SINAMICS G130 CompactFlash Card: S120 Compatibility Guide

Overview

The SINAMICS G130 is a chassis-format (built-in) low-voltage drive from Siemens, designed for single-motor applications in the 75 kW to 800 kW power range (depending on line supply and cooling variant). The SINAMICS S120 is a modular drive system that scales from servo through high-power multi-axis configurations. Both families share a common firmware platform and a common Control Unit family, the CU320-2, which means their CompactFlash (CF) cards share the same physical form factor and slot geometry. The firmware image stored on the card, however, is not interchangeable across drive families.

A common field scenario is a G130 line-up delivered with a Control Unit that still contains an S120 CF card (or the spare CF card originally shipped is an S120 card). Inserting an S120 firmware image into a G130 will cause the CU320-2 to detect the mismatched drive identity and either refuse to complete boot, raise a firmware/drivetype mismatch fault, or — in the worst case — load inconsistent parameter sets. The remediation is to load the matching G130 firmware onto the card using STARTER, Startdrive in TIA Portal, or a Siemens-provided firmware CF card with the correct article number, for example 6SL3054-3FB10-1BA0.

This reference documents the compatibility rules, the article-number differences between S120 and G130 CF cards, the firmware-version matrix, the field verification procedure, and the diagnostic parameters that confirm correct identification.

SINAMICS Platform Architecture: G130 versus S120

Although the G130 and S120 are marketed as separate drive families, they share a single firmware image namespace and a single toolchain (STARTER, Startdrive in TIA Portal, SINAMICS Web Server). The differences are concentrated in:

• Drive identity (drivetype) flag burned into the firmware image on the CF card.
• Default parameter set tailored to single-axis (G130) versus multi-axis (S120) topologies.
• Power-stack object list — the G130 image only exposes one line module and one Motor Module (vector) or one power unit (with the appropriate power unit object).
• Licensing and option handling — performance extensions and safety option handling differ by drive family.

At the CF card level, the partition layout, file system, and license container format are identical, which is why a card physically fits in either drive. The drivetype discriminator is the first item the CU320-2 validates at boot, before any parameter set is applied.

SINAMICS G130 Control Unit (CU320-2) Identification

The G130 chassis drive accepts only the CU320-2 Control Unit family. Two hardware variants exist:

• CU320-2 DP — PROFIBUS on board (article number 6SL3040-1MA00-0AA0 or its successor 6SL3040-1MA01-0AA0).
• CU320-2 PN — PROFINET on board (article number 6SL3040-1MA02-0AA0 in current revisions).

The CF card slot is on the front face of the CU320-2, behind a removable cover. The card is hot-swappable only in the sense that the CU320-2 must be powered down before removal or insertion — the CU does not hot-plug CF cards.

To identify the installed CU, read the rating plate on the right side of the Control Unit, or in STARTER/Startdrive navigate to:

Confirm the Article number matches a CU320-2 variant. If a CU310-2 is physically present, the system is wired as S120 and the G130 CF card image will not be accepted.

CompactFlash Card Article Numbers and Variants

Siemens supplies several CF card variants under MLFB 6SL3054-3FB10-1BA0 and its derivatives. The hardware is a ruggedized industrial CompactFlash card, but the firmware image pre-loaded at the factory is what determines the drive family and firmware version.

When ordering a replacement card, Siemens supports a per-image ordering path via the SIOS portal. For SINAMICS G130 firmware V5.1, the official entry is:

• Drives Software Version V5.1 for SINAMICS G130, G150 and S150 — SIOS 109757604

Firmware Compatibility Matrix

The CU320-2 hardware is forward-compatible with newer firmware within the V5.x line, provided the drivetype is correct. The G130 firmware line follows the S120 firmware numbering (e.g. V5.1, V5.2), so the firmware version is not a substitute for the drivetype check.

Confirm the firmware in STARTER / Startdrive after insertion:

r0964[0]  = firmware version (e.g. 5.1.0.0)
r0964[1]  = increment counter
r0964[2]  = drivetype index (G130 / S120 / S150 / G150)

Parameter r0964[2] is the unambiguous drivetype indicator. If it does not show the G130 identifier, the card is wrong even if the version number printed on the label looks plausible.

Identifying the Installed CompactFlash Card

When a G130 arrives from a different site, a sister plant, or a re-installation project, perform the following identification steps before applying power to the drive line-up. These checks take only a few minutes and prevent the drivetype-mismatch fault loop that occurs if the wrong CF card is left installed.

1. Physical label check

1. Power down the CU320-2 (24 V supply removed).
2. Remove the CF card from the CU320-2 front slot.
3. Read the label: article number, serial number, and any firmware version sticker.
4. Note: the article number alone is not sufficient — same MLFB ships with different firmware loads for S120/G130/S150/G150.

2. File-system check (offline)

1. Mount the CF card in a card reader on a service PC.
2. Browse the \ root: a SINAMICS card contains addons\, firmware\, keys\, license\, user\, and oem\ directories.
3. Open firmware\: the binary file name encodes drive family and version, e.g. sinamics_g130_510.bin versus sinamics_s120_510.bin.

3. Online check after insertion

1. Apply 24 V to the CU320-2.
2. Connect STARTER or Startdrive over PROFINET/PROFIBUS to the CU320-2.
3. Go online and read:

r0964[0]  = firmware version
r0964[2]  = drivetype (must be G130)
p0010     = 0 (drive ready)
r0002     = drive operating display (no F-/A- faults)

If the CU enters a fault state (e.g. F0135 drive type changed, or F01002 internal software error) immediately after power-up, the CF card drivetype is wrong.

Procedure: Verifying CF Card Compatibility

Use this procedure when a G130 is commissioned for the first time, when a spare CF card is being deployed, or when the firmware is being upgraded.

Prerequisites

• STARTER V5.x (or Startdrive in TIA Portal V15 and newer) installed on the service PC.
• PROFIBUS or PROFINET connection to the CU320-2.
• Access to the SIOS portal for the matching G130 firmware download (e.g. SIOS 109757604 — G130 V5.1).
• Service PC with CF card reader for off-line flashing if required.

Step-by-step

1. Identify the CU and the card. Note the CU320-2 article number and the CF card MLFB + serial.
2. Read the drivetype from r0964[2] with the card inserted. Confirm it is the G130 image.
3. If drivetype is S120 (or any non-G130 identifier), the card is wrong — proceed to step 4.
4. Acquire a G130 firmware image. Download the matching firmware from SIOS. Use a CF card article number appropriate to the G130 image (6SL3054-3FB10-1BA0 with the G130 load). Save the firmware .bin to a known directory.
5. Reflash the card. Two methods are valid:
   • Online via STARTER / Startdrive: connect to the CU320-2, right-click the drive, select Load to file system / Load firmware, browse to the G130 firmware .bin, and confirm. The CU performs the flash and reboots.
   • Offline via card writer: insert the CF card into a PC reader, copy the G130 .bin into the card's firmware\ directory, and rename it to the active slot file expected by the bootloader.
6. Verify post-flash. Cycle power to the CU320-2. Read r0964[0..2] and confirm:
   • Version matches the released G130 firmware (e.g. V5.1).
   • Drivetype is G130.
   • No fault is active (r0002 not in fault state).
7. Restore parameters. Load the project's parameter backup (.par or via TIA Portal project) if the previous commissioning data is available. Otherwise perform a full commissioning.
8. Record the as-installed state for traceability: CF card S/N, firmware version, drivetype, commissioning date, engineer.

Verification

• CU320-2 boots to operational state with no F- or A-class faults.
• STARTER/Startdrive shows drivetype = G130 under device identification.
• Motor identification and encoder calibration complete successfully.
• Drive responds to ON/OFF commands from the controller.

Procedure: Loading Correct G130 Firmware

Use the following consolidated procedure when the wrong image is on the card. The procedure is identical whether the card originally had an S120 image, an S150 image, or a corrupted G130 image.

Step-by-step

1. Power down the CU320-2. Remove the CF card.
2. Mount the card in a PC reader.
3. Back up the existing user\ and oem\ directories if any project data is present.
4. Open SIOS entry 109757604 and download the G130 V5.1 firmware package.
5. Extract the package. The image file is typically named sinamics_g130_510.bin or similar.
6. Copy the file into the card's firmware\ directory, overwriting any previous S120 image.
7. Verify the file size matches the manifest in the SIOS download (avoid partial copies).
8. Safely eject the CF card, reinsert into the CU320-2.
9. Apply 24 V. The CU320-2 will detect the new image and complete boot.
10. Go online with STARTER / Startdrive. Read r0964 and confirm the drivetype is now G130.

Parameter Backup and Restore

The CF card holds the firmware, the device parameter set, and any OEM-specific adaptions. Back up before reflash and after every successful commissioning.

Use with caution — wipes project data

Command sequence for safe RAM-to-ROM persistence (also valid via Startdrive):

STARTER → online → right-click drive → "Copy RAM to ROM"
OR
p0971 = 1   ; save all parameters non-volatilely

Diagnostic Parameters and Error Codes

The following parameters and fault codes are the primary diagnostic handles for the CF card and drivetype situation. Save these to your commissioning worksheet for first-pass field work.

To acknowledge faults after a reflash:

-- via STARTER / Startdrive:
Drive → Diagnostics → Acknowledge faults
-- via parameter (PROFIdrive):
STW1.7 = 0→1 transition   ; fault acknowledge
p3981 = 0                      ; suppress F0135 sticky state

Commissioning Verification Checklist

1. CU320-2 article number matches a G130-approved variant (DP or PN).
2. CF card contains a G130 firmware image (r0964[2] = G130).
3. Firmware version is the released G130 image (e.g. V5.1 per SIOS 109757604).
4. No active F-class faults on first power-up.
5. STARTER / Startdrive connects and goes online without errors.
6. Motor data (p0300..p0350) loaded and verified against motor nameplate.
7. Encoder configuration (p0400..p0490) matches the actual feedback device.
8. Motor identification (p1910 = 1 for rotating, p1900 = 1 for standstill) completed.
9. Speed controller autotune (if available in the G130 image) completed.
10. Parameter backup (.par) saved to the project archive and the CF card user\ directory.
11. Function test: enable, run, stop, fault injection and acknowledge cycle completed.

Field Cautions and Known Pitfalls

• Same MLFB, different image. CF card label article number 6SL3054-3FB10-1BA0 ships with several different firmware loads. Verify the load by reading the file system or r0964 after insertion.
• Do not hot-swap CF cards on the CU320-2. The slot is not designed for hot insertion; always remove 24 V before changing cards.
• Mixed-version flash (e.g. V5.1 firmware with V4.8 add-on) is unsupported. Use the complete single-version package from SIOS.
• License container: firmware-only reflash preserves the license container on the card. Hardware-level card swap (different physical card) requires the license to be re-bound or transferred per Siemens licensing procedure.
• RAM-to-ROM must be executed after every commissioning change; otherwise the changes are lost on the next power cycle.
• PC card reader: use a USB card reader verified for industrial CF cards. Consumer readers occasionally fail on ruggedized cards.
• Static discharge: CF cards are ESD-sensitive. Use a grounded wrist strap when handling outside the CU320-2.

Frequently Asked Questions