Resolving TIA Portal V16 Module Labeling Strips Export Error HSP0330

When exporting module labeling strips in Siemens TIA Portal V16 Update 5, engineers can encounter the dialog error "The module description has been already added. Module ID: 6FE1 242-6TM20-0BB1". The export aborts, and label printing for the project is blocked even when the referenced module is not used in the active project. This article documents the documented root cause, the affected TIA Portal versions, a verified uninstall procedure for the offending Hardware Support Package (HSP), and the verification steps that confirm the issue is resolved.

1. Problem Description

The defect manifests when the user attempts to export labeling strips for any S7-1500 / ET 200 device in the project. The dialog accessed via Project tree > right-click device > Export module labeling strips terminates with a fault message that names a specific module identifier (for example, 6FE1 242-6TM20-0BB1). The fault is independent of the active project content:

• The error reproduces in a freshly created project that contains only a single DI module.
• The named module may not be referenced anywhere in the hardware configuration.
• Previous exports that succeeded a month earlier begin to fail without any change to the project database.

The dialog text is generated by the labeling-strip export pipeline, which iterates the registered module description database to assemble the printout. A duplicate module-description record forces the export routine to abort before the user-selected printer or file target is written.

2. Affected Versions and Environments

The defect is not present in the original TIA Portal V16 release media. It is introduced by a particular Hardware Support Package whose identification number (HSP 0330) is referenced in field reports.

3. Root Cause Analysis

The labeling-strip export uses a centralized module-description database maintained in the TIA Portal installation directory. When a Hardware Support Package adds a module description that already exists in the base installation, the database stores two entries for the same article number. The export routine detects the collision and raises the dialog fault before it can produce the printable file.

Key technical points:

• Module identifier format: The 6FE1 prefix identifies Siemens-internal MLFB (Machinery and Plant Maker's List of Articles) numbers used in module-description payloads. The 6FE1 242-6TM20-0BB1 identifier is delivered by the support package rather than the user's project.
• Duplicate registration: The same MLFB appears twice in the package store, one entry from the original install image and a second from the HSP 0330 catalog.
• Cross-version carry-over: When TIA Portal V15.1 is installed in parallel on the same machine and HSP 0330 is added to the V15.1 install, the labeling-export error also appears in V16 because both TIA Portal versions share the same module-description cache for the labeling-strip pipeline.
• HSP availability: HSP 0330 was withdrawn from the Siemens support download portal and is no longer shipped as a standalone package. The only verified way to remove the duplicate is through the Inventory Tool on the original TIA Portal DVD, or by using a TRIAL download image that contains the same package catalog.

4. Prerequisites for the Fix

Before starting the uninstall, gather the following items:

1. Original TIA Portal V16 DVD or its image. The Inventory Tool requires the same media that was used to install TIA Portal V16. The DVD label reads "SIMATIC STEP 7 incl. Safety and WinCC V16".
2. Download image (alternative): If the DVD is not available, the TRIAL download "SIMATIC STEP 7 incl. Safety and WinCC V16 TRIAL Download" can be used. Extract the image with the bundled self-extracting executable; the resulting folder can be selected by the Inventory Tool as if it were a DVD.
3. Local administrator account on the engineering workstation.
4. TIA Portal project backup of every active project. Export the project archive (.zap16) before performing any package operation.
5. Inventory Tool launch path: Start > Siemens Automation > Inventory Tool or the executable in the TIA Portal installation directory.

The complete removal process requires the same install media because the Inventory Tool validates the package catalog against the original installer signature.

5. Step-by-Step Removal Procedure

5.1 Verify the failure first

1. Open TIA Portal V16 and load the affected project.
2. In the project tree, right-click the S7-1500 / ET 200 device.
3. Select Export module labeling strips. The dialog will display the failure message naming the duplicate module ID.
4. Close TIA Portal completely before continuing.

5.2 Pre-removal diagnostics

1. Open Start > Control Panel > Programs and Features.
2. Confirm the exact TIA Portal version installed and the list of installed HSPs. Look for entries starting with "SIMATIC STEP 7 / S7-PLCSIM / TIA Portal HSP".
3. Note the HSP 0330 entry and the TIA Portal version column (V15.1, V16, or both).

5.3 Launch the Inventory Tool

1. Insert the original TIA Portal V16 DVD, or have the extracted TRIAL download folder ready.
2. Start the Inventory Tool with administrator privileges.
3. The tool enumerates all installed TIA Portal components. Locate the row labelled HSP 0330 for the V16 install (or V15.1, if parallel installation is in use).
4. Select only this single row. Do not select the parent TIA Portal installation or any other HSPs.
5. Click Uninstall. The tool will prompt for the source media path.
6. Browse to the DVD drive or to the extracted TRIAL download folder. Confirm the path and proceed.
7. Allow the uninstall to complete. The Inventory Tool will write a log file that can be reviewed for errors.

5.4 Post-removal housekeeping

1. Reboot the engineering workstation to clear any locked files in the module-description cache.
2. Open the TIA Portal V16 project and let the project data resynchronize. A rebuild is recommended (see Section 6).
3. Re-run the labeling-strip export to confirm that the failure is gone.

6. Verification Procedure

1. Open the affected project in TIA Portal V16.
2. From the menu, run Compile > Hardware (rebuild all). Wait for the rebuild to complete without errors.
3. Run Compile > Software (rebuild all). Wait for the rebuild to complete without errors.
4. Right-click the device in the project tree and select Export module labeling strips.
5. The export dialog must open without the duplicate-module fault and must produce the labeling-strip file (PDF, XML, or print stream depending on the configured target).

The official Siemens documentation for the export flow is provided in the TIA Portal V20 reference, the TIA Portal V20 printing labels reference, and the STEP 7 Basic V13.1 printing labels support article (ID 109054417). Although the references target later and earlier releases, the dialog flow and the right-click entry point are unchanged across versions.

7. Edge Cases and Field-Proven Caveats

8. Preventive Measures

• Document HSP additions per machine. Maintain a change log for every engineering workstation that records installed TIA Portal versions and every HSP number applied. The log should include the install date and the technician who applied the change.
• Test new HSPs in a sandbox installation. Before deploying an HSP to a production engineering workstation, install it on a virtual machine and run the labeling-strip export against a representative project.
• Avoid the withdrawn HSP 0330. Siemens has retired the package from the support download portal. Any installer that references HSP 0330 should be treated as obsolete and removed.
• Restrict local administrator rights on engineering workstations to prevent ad-hoc HSP installations.
• Schedule quarterly rebuilds of the labeling-export pipeline by running both compile commands across all active projects, to ensure the module-description cache is consistent with the installed package set.

9. Diagnostic Flow Diagram

10. Related Fault Patterns

The duplicate module-description condition can also surface in other TIA Portal workflows that iterate the module catalog. Engineers should treat the following as related and rerun the same HSP 0330 removal procedure if encountered after the regression is identified:

• Hardware Catalog refresh that lists the same MLFB twice in the same module family.
• Device Proxy generation in TIA Portal that fails for the same module family.
• Topology view rendering errors that reference the duplicate MLFB.
• Print preview of the module label sheet that shows a red fault symbol next to the slot row.

11. References to Official Siemens Documentation

Use the official documentation to confirm the export flow and the right-click entry point for the labeling-strip export:

• TIA Portal V20 - Exporting labeling data as XML
• TIA Portal V20 - Printing labels
• Siemens Support - Printing labels in STEP 7 Basic V13.1 (ID 109054417)