for the firmware file is available.
• The machine is in production and you cannot stop long enough to flash V1.8.
• You need a quick smoke test of the application on the V2.1 hardware without rewriting the project for V14.

Procedure

1. In TIA Portal V13 SP1, open the project. The CPU in the device configuration remains at firmware V1.8.
2. Connect the PC to the CPU via the PROFINET interface X1. Confirm the PC is on the same subnet (default CPU IP 192.168.0.1, mask 255.255.255.0).
3. Select the CPU in the project tree, choose Online > Download to device. In the dialog tick Show all messages.
4. The download proceeds and TIA Portal shows the message: The firmware version of the configured device (V1.8) differs from the firmware of the connected device (V2.1). Do you want to continue? Click Yes.
5. The CPU accepts the project and goes to RUN. The diagnostic buffer will contain an entry of class Diagnostic with text Online/offline version mismatch. This is informational only and does not affect execution.

Verification

• Watch table tags update online, confirming the application is running.
• Force the CPU to STOP and back to RUN via the mode selector to confirm the program retains.
• Read the diagnostic buffer with Online & Diagnostics > Diagnostic buffer; the version-mismatch entry must remain class Diagnostic, not Error.

Firmware/TIA Compatibility Matrix (6ES7513-1AL0x Family)

Verify the article number on the laser label before applying any firmware. The -1AM03 variant is the successor with additional security features (Secure Boot, signed firmware) and uses the catalog paths documented in the device manual collection at TIA Siemens Docs.

Safety and Operational Considerations

• Mode selector position: Always start the firmware update with the selector in STOP. RUN-mode updates are technically rejected by V1.8/V2.1 firmware.
• Power continuity: A firmware update requires uninterrupted 24 V supply for the entire four-to-six minute process. Loss of power during the secure-boot write phase can leave the CPU in a non-recoverable state requiring RMA. Use a UPS on the line supplying the CPU.
• Retentive data: Bit memories marked as retentive and data blocks configured with RETAIN survive a firmware update. Tags without RETAIN are initialized to default values on the first RUN cycle after update.
• Fail-safe CPUs (F-variant): The -1AL01-0AB0 is a standard CPU. Firmware V2.1 introduced fail-safe additions (F-CPU) for the F-variant -1AL02-0AB0. Do not attempt to apply F-CPU firmware to a standard CPU; the loader rejects the image.
• Password and access protection: A firmware update does not erase the CPU password. The same password remains active after downgrade. Document the password before any update to avoid lockout.

Common Diagnostic Buffer Entries

Troubleshooting Matrix

Field-Commissioning Checklist

1. Confirm MLFB and firmware build string of every CPU in the cabinet.
2. Verify the TIA Portal version on the engineering station matches the highest firmware in the fleet.
3. Maintain a local firmware repository mirroring the SIEMENS Industry Online Support entries (109478459 for S7-1500 standard CPUs, 78065246 for the -1AM03 line).
4. Apply updates only with the CPU in STOP, UPS-backed supply, and a verified SD card.
5. After every firmware change, perform a full project download (not delta) to refresh the online view.
6. Read the diagnostic buffer before and after the change; archive the buffer file as evidence of a clean update.
7. Update the machine documentation and validation record with the new firmware build string and the TIA Portal version used.

FAQ