Resolving SIMOTION Scout V4.4 SP3 CU305PN V4.40.45 Support

1. Problem Overview: Scout V4.4 SP3 vs CU305PN Firmware V4.40.45

When commissioning a SINAMICS S110 axis with a CU305 PN Control Unit running firmware V4.40.45.00 against a SIMOTION Scout TIA project based on Scout V4.4 SP3, engineers routinely hit a misleading dialog that suggests the engineering tool only supports firmware V4.40.44.00. The dialog displays the internal version of the installed SINAMICS Support Package (SSP) as 04.40.44.00, even though the actual supported firmware revision of that same SSP is 04.40.45.00. The package is therefore fully compatible, and the field engineer should not roll the Control Unit back to a previous firmware release. This reference explains the architectural reason for the version label, the correct installation sequence for SSP V4.4 SP3, and the verification steps that prove the project is online with the real target.

2. SIMOTION Scout and the SINAMICS Ecosystem

SIMOTION Scout is the Siemens engineering framework used to configure, program, and diagnose SIMOTION motion controllers (e.g. SIMOTION D, SIMOTION P, SIMOTION C) together with the SINAMICS drive family it controls. The framework bundles:

• SIMOTION SCOUT – the IDE for IEC 61131-3 languages (ST, LAD, FBD, MCC, CFC) plus motion control technology objects (TO, TO_Axis, TO_SynchronousAxis).
• SCOUT Add-Ons – tool plugins, e.g. the CamTool extension, that must match the Scout major release (HF2, SPx).
• SINAMICS Support Packages (SSP) – add-on packages that extend Scout's drive device catalog with newer SINAMICS firmware revisions and topology descriptions.

An SSP is installed on top of the Scout base installation. Without a matching SSP, the Scout project navigator will not list the corresponding drive family or firmware revision under Insert > SINAMICS drive. The user must therefore install the correct SSP before opening the device offline or going online to the Control Unit. Compatibility is governed by the SSP name, not by the internal file version that Windows reports inside the installed directory.

3. CU305 PN Control Unit Hardware Reference

The CU305 PN is the PROFINET-connected Control Unit of the SINAMICS S110 single-axis servo drive family. Key characteristics relevant to Scout integration:

The firmware version on the CU305 PN can be read offline from the device label (printed on the CF card sleeve) or online through Scout's Target system > Device diagnostics > Firmware version. A typical label for firmware 04.40.45.00 reads SINAMICS S110 / V04.40.45 / 04.40.45.00.

4. SINAMICS S110 Firmware Versioning Convention

SINAMICS firmware uses a four-segment version number of the form MM.mm.hh.ff:

• MM.mm – major.minor release (e.g. 04.40 = V4.4)
• hh – hot-fix / service pack step (e.g. 01 = SP1, 02 = HF2, 03 = SP3)
• ff – internal hotfix counter (e.g. 00 through 15)

The following table decodes the values that appear in the original support request:

Both revisions belong to the same service pack (V4.4 SP3). A newer internal hotfix number means the firmware on the Control Unit was rebuilt to fix a small list of defects, but it is still V4.4 SP3 from a Scout/SSP compatibility point of view.

5. SSP Internal Version vs Supported SINAMICS Firmware

An SSP has two version labels that engineers must distinguish:

1. Internal package build version – the version Windows displays in Programs and Features and that appears in the Scout Options > Support packages dialog under the Installed column. For SSP V4.4 SP3 this reads 04.40.44.00.
2. Supported SINAMICS firmware range – the set of drive firmware revisions that the package knows how to configure and diagnose. For SSP V4.4 SP3 this range is 04.40.44.00 through 04.40.45.00 (and any subsequent SP3 hot-fix the package was rebuilt to support).

The two numbers are not the same. The package author incremented the internal build from 44 to 45 to address SSP-internal tool defects (e.g. topology wizard improvements, OFFLINE → ONLINE parameter mapping) without changing the SP3 marketing name. A drive running the corresponding firmware 04.40.45.00 will be detected and configured correctly.

6. Step-by-Step: Adding SSP V4.4 SP3 to SIMOTION Scout V4.4

Use the following procedure to install the SSP and verify the package is recognized. Prerequisites

• SIMOTION Scout V4.4 SP3 (or Scout V5.4 SP3 HF2) installed on Windows 7/10 x64.
• Local administrator rights on the engineering PC.
• The SSP V4.4 SP3 archive (typically SSP_SINAMICS_V44_SP3.exe) downloaded from the Siemens Industry Online Support portal.
• If connecting online: PROFINET interface accessible to the CU305 PN, IP address scheme consistent with the project.

1. Close SIMOTION Scout and the SCOUT Add-Ons before starting the install.
2. Right-click the SSP executable and choose Run as administrator. The installer registers the package against the active Scout installation directory (default: C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\SIMOTION\SCOUT).
3. During the wizard, accept the license agreement and the target directory. The installer writes the package metadata to ...\SCOUT\SupportPackages\SINAMICS_V44_SP3.
4. When the wizard finishes, click Finish. Do not reboot unless prompted.
5. Launch SIMOTION Scout. The SCOUT shell loads the new SSP and extends the device catalog.
6. Open the project, select the SIMOTION controller, and run Target system > Load > To target system if a previous project is on the controller. Otherwise, proceed to Online > Connect to target system.
7. Open the inserted SINAMICS S110 device and check the lower status bar of the parameter editor: it should display the firmware of the online CU305 (e.g. V04.40.45.00 SP3) and the SSP version (e.g. 04.40.44.00). Both numbers together confirm the configuration is correct.

7. Verification Procedure

After installing SSP V4.4 SP3, run the following checks before commissioning the axis:

1. Package inventory check. In Scout, go to Options > Support packages. Confirm SINAMICS V4.4 SP3 is listed with internal version 04.40.44.00 and a green status icon.
2. Device catalog check. Right-click the project node and select Insert > SINAMICS drive. The dialog must offer SINAMICS S110 as a selectable device class. If it is missing, the SSP did not register against Scout (re-run step 5 of the installation procedure).
3. Online version check. With the PC connected to the CU305 PN, go to Target system > Device diagnostics. The dialog should display the firmware of the connected CU305 (e.g. 04.40.45.00). If it displays Unknown or not supported, verify the PROFINET device name and the IP address, then re-attempt Online > Connect to target system.
4. Parameter upload check. Upload the parameter set from the drive (Target system > Upload to PG). If the upload completes without error 0xE004 or similar, the SSP is correctly resolving every parameter in the online image.
5. Project consistency check. From the project tree, run Project > Check consistency. Address any 32-bit type warnings or technology object errors before running the axis.

8. Compatibility Matrix and Configuration Parameters

The matrix below captures the relevant compatibility envelope. Always validate against the official readme of the SSP you install; numbers below are reproduced from the engineering reference in this article and from the SIMOTION Scout V5.4 SP3 readme, which lists the supported versions in its section 4.4.1.

Relevant drive-side parameters to inspect after a successful install:

9. Diagnostic Flowchart: Confirming the SSP/Firmware Combination

Use the following inline SVG flow to triage a "version not supported" message during online connection:

Decision flow: connect → read firmware → if it is V4.40.45.xx and SSP V4.4 SP3 is installed, proceed online; if not, install the SSP. Do not downgrade firmware.

10. Downgrade and Cross-Version Migration

If a project created with a newer Scout release must be opened in an older Scout V4.4 SP3 environment (for example, because a service PC only has V4.4 installed), use the following migration sequence:

1. In the newer Scout, perform a Project > Save as archive with the with decompilation option to write a portable ZIP.
2. Move the archive to the V4.4 SP3 PC and run Project > Retrieve archive.
3. Open the project, then run Project > Check consistency. Expect warnings (not errors) for technology objects that rely on features added after V4.4 SP3.
4. Compile the SIMOTION program and the SINAMICS configuration. Compile errors at the SSC/ST/LAD level mean the program is not compatible with V4.4 SP3 and must be re-authored.
5. Re-target the project to the CU305 PN online. The drive firmware 04.40.45.00 is supported, so no firmware change is required on the Control Unit.

If the engineer insists on rolling the CU305 PN from 04.40.45.00 back to 04.40.44.00, do the following: save a project backup, place the older firmware image on a separate CF card, power down the drive, swap the card, power up, and reload the parameter set. Document the firmware change in the machine logbook. Siemens generally recommends staying on the latest SP3 internal build to keep all open defect fixes.

11. Field-Commissioning Notes and Safety

Functional Safety: If the SINAMICS S110 is wired to a Safety Integrated (SI) configuration (PROFIsafe on PROFINET, F-DI via TM54F or CU integrated F-DI), the firmware version on the CU305 PN determines the accepted safety checksum. Re-flashing the firmware invalidates the safety signature and requires a re-acceptance test by a certified safety engineer before the machine can be returned to production. Verify this is recorded in the machine's safety acceptance log.

PROFINET name/IP: The CU305 PN receives its PROFINET device name and IP address from the PROFINET controller (e.g. SIMOTION D, S7-1500, ET 200SP). After a firmware change or a CompactFlash swap, the device starts with no name. Make sure the topology loader in Scout is configured with the same PROFINET name as the controller's hardware configuration, otherwise online connection will fail with timeout.

Topology and cables: Scout V4.4 SP3 supports the standard SINAMICS S110 topology: a CU305 PN, an optional line filter, a Smart Line Module is not used (S110 is a single-axis drive), a Power Module (e.g. PM340-UN/PROFINET variant or external PM340-2), a Motor Module (internal to PM340-2 for block-format drives), a Motor (synchronous servo or asynchronous induction), and a Sensor Module (SMC, SME, or integrated on the motor).

Backups: Always back up the project (PC side) and the parameter set (drive side) before and after every firmware or SSP change. Use Scout's Target system > Upload to PG and the CF card image copy as the dual-record approach.

12. Cross-Reference: SIMOTION Scout V5.4 SP3

If the project is on Scout V5.4 SP3 (the SP3 refresh of the V5.4 line), the supported versions section of the V5.4 SP3 readme (readme.pdf) explicitly lists which SINAMICS firmware revisions are recognized by each installed SSP. The same rule applies: an SSP whose internal build is 04.40.44.00 is the right SSP for drive firmware 04.40.45.00 because the marketing name (V4.4 SP3) is the same. Consult the V5.4 SP3 readme section 4.4.1 for the full table, available at the official Siemens Industry Online Support link below.

SIMOTION Scout V5.4 SP3 – Supported versions (readme.pdf)

FAQ