SINAMICS G120 Commissioning with STARTER and Startdrive Software

The SINAMICS G120 modular drive family requires dedicated commissioning software to parameterize the Control Unit (CU), download firmware, configure the safety functions, and integrate the inverter into a TIA Portal project. Two tools exist in the Siemens ecosystem: the legacy standalone SINAMICS STARTER and the TIA Portal-integrated SINAMICS Startdrive. Selecting the correct tool, obtaining the proper Support Package, and connecting to the Control Unit are the three most common points of failure during initial G120 commissioning. This guide covers both paths, the version compatibility matrix, install procedure, parameter upload/download, and field-verified troubleshooting.

1. STARTER vs. Startdrive: Selection Criteria

Use the matrix below to select the correct commissioning tool for your SINAMICS G120 variant. Mixing the two tools against a Control Unit that has been parameterized by the other tool produces parameter inconsistencies and, in safety-relevant configurations, a SINAMICS Safety Integrated (SIC) reject.

If your TIA Portal project already includes the S7-1200/S7-1500 controller, select Startdrive. If you are servicing an existing G120 cabinet that was originally commissioned before V14 SP1, or if you must connect to a drive that lives on a PROFIBUS network accessed from a non-TIA tool, STARTER is the correct choice. For details on the Startdrive product positioning, refer to the official SINAMICS Startdrive product page.

2. Prerequisites

2.1 Hardware

• SINAMICS G120 Power Module (PM240-2 / PM250 / PM260) with Control Unit installed: CU230P-2 (pumps/fans/HVAC), CU240B-2 (basic I/O), CU240E-2 (extended safety, encoder), or CU250S-2 (servo/positioning).
• 24 V DC supply on the Control Unit terminals 31 (+24 V) and 32 (0 V) — required for parameterization even with line voltage absent.
• Connection cable: USB (CU240B-2/E-2/250S-2: mini-USB type B on CU; CU230P-2: USB on operator panel BOP-2 / IOP-2), RJ45 Ethernet cross-over or switch for PROFINET/PROFIBUS, or RS485 serial for legacy CU240B control units.
• Engineering PC running Windows 10 (64-bit) or Windows 11 with .NET Framework 4.8 and the latest Windows updates.

2.2 Software Stack

• TIA Portal V16 / V17 / V18 with Startdrive option package (matching the TIA Portal major version). Startdrive V18 supports SINAMICS firmware V5.2 SP3 and V6.1.
• OR STARTER V5.5 + HF4 (or current HF available on the Siemens support page). The latest three STARTER versions are listed at SINAMICS STARTER entry ID 26233208.
• SINAMICS Support Package matching the Control Unit firmware. Example: SW_G120_CU240E-2_FW_V4_7_13.zip for firmware V4.7.13 on a CU240E-2. The Support Package is delivered separately from STARTER itself.

3. Obtaining the Software

1. Open the Siemens Industry Online Support page 26233208. The page lists the three most recent STARTER versions with their associated Hotfix (HF) and the matching Support Packages.
2. Click the entry labeled SINAMICS STARTER incl. SSP STARTER and download the .exe (~1.5 GB). The "SSP" (Support Package STARTER) contains the drive object libraries for offline configuration.
3. Download the matching SINAMICS Support Package for the firmware revision of your Control Unit. Verify the firmware version by reading parameter r0018 on the IOP/BOP or by selecting the Control Unit online in STARTER before installing the Support Package.
4. For Startdrive, navigate to the TIA Portal Download section on Siemens Support and select Startdrive V18 SP1 (or matching version). Install Startdrive through the TIA Portal Administrative Install interface (TIA Portal > Options > Support Packages) — do not unzip into the TIA Portal directory manually.

Starting with G120 series deliveries in 2018, Siemens no longer ships the STARTER DVD inside the Control Unit packaging. Expect the support DVD to be absent and plan the download in advance; the engineering station requires internet access at the time of first commissioning unless the engineering team pre-stages the installers on a USB drive.

4. Installation Procedure (STARTER)

4.1 Local Install

1. Run the STARTER executable as Administrator. The installer prompts for a target directory; default is C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\STARTER.
2. When the installer finishes, launch STARTER once with elevated rights to register the COM components.
3. Open STARTER > Options > Support Packages > Install. Browse to the downloaded *.zip Support Package file. Wait for the Status: Successfully installed message. Restart STARTER.

4.2 Network Install (Read-Only / Engineering Server)

STARTER can be executed from a network share provided that:

• The share is mapped with a fixed drive letter (UNC paths cause STARTER to fail on first launch with 0x80070005 access denied).
• The user account has Modify rights on the local %APPDATA%\Siemens\STARTER folder, which STARTER writes on every online operation.
• No roaming profile synchronization is active; otherwise parameter uploads of >1 MB cause the temp file to roll back.

5. Connecting to the Control Unit

5.1 Addressing the Control Unit

Factory default IP addresses for G120 PROFINET Control Units are 0.0.0.0 (no IP). The MAC address is printed on the front of the CU and is also returned in DCP Identify. To assign a temporary IP for commissioning:

1. Connect the engineering PC to the CU via a switch or directly (use a crossover or auto-MDIX port).
2. Open STARTER > Accessible nodes. Click the magnifying glass icon. STARTER broadcasts a DCP Identify and lists all reachable SINAMICS devices.
3. Select the target CU, click Edit Ethernet Node, and assign IP 192.168.0.10, subnet 255.255.255.0, router 192.168.0.1. Click Assign IP Configuration.

5.2 USB Connection

The CU240B-2, CU240E-2, and CU250S-2 expose a mini-USB port that appears on the PC as a virtual COM port. The Windows driver is included in STARTER and Startdrive installations; if Windows cannot find it, navigate to C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\STARTER\DRIVERS and install manually.

USB parameterization is point-to-point only — no routing through the drive is possible. Use USB for first commissioning and firmware update, then migrate to PROFINET for plant integration.

5.3 RS485 Serial (Legacy CU240B)

Older CU240B Control Units (firmware V3.x and V4.0) use RS485 via the USS protocol at 19.2 kbps, 8E1. Set PC COM port baud rate in STARTER > Options > PG/PC Interface > USS. The bus termination at the last drive must be ON (DIP switch on the CU).

6. Commissioning Workflow

6.1 Offline Project

1. STARTER: File > New Project. Insert a Drive and select the correct type identifier (e.g. SINAMICS G120 CU240E-2 PN-F).
2. Configure the Power Module rating: enter the order number (MLFB) and serial number; this drives the automatic assignment of default parameters p0201 (power unit code) and p0205 (application class).
3. Open the Configuration dialog. Set the control mode: p1300 = 20 (sensorless vector), p1300 = 21 (vector with encoder), or p1300 = 0 (V/f linear) for simple fan applications.

6.2 Online Commissioning

1. Right-click the drive > Connect to target system. If the device is not visible, run Accessible nodes and verify the IP.
2. Click Download to target. STARTER will prompt to back up the existing parameter set to *.dnx; accept.
3. Execute the Commissioning Wizard. The wizard steps through: motor data identification (p1900), speed encoder test, ramp generator limits, digital I/O mapping, and Safety Integrated acceptance test (if STO/SS1 is enabled).
4. Run Motor data identification (p1910) with the motor cold and uncoupled. The drive performs a static + rotating measurement; the rotating measurement requires the motor to be free to rotate for one to two minutes at 50% rated speed.

6.3 Key Parameters to Verify

7. Firmware Update

1. Download the firmware file for your Control Unit (e.g. CU240E-2_FW_V4.7.13.bin) from Siemens Support (entry ID 109751876, "SINAMICS G120 Operating Instructions").
2. In STARTER, connect online, right-click the drive > Load firmware to drive. Select the .bin file.
3. The drive stores the new firmware on the CF card (for CU250S-2 / CU240E-2 with memory card) or in internal flash (for CU230P-2). The Control Unit performs a power cycle automatically and re-initializes with the new firmware version visible in r0018.

8. Safety Integrated Commissioning

SINAMICS G120 with CU240E-2 or CU250S-2 supports Safety Integrated (STO, SS1, SLS, SDI, SSM, SOS) up to SIL 3 / PL e. The Safety functions must be commissioned through the Safety Integrated editor in STARTER or Startdrive, and the resulting safety parameter set is protected by a CRC and an acceptance test password.

1. Enable the Safety functions in the configuration: p9601 = 1 (enable Safety Integrated) and p9620 = 0 (non-PROFIsafe, terminal-based) or p9602 = 1 (PROFIsafe over PROFINET).
2. Configure the safety source: terminals (F-DI 0/1 on the CU), or PROFIsafe slot from a SIMATIC F-CPU.
3. Run the Acceptance test wizard. The wizard prompts for the test stop duration, safe speed limits, and the brake ramp. The test generates a signed PDF report that must be archived in the machine file.
4. Set the password (p9761) to a value other than the default 0000. Loss of the password requires a factory reset of the Safety configuration.

9. Verification Checklist

Before releasing the drive to production, verify each of the following in the online diagnostic buffer (r0945) and STARTER trace:

• No active faults or alarms in r0945 / r2122.
• Status word 1 (r0899) bit 0 = ON, bit 2 = operation enabled.
• Actual speed (r0021) tracks the setpoint (r1078) within the configured ramp time, with no oscillation > 5% on a step change from 20% to 80% setpoint.
• Motor current (r0027) is within nameplate rating under steady-state load and drops to < 50% on no-load.
• Safe Torque Off (STO) activation causes the drive output stage to de-energize within 20 ms and the safety diagnostic bit r9772.0 to indicate STO active.
• Parameter save completed: Copy RAM to ROM (p0971 = 1) succeeded; the Control Unit retains parameters through a power cycle.

10. Troubleshooting Matrix

11. Integration with TIA Portal via Startdrive

1. Open the TIA Portal project that contains the S7-1500 controller.
2. Add the G120 drive to the device tree: Devices & networks > Catalog > Drives & starters > SINAMICS G120. Select the exact MLFB to load the matching device description.
3. Drag the drive onto the PROFINET network and assign a device name. The default name is sinamics-g120; production plants should use a descriptive, plant-wide unique name.
4. Open the drive's parameter editor. The Startdrive UI mirrors STARTER's parameter tree and supports the same Support Package version detection.
5. Use Compile & download to push the project to the controller and the drive in a single transaction. Startdrive synchronizes the controller's HMI tags and the drive's parameter set automatically.

Startdrive also supports the TIA Portal Openness API, which means a C# / VB script can bulk-parameterize a fleet of G120s from an Excel manifest. Use this for OEM serialization where every cabinet leaving the shop must carry a unique parameter set with serial number, MAC address, and customer-specific ramp times.

12. Field-Commissioning Tips

• Always update the Control Unit firmware to the latest Service Pack (SP) before the first commissioning. SP releases include IGBT thermal model improvements and EMC filter tuning that materially affect motor noise and trip margins.
• Save the project to the memory card (CF or SD) of the CU as a backup. If the CU is replaced, insert the memory card into the new CU and the parameters restore automatically on power-up.
• Document the actual parameter values, not the defaults. A parameter printout of the final commissioned set belongs in the machine's electrical drawing set.
• When commissioning multiple identical drives, use STARTER's Device trace to compare motor current waveforms across the fleet. An outlier current profile typically indicates a wiring error or a motor with a nameplate mismatch.
• Plan for cybersecurity. The G120 PROFINET interface has no built-in firewall; segment the drive network from the corporate IT network. Use a managed switch with port security to prevent unauthorized device insertion.