Overview: Why the OP7/DP to KP400 Comfort Path Is Two Tools, Not One
The OP7/DP (Siemens order code 6AV3607-1JC20-0AX1) is a text/graphic operator panel from the ProTool generation. The KP400 Comfort (6AV2124-1DC01-0AX0 family) is a 4-inch widescreen Comfort Panel that only programs in the TIA Portal (WinCC Comfort/Advanced). There is no direct importer from a ProTool *.pdb / *.ssp archive into the TIA Portal. The migration therefore requires a deliberate, two-tool chain:
- ProTool project file → WinCC flexible 2008 + SP2 (NOT SP3 or higher).
- WinCC flexible project → TIA Portal (WinCC Comfort), then device change to KP400 Comfort.
This guide documents the practical engineering steps, the cabling required for the legacy download port, and the S7-300 (in this case 6ES7313-5BE01-0AB0, CPU 313C) integration considerations that determine whether the migrated project will go online on the first try.
Prerequisites: Hardware, Cables, and Software Stack
Hardware required
| Item | Siemens Order Code | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Source HMI: OP7/DP | 6AV3607-1JC20-0AX1 | DP variant, PROFIBUS slave, MPI-compatible download port (RS232, 9-pin Sub-D, 115.2 kbit/s max). |
| Target HMI: KP400 Comfort | 6AV2124-1DC01-0AX0 (basic) | 4" TFT, 16M colors, PROFINET + PROFIBUS via IF variants, TIA Portal V13+ required. |
| PLC in the existing line | 6ES7313-5BE01-0AB0 (CPU 313C) | Integrated DI16/DO16, integrated AI5/AO2; PROFIBUS DP master on the OP7 side. |
| OP7 download cable (MPI/PROFIBUS serial) | 6XV1440-2KH32 | Pre-made RS232 ↔ MPI/PROFIBUS download cable. Standard issue for OP7/OP17/OP27/OP37. |
| PC adapter USB (alternative) | 6ES7972-0CB20-0XA0 (USB/PPI adapter, basic) or 6GK1571-0BA00-0AA0 (USB/MPI adapter, legacy) | The PPI adapter is intended for S7-200 and is not reliable for OP7/DP image transfer. The MPI adapter works, but ProSave serial transfer is more deterministic with the 6XV1440-2KH32 cable on a native COM port. |
| USB-to-RS232 (if no native COM1) | Any FTDI-based adapter (FT232-AM) | Set COM number low (COM1–COM4) to avoid ProSave hand-shake issues. |
Software stack and the SP2 trap
| Tool | Required Version | Role |
|---|---|---|
| ProTool/Pro | V6.0 SP3 or later (matching the OP7 firmware) | Source engineering file. Open and verify before migration. |
| ProSave | V9.0 / V10.0.x (bundled with ProTool/WinCC flexible) | Backup/restore OP7 image. Used for clone recovery, NOT for migration. |
| WinCC flexible 2008 | 2008 SP2 (8.2.2.0) — explicit SP2 build | The only WinCC flexible release that still imports ProTool projects. SP3 and later dropped the import filter. |
| WinCC Comfort/Advanced (TIA Portal) | V13 SP1 minimum; V15.1, V16, V17, V18 all valid targets | Imports the WinCC flexible project and runs the device change to KP400 Comfort. |
The official migration manual for the WinCC flexible 2008 step is published as SIMATIC HMI WinCC flexible 2008 Migration (Siemens entry ID 19195050) and should be available from the Siemens Industry Online Support portal at support.industry.siemens.com.
Step 1 — Decide What You Are Actually Migrating
Before launching ProSave or WinCC flexible, classify what you have on the OP7/DP site:
-
Original ProTool project file (e.g.
OP7_Line1.pdbon a project server, PG, or backup tape). This is the only path that survives. -
ProSave runtime backup only (a
*.psbor*.imgarchive pulled via ProSave). This can re-flash the same OP7/DP panel. It cannot be reverse-engineered into a WinCC flexible source. - A printed or PDF screenset only. Migration is not possible; the screens must be rebuilt from scratch in WinCC Comfort.
Confirm the original .pdb exists and opens cleanly in ProTool before scheduling any migration work. If the source PC is missing, attempt file-level recovery of the project from a recent image backup of the engineering workstation before commissioning any migration.
Step 2 — ProSave Image Backup (Recovery Clone, Optional)
ProSave is not a migration tool, but you should still capture an image of the OP7/DP before decommissioning it. The image lets you restore the OP7 if the migration slips by deadline.
- Wire
6XV1440-2KH32between the OP7 download port (Sub-D, male, on the back of the OP7) and PC COM1 (or a USB-RS232 adapter mapped to COM1). - Hold ESC + Up arrow on the OP7 and apply 24 V power simultaneously. The panel enters transfer mode (status line shows
Transfer...). - Launch ProSave → File > Backup. Select OP7/DP as the device type, select Serial (the 6XV1440-2KH32 cable), and choose COM1 at 115.2 kbit/s.
- Click PFC / Backup. ProSave displays
Transferring...followed byReady. The resulting file is roughly 1–2 MB. - Store the image together with a copy of the ProTool
.pdbin the project archive.
6ES7972-0CB20-0XA0), you can attempt ProSave transfer by selecting "PPI/MPI/PROFIBUS" as the connection type and the adapter's MPI address (default 0). However, transfer of the OP7 image is not officially tested on the USB/PPI adapter and may fail midway. Use the 6XV1440-2KH32 cable on a real COM port for the first attempt.Step 3 — Import the ProTool Project into WinCC flexible 2008 SP2
- Install WinCC flexible 2008 with SP2 on a dedicated PC or VM. Disable Windows auto-updates; do not patch beyond SP2.
- Launch WinCC flexible 2008. Select File > Migration from the project wizard.
- Select ProTool project as the source. Browse to the
.pdb. WinCC flexible converts the ProTool tags, screens, and alarms into a*.hmiWinCC flexible project. - WinCC flexible flags objects that did not convert cleanly (typically tagged "
@Migrated" or with a yellow warning triangle). Open the migration log (Project > Compiler > Show Log) and document every warning. - Compile the project for the OP7/DP target. Resolve any compile errors before moving to the TIA Portal step.
| ProTool object | WinCC flexible 2008 SP2 conversion behavior |
|---|---|
| Bit messages (alarm bit, ACK bit) | Convert to discrete alarms with bit-trigger acknowledgment. |
| Analog messages | Convert to analog alarms; limits must be re-entered in TIA Portal. |
Area pointers (e.g. DB100 job mailbox) |
Preserved as raw DB tags but require re-mapping in the connection editor. |
| Password levels | Migrated 1:1, but user administration must be re-entered on the KP400. |
| Recipes | Convert if the ProTool recipe was using tags; lost if the ProTool recipe used indirect addressing via area pointers. |
| Screens larger than 320×240 | Resized to fit the OP7/DP source resolution; will need re-layout for KP400 480×272. |
Step 4 — Migrate WinCC flexible to TIA Portal (WinCC Comfort)
- Install TIA Portal (V15.1 or later recommended for current KP400 Comfort firmware). WinCC Comfort is part of the TIA Portal setup; you can also use WinCC Advanced.
- Open TIA Portal → Project > Migrate project (or use File > Open > WinCC flexible project in V16+). Browse to the
*.hmifile from Step 3. - TIA Portal compiles the WinCC flexible project. Expect warnings about deprecated controls, missing certificates, and unsupported area pointers. Document each.
- Right-click the HMI device in the project tree → Change device > SIMATIC KP400 Comfort. Pick the matching order number, e.g.
6AV2124-1DC01-0AX0. - Re-resolve warnings. Common tasks at this stage: replacing migrated graphics with TIA Portal native controls, re-creating user administration on the KP400, and re-entering recipes.
- Compile the TIA Portal project for the KP400 Comfort. Resolve all errors before downloading.
Step 5 — Adapt the Connection to the S7-300 (CPU 313C)
The OP7/DP is wired to the CPU 313C via PROFIBUS DP. The KP400 Comfort communicates natively over PROFINET. Decide which bus the new line uses; the project will support either, but the wiring changes.
| Option | Hardware impact | TIA Portal connection type |
|---|---|---|
| Keep PROFIBUS | Add a PROFIBUS CM/CP to the KP400 Comfort, or use the IF1 variant 6AV2181-5AL10-0AX0 — but Comfort Panels do not have an integrated PROFIBUS IF; you must use the IF1B RS422/485 module 6AV2181-5AL10-0AX0 for MPI/PROFIBUS. Most new lines move to PROFINET. |
S7-300/400 PROFIBUS, MPI address of the HMI matches the OP7 (default OP7 MPI address is 1). |
| Move to PROFINET | Add a CP 343-1 Lean/Standard to the S7-300 rack (CPU 313C has no PROFINET port). Connect the KP400 Comfort directly to the CP 343-1. | S7-300/400 PROFINET, IP set on the CP 343-1, KP400 Comfort IP in the same subnet. |
| Keep MPI (short cable, panel close to PLC) | Use the IF1B RS422/485 module on the KP400 Comfort. MPI bus terminated on both ends (typically 180 Ω on the CPU 313C X1 and the panel IF). | MPI/DP master-slave; address the HMI at 1 and CPU at 2. |
In TIA Portal, set the HMI connection:
HMI connection → S7-300/400 → interface: PROFINET (or PROFIBUS)
PLC address / IP: 192.168.0.10 (CP 343-1) or PROFIBUS address 2
Slot: 2 (typical CPU 313C slot in S7-300 rack)
Rack: 0Re-validate every DB tag the OP7 was using. CPU 313C integrated I/O (DI16/DO16 starting at I 124.0 / Q 124.0 on the original firmware, this changed with newer STEP 7 versions) must be re-mapped to the same byte address in the KP400 connection list.
Step 6 — Download to the KP400 Comfort
- Set the KP400 Comfort service port IP via Control Panel > Network on the panel, or via TIA Portal Online > Accessible devices with a direct Ethernet cable.
- In TIA Portal: select the KP400 Comfort → Compile > Software (rebuild all). Then Download to device > PG/PC interface > select your NIC.
- Choose Overwrite all on the first transfer so the runtime image is fully replaced.
- After download, the KP400 restarts. Verify the runtime version under Control Panel > System > About matches what you compiled (e.g.
V17.0.0.0).
Verification: Commissioning Checklist
| Step | Expected result | How to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Tag connection | All migrated tags show green connection status on the KP400. |
Open a screen with a process value; status bar shows "Connection established". |
| Alarm log | Historical alarms visible; ACK button functions. | Trigger a known alarm by toggling a DB bit from STEP 7. |
| Recipe transfer | Recipes can be saved, downloaded to PLC, and uploaded back. | Use Recipe view on the KP400 to write a value to DB200; read it back from STEP 7 online. |
| User administration | Login with the migrated admin password; role-based screens are visible. | Logout, login as operator; restricted buttons are disabled. |
| PROFINET/PROFIBUS diagnostics | No cyclic I/O errors. | CP 343-1 online diagnostics → Connection statistics → no "timeout" or "station failure". |
DIY RS232 Cable for the OP7/DP Download Port
If a 6XV1440-2KH32 cable is unavailable, the OP7 download port is a standard RS232 DCE with the following pin assignment. A DIY cable is acceptable for short-distance transfers (< 5 m) but is not a Siemens-supported part.
| OP7 Pin (Sub-D 9, female) | Signal | PC COM1 Pin (Sub-D 9, male) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | TXD (out of OP7) | 2 (RXD in) |
| 3 | RXD (into OP7) | 3 (TXD out) |
| 5 | GND | 5 |
| 7 | RTS | 8 (CTS) |
| 8 | CTS | 7 (RTS) |
| 4, 6 | DTR / DSR | jumpered 4-6 on PC side |
This is a 1:1 crossover for the data and handshake lines. Do not run this cable parallel to VFD motor cables or PROFIBUS cable trays; the OP7 download port is not isolated to PROFIBUS standards.
Common Pitfalls and Field-Proven Workarounds
| Symptom | Root cause | Workaround |
|---|---|---|
| ProSave "Timeout during transfer" on COM1 | USB-RS232 adapter does not honor DTR/DSR. | Use a PC with a real COM1, or an FT232-AM adapter with DTR enabled in the driver. |
| WinCC flexible 2008 SP3 "No import filter for ProTool" | SP3 dropped the ProTool importer. | Clean uninstall, install SP2 instead. The two are not co-installable. |
| TIA Portal "Device change not possible: unsupported screen count" | OP7 project had more than 50 screens; KP400 Comfort runtime hits a soft limit if the panel is over-saturated. | Consolidate screens before migration; use screen navigation via area pointers instead of static duplicates. |
| KP400 Comfort shows "Connection interrupted" on every tag | Connection target slot/rack mismatch (CPU 313C is slot 2 by default but can be configured as slot 3 if you migrated an S7-400 rack definition). | Open Connections > S7-300/400 and confirm slot = 2, rack = 0. |
| Recipe data is offset by 2 bytes after migration | WinCC flexible converted the ProTool "WORD" type to UINT differently than the S7-300 expects. | Re-create the recipe manually in TIA Portal with explicit data types. |
| OP7 had a slave panel (e.g. OP17 as second display) | Slave/master not supported on Comfort Panels. | Convert the slave screen set into a separate KP400 Comfort project, or merge into one larger screen tree. |
ProSave vs. Real Project Migration — Final Decision Table
| What you have on file | What you can do | Migration path |
|---|---|---|
ProTool .pdb
|
Migrate to KP400 Comfort | ProTool → WinCC flex 2008 SP2 → TIA Portal → KP400 Comfort |
WinCC flexible .hmi
|
Migrate to KP400 Comfort | WinCC flex → TIA Portal → KP400 Comfort |
ProSave *.img / *.psb only |
Restore identical OP7/DP only | NOT a migration path; the image cannot be opened in WinCC flexible or TIA Portal. |
| No project, only screenshots | Rebuild from scratch | Create a new WinCC Comfort project for KP400; no automation possible. |
Suggested Siemens Documentation to Keep on File
- SIMATIC HMI WinCC flexible 2008 Migration (entry ID 19195050) — covers ProTool → WinCC flexible conversion.
- SIMATIC HMI KP400 Comfort Operating Instructions (entry ID 109747629) — hardware, mounting, and wiring.
- WinCC Comfort/Advanced Manual in the TIA Portal information system — migration wizard specifics.
- S7-300 CPU 313C Manual — integrated I/O byte addresses if the project uses CPU-internal DI/DO.
All four documents are available from Siemens Industry Online Support. Search the entry ID in the search bar; the URL is stable.
Can I migrate an OP7/DP to KP400 Comfort using only ProSave?
No. ProSave produces a runtime image that can only re-flash the same OP7/DP panel of identical firmware. You need the original ProTool engineering project (.pdb) to migrate through WinCC flexible 2008 SP2 and the TIA Portal.
Which WinCC flexible version imports ProTool projects?
Only WinCC flexible 2008 with SP2 (build 8.2.2.0) retains the ProTool import filter. SP3 and later versions dropped it, so do not patch beyond SP2 on the migration PC.
Can I use a USB PC adapter instead of the 6XV1440-2KH32 cable?
Yes for some operations, but the official 6XV1440-2KH32 serial cable on a native COM port is the most reliable for ProSave image transfer. The USB/PPI adapter (6ES7972-0CB20-0XA0) is not officially tested for OP7 image transfer and may fail midway. The USB/MPI adapter (6GK1571-0BA00-0AA0) is acceptable for STEP 7 online but not the preferred path for ProSave.
Does the KP400 Comfort support PROFIBUS out of the box?
No. The base KP400 Comfort has PROFINET only. To talk PROFIBUS DP or MPI to an S7-300, you must add the IF1B RS422/485 interface module (6AV2181-5AL10-0AX0) or move the line to PROFINET with a CP 343-1 on the CPU 313C.
Will the OP7 password and user levels transfer automatically?
WinCC flexible 2008 SP2 converts ProTool password levels, but the user list must be re-entered in the TIA Portal user administration on the KP400 Comfort because the runtime stores credentials differently. Plan a commissioning step to re-issue operator passwords.