SIMATIC RF180C GSDML Setup in SIMATIC Manager (STEP 7 V5)

SIMATIC RF180C GSDML Setup in SIMATIC Manager (STEP 7 V5)

The SIMATIC RF180C (order number 6GT2002-0JD00) is a PROFINET IO communications module that connects Siemens RFID readers (such as the RF300, RF600, and MOBY families) to a SIMATIC S7 controller over Industrial Ethernet. It is a direct substitute for the older RF160C/170C/180C PROFIBUS variants in greenfield PROFINET installations, and it is fully supported by STEP 7 V5 (SIMATIC Manager) provided the matching GSDML file is installed. This guide documents the exact procedure to obtain the RF180C GSDML package, install it into the SIMATIC Manager hardware catalog, configure the device in HW Config, and program the I/O handshake either through the legacy FB45 block or the modern Ident_Profile / Ident_Blocks library.

1. Hardware Identification and System Architecture

Before configuring the GSD, confirm that you are working with the correct PROFINET RF180C and not one of the older PROFIBUS variants. The PROFINET part number, the PROFINET device name, and the MAC address are printed on the front nameplate of the module and on the shipping label.

The RF180C is a pure PROFINET IO Device. It is configured by the IO Controller (CPU 315-2 PN/DP) and exchanges cyclical process data (antenna status, command handling flags) and acyclical data (read/write payloads, diagnostics) through PROFINET records. The GSDML (GSD Markup Language) file describes this I/O behaviour so HW Config can offer the correct slot assignment and diagnostic options.

2. Prerequisites

1. STEP 7 V5.5 with at least SP1 installed, ideally STEP 7 V5.5 SP4 or later. PROFINET GSDML support was introduced in STEP 7 V5.4 SP5; the RF180C GSDML was first released for STEP 7 V5.5.
2. S7-PCT (Port Configuration Tool) if you intend to assign the PROFINET device name and IP address to the RF180C from the engineering station.
3. SIMATIC Manager (HW Config) in the STEP 7 V5.5 installation, not TIA Portal. The 6GT2002-0JD00 GSD is shared between the two toolchains, but the installation location and import menu are different.
4. Update package "Updates for SIMATIC RF180C" (Siemens support entry 51812897), which contains the latest GSDML revision plus a STEP 7 install script that registers the device in HW Config.
5. SIMATIC RF Function Block Library - either the FB45 / FC45 blocks (legacy, distributed on the SIMATIC RF DVD) or the newer Ident_Profile / Ident_Blocks library referenced in the Siemens application note 109476945.
6. An Ethernet connection from the engineering station to the RF180C's PROFINET port, and the RF180C powered and physically wired to the antenna head.

3. Downloading the GSDML File

The GSDML for the RF180C is published on the Siemens Industry Online Support portal in the PROFINET GSD Files section. The package distributed with the RF180C is named gsdml_rf180c.zip and is approximately 9.1 KB in size (it contains the GSDML XML plus the Siemens device icon bitmap). The direct entry point is the Siemens PROFINET GSD Files overview article:

Profinet GSD Files: Ident (Siemens ID 22747865)

If a direct download from this page returns a "file not found" or similar browser error, use the consolidated update package referenced in the SIMATIC RF180C updates entry:

Updates for SIMATIC RF180C (Siemens ID 51812897)

Steps to obtain the GSDML reliably:

1. Open the Siemens support entry 51812897 in a desktop browser (Chrome or Edge). Some GSD download links behave inconsistently when opened from inside SIMATIC Manager's "Install GSD File" dialog.
2. Click "Download" on the gsdml_rf180c.zip attachment. If the download stalls, right-click and choose "Save link as..." to force a direct download rather than the inline preview.
3. Save the ZIP to a local folder such as C:\Siemens\GSD\RF180C\ and extract it. You should see one or more *.xml GSDML files and a *.bmp icon.

For third-party GSD repositories, the Profibus International GSD library is the standard reference: Standard GSD Libraries on www.profibus.com. The Siemens-published package is the authoritative source for the 6GT2002-0JD00 because the GSDML includes Siemens-specific record indices for the Ident profile that third-party mirrors may not have.

4. Installing the GSDML in SIMATIC Manager

Once the GSDML is extracted, the installation is identical to any other STEP 7 V5 GSDML procedure:

1. Close any open HW Config windows.
2. In the SIMATIC Manager, choose Options → Install GSD File....
3. In the file dialog, browse to the folder where you extracted gsdml_rf180c.zip. Set the filter to PROFINET GSD (*.xml).
4. Select the GSDML file (typical name GSDML-Vx.y-Siemens-RF180C-xxxxxxxx.xml) and click Install.
5. STEP 7 copies the file into the ...\STEP7\S7DATA\GSD directory and updates the catalog index. A confirmation dialog reports successful installation.
6. Open HW Config and refresh the catalog (Options → Update Catalog). The RF180C now appears under PROFINET IO → Ident Systems → Siemens AG → RF180C.

Alternatively, the bundled update package 51812897 contains a SETUP.EXE that performs the same copy plus registers an add-in inside the SIMATIC Manager.

5. Configuring the RF180C in HW Config

1. In HW Config, drag the RF180C from the catalog onto the PROFINET IO system of the CPU 315-2 PN/DP.
2. Double-click the RF180C symbol and assign the PROFINET device name (default is rf180c) and a free IP address on the controller's PROFINET subnet. The IP address can also be assigned later from S7-PCT after the station has been commissioned.
3. Open the device slots. The RF180C GSD defines a fixed slot 0 (the device itself) plus slot 1 for the I/O interface. Accept the default I/O mapping (typically 4 bytes of input status and 4 bytes of output control, plus 16 bytes of I&M data) unless the application note specifies otherwise.
4. Compile and download the HW Config to the CPU 315-2 PN/DP. The CPU will start AR (Application Relationship) establishment with the RF180C on the next PROFINET cycle.
5. Use S7-PCT or the online → accessible nodes function to confirm that the RF180C is reachable and that the device name you assigned in HW Config matches the name actually stored in the device. A mismatch in the device name is the most common reason the IO Device stays in "Not reachable" state even after a successful GSDML install.

6. Programming: FB45 versus Ident_Profile

Siemens has shipped two generations of function block libraries for SIMATIC RFID on the RF180C. Both remain valid; the choice depends on which documentation set your team is using.

6.1 Legacy FB45 / FC45 (SIMATIC RF DVD)

The original Ident interface for the RF180C is a pair of blocks FB45 (Ident profile) and FC45 (Ident application). They are part of the "SIMATIC RF Function Block Library" that ships on the SIMATIC RF DVD. As of the current Siemens support entries, the FB45 / FC45 pair is no longer available for individual download from the Siemens support portal. You need to obtain the SIMATIC RF DVD (or its ISO image) from your local Siemens representative and install the library locally. No Siemens licence fee is required, but the package is distributed on physical media only.

6.2 Ident_Profile / Ident_Blocks (Siemens ID 109476945)

Siemens has documented an open, license-free programming model in the application note "Ident_Profile for SIMATIC RF readers via RF180C" (Siemens ID 109476945). The Ident_Profile uses standard S7 PUT / GET record-index calls against the RF180C acyclical interface, removing the dependency on FB45. Typical usage:

• Index 0x8000 - reader status / command handling (mirrors the FB45 input frame).
• Index 0x8001 - read/write command data and antenna multiplexer control.
• Index 0x0001 / 0x0002 - Ident profile parameter access (tag list, antenna configuration).

From STEP 7 V5.5, the Ident_Profile is consumed by a user-written FB that calls WR_REC and RD_REC with the appropriate record index, slot and IO address. The application note includes a sample S7 program in STL/SCL that can be imported directly into the SIMATIC Manager.

7. Commissioning and Verification

1. Power-cycle the RF180C after the device name has been assigned. PROFINET devices only read their device name at startup.
2. Watch the CPU's online → accessible nodes list. The RF180C should appear with the assigned IP and a green status indicator.
3. Open HW Config online, right-click the RF180C and choose Module Information. The slot diagnostics should show "OK" and the I/O LEDs on the device should be green.
4. Place a transponder (tag) on the antenna and trigger a read command. The Ident_Profile / FB45 command word should return the tag's UID in the response frame.
5. Run the "Read / Write tag data" sample from the Ident_Profile application note to confirm both acyclical record access and the on-board antenna multiplexer (if more than one antenna head is attached).

8. Troubleshooting Matrix

9. Common Pitfalls and Field-Proven Caveats

• Siemens shipped the RF180C in at least three hardware revisions; the GSDML revision in the project must match the device revision. A mismatch generates PROFINET alarms but the device still comes up partially, masking the real cause during commissioning.
• STEP 7 V5 silently truncates long GSDML file names during copy. If the GSDML appears in ...\STEP7\S7DATA\GSD with a short name but does not show in the catalog, copy the file manually and re-run Update Catalog.
• Multiple RF180C devices on the same PROFINET subnet must each carry a unique device name and a unique IP address. The PROFINET naming rules require the device name to match the HW Config entry exactly, including case.
• The CPU 315-2 PN/DP supports up to 128 PROFINET IO Devices. The RF180C consumes 1 IO Device + 1 subslot per antenna, so plan slot allocation in the controller's process image accordingly.
• If you migrated from TIA Portal V13 to STEP 7 V5, the project exports the GSDML along with the station, but the GSD still has to be installed in the STEP 7 V5 catalog of the target machine. Cross-tool imports do not auto-install the GSD.

10. Summary of Authoritative Sources

• Siemens PROFINET GSD Files overview - ID 22747865
• Updates for SIMATIC RF180C (GSDML + firmware) - ID 51812897
• Ident_Profile application note for RF readers via RF180C - ID 109476945
• PROFIBUS International GSD library reference - www.profibus.com/products/gsd-files