Exporting PROFINET I-Device GSDML from ET 200S IM 151-8 PN/DP

Exporting a PROFINET I-Device GSDML File from ET 200S IM 151-8 PN/DP

The Siemens ET 200S IM 151-8 PN/DP CPU (order number 6ES7151-8BA01-0AB0) is a compact PROFINET controller with an integrated PROFINET switch. When its X1 interface is configured as an I-device, the station exposes its process-data image as a modular PROFINET IO device that can be coupled to a higher-level PROFINET controller. The most common third-party master in this topology is the Hilscher CIFX 50 RE. Coupling requires a GSDML description of the I-device, generated by TIA Portal from the slot configuration of the ET 200S. This article walks through identifying the correct CPU variant, configuring I-device mode, defining transfer areas, exporting the GSDML, and integrating it on the Hilscher side, plus a troubleshooting matrix covering the failure modes that surface in the field.

1. Concept: PROFINET I-Device

A PROFINET I-device is an IO device with an upper IO controller. From the perspective of the upper controller, the I-device behaves exactly like any other PROFINET IO device—it has a fixed IP address, a station name, and a modular slot structure. From its own lower PROFINET perspective, the I-device may continue to operate as an IO controller for downstream IO or as a stand-alone PLC. The IM 151-8 PN/DP supports both roles simultaneously because it has two physical PROFINET ports (X1 and X2); X1 becomes the I-device port and X2 the lower IO controller port.

The GSDML file (General Station Description Markup Language) is the standardized XML description of a PROFINET device. It encodes the slots, sub-slots, modules, transfer areas, diagnostics, and parameter descriptions. The upper controller imports the GSDML into its configuration tool and then drags the device into the PROFINET topology, after which the tool generates the connection records and the assignment table that the master downloads to its PROFINET stack.

2. Prerequisites

3. Identifying the IM 151-8 PN/DP Variant

1. Open the device view of the ET 200S station in TIA Portal.
2. Right-click the IM 151-8 PN/DP module and select Properties → General → Identification & Maintenance.
3. Compare the Order number field with the table above. Confirm the last three characters are BA1 or AB1 rather than BA0.
4. Compare the Firmware version field. Values < V3.0.0 indicate that GSDML export is not available in the catalog; perform a firmware update via TIA Portal online functions or the SIMATIC Automation Tool.
5. Optionally check the Hardware tab for the MAC address range; the -8BA01 series uses MAC prefix 00-0E-8C with vendor ID 0x002A (Siemens AG).

4. Configuring the I-Device Mode in TIA Portal

In the device view of the ET 200S station:

1. Double-click the PN IO port of the IM 151-8 PN/DP (port X1).
2. In the Inspector window, select PROFINET interface → Operating mode.
3. Tick the checkbox I-device communication.
   If the checkbox is greyed out, the CPU variant does not support I-device mode. Update the firmware to ≥ V3.0 or replace the unit with a 6ES7151-8BA01 revision.
4. Under Real time settings → Send clock, set a value matching the master's send clock. The default of 1 ms is acceptable for most CIFX 50 RE masters; reduce to 250 µs only if the master's watchdog permits and the I-device firmware supports it.
5. Under Interface → Ethernet addresses, assign a fixed IP address that is reachable from the CIFX 50 RE subnet. PROFINET DCP should remain enabled so that the master can assign an alternative address during commissioning.
6. Under Interface → PROFINET security, leave DCP read/write enabled during commissioning; restrict after a successful AR has been established.

5. Configuring Transfer Areas and Slots

The transfer areas define the process-data image that the GSDML exposes to the master. Configure them under Properties → PROFINET interface → I-device communication → Transfer areas.

To add additional transfer areas:

1. Click Add new transfer area in the table.
2. Set API to 0 (the default PROFINET application process identifier).
3. Set Slot and Subslot. Valid slots: 0 (device access point), 1 (head module). Sub-slots 1–0x7FFF are user-definable.
4. Set the Length in bytes. Each transfer area can hold up to 1440 bytes input + 1440 bytes output, with a maximum of 256 transfer areas per I-device.
5. Map the transfer area to a tag area in the IM 151-8 PN/DP PLC program (e.g., PIB 0…PIB 31 for inputs).
6. Set the Consistency field to Total length when the entire transfer area must be read or written atomically; use Byte when individual bytes are acceptable.

6. Exporting the GSDML File

The export wizard generates a GSDML V2.x file plus an icon bitmap (BMP) and a YAML-based parameter description for the slot-level configuration.

1. Open the Inspector window at the PN interface (X1).
2. Navigate to Operating mode → I-device communication.
3. Click the Export button in the upper-right of the section.
4. In the dialog Export I-device, choose a target directory (e.g., C:\GSD\ET200S_151-8\).
5. Accept the default GSDML filename: GSDML-V2.<version>-SIEMENS-ET200S_IM151-8PNDP-<yyyyMMdd>.xml.
6. Click Export. TIA Portal writes the file in <5 s.
7. Verify that the following artifacts are written:
   • GSDML-V2.x-SIEMENS-ET200S_IM151-8PNDP-yyyyMMdd.xml (the GSDML)
   • SIEMENS_ET200S_IM151-8PNDP.bmp (device icon)
   • SIEMENS_ET200S_IM151-8PNDP.yaml (parameter description, optional)

The official TIA Portal V20 documentation describes this procedure at Exporting an I-device as a GSD file. The companion topic Installing the GSD file documents the inverse operation when the ET 200S is a master that needs to consume a third-party GSD.

7. Installing the GSDML in the Hilscher CIFX 50 RE Master

The CIFX 50 RE firmware exposes a PROFINET IO Master stack. Configuration uses SYCON.net:

1. Open SYCON.net and create a new PROFINET IO Master configuration.
2. Select Device catalog → Import GSD and choose the .xml file exported in step 6.
3. Place the new Siemens ET 200S IM 151-8 PN/DP I-device in the PROFINET topology view.
4. Match the Send clock, Watchdog, and Reduction ratio to the values configured in TIA Portal. Mismatched send clocks are the most common cause of AR-establishment failures.
5. Set the I-device's IP address and device name. The device name must be unique within the PROFINET network and is case-sensitive; PROFINET names follow DNS label rules (max 240 characters, alphanumeric and dash).
6. Configure the I/O mapping on the CIFX 50 RE side. Use Hilscher's process-data API: xChannelOpen(), xChannelIORead(), xChannelIOWrite().
7. Download the configuration to the CIFX 50 RE using SYCON.net. The cifX driver stores the configuration in non-volatile memory on the card.
8. Verify that the CIFX 50 RE enters RUN state and that the AR (Application Relationship) LED is solid green.

If SYCON.net rejects the GSDML, install the corresponding TIA Portal version of the GSDML schema (V2.4 / V2.5). The Hilscher cifX driver supports both schema versions as of Driver V2.x.

8. Configuration Notes for the IM 151-8 PN/DP PLC Program

The PLC program running on the IM 151-8 PN/DP must populate the input transfer areas with the data the master should read and consume the output transfer areas the master writes. The data is exchanged through the process-image partition.

The status/diagnosis bytes follow the PROFINET profile:
Byte 0: bit 0 = AR established, bit 1 = Data exchange, bit 2 = Diagnostics pending.
Byte 1: Master AR number (0 = primary AR).
Bytes 2–3: Vendor-specific, free for application use.

If the PLC program needs to react to AR loss, evaluate iDev_Status.0 in OB1 and call SFB52 (PNIO_RW_REC) or, in newer TIA Portal versions, the diagnostic blocks under PROFINET IO → Diagnostics in the instruction catalog.

9. STEP 7 V5.6 Procedure (Legacy Path)

If the IM 151-8 PN/DP project was created in SIMATIC Manager rather than TIA Portal, the GSDML export is available from HW Config:

1. Open HW Config and select the IM 151-8 PN/DP station.
2. Double-click the PN-IO interface of the CPU.
3. Switch to the I-device tab.
4. Tick Operate as I-device.
5. Configure the transfer areas under Transfer areas in the same dialog.
6. Click the Export button. SIMATIC Manager writes the GSDML to the project directory.

STEP 7 V5.6 produces GSDML V2.4 by default, regardless of firmware version. If the Hilscher driver expects V2.5, post-process the XML with the GSDML Schema Converter shipped in the TIA Portal installation directory (Siemens\Automation\Portal V20\Data\GSD\Tools\GsdmlSchemaConverter.exe).

10. Commissioning and Verification

11. Troubleshooting Matrix

12. Field-Proven Best Practices

1. Lock the firmware. Disable automatic firmware updates on the IM 151-8 PN/DP once commissioning is complete. Unintended firmware changes break GSDML compatibility with the master.
2. Reserve a static IP. PROFINET DCP allows the master to overwrite the I-device's IP at startup. Reserve the IP in the master's PROFINET topology to prevent accidental collisions.
3. Use dedicated VLANs. Isolate PROFINET traffic on a dedicated VLAN (e.g., VLAN 100) to keep broadcast storms off the PROFINET line.
4. Pin the GSDML to the project. Store the GSDML in a versioned folder under the project root and reference it in the master's documentation set. Re-export and re-import whenever the slot layout changes.
5. Validate with a PROFINET analyzer. Before handing the system over to operations, run a 24-hour PROFINET analyzer trace to confirm that the AR is stable and that no late or duplicate telegrams occur.
6. Document the device name. The PROFINET device name of the I-device must be documented in the plant's naming convention; renaming requires re-downloading the master configuration.

FAQ