Sinamics G150 CIB to CIM Upgrade: IPD Card Selection Guide

Overview: CIB to CIM Migration on Sinamics G150

The Sinamics G150 cabinet drive family supports a direct field upgrade of the control interface board from the legacy CIB (Control Interface Board, MLFB 6SL3351-6GE41-0AB3) to the current CIM (Control Interface Module, MLFB 6SL3350-6TK00-0EA0). The CU320-2 control unit (6SL3040-0MA00-0AA1) and the power module (6SL3310-1TE41-0AB0 in the example) remain unchanged, which keeps the upgrade scope focused on the control-interface backplane and the IPD (Interface Panel Drive) carrier card that bridges the drive-side connectors.

The mechanical and electrical continuity between the two interface boards is not 1:1. The CIB exposes the drive-side signals on a 9-pin SUB-D connector designated X43, while the CIM exposes the same logical signals on a different 9-pin connector designated X45. Because pin assignment, shielding, and the encoder/sensor-circuit topology differ between the two boards, the upgrade path requires an IPD card that is mechanically keyed to the drive variant and to the rated output current of the power module.

Selecting the wrong IPD card is the single most common failure point during this upgrade. A mismatched IPD will either not seat into the CIB/CIM guides, will not transfer the X43/X45 signals to the correct pins of the new interface, or will not carry the correct rating for the connected power module. The reference order number for the G150/G130 family covered here is 6SL3351-3AE41-0DA0.

Hardware Configuration Reference

The following configuration is the working baseline against which the IPD selection was verified. The same procedure applies to other G150 builds as long as the power module MLFB falls within the 6SL3310-1T family.

How the IPD Card Is Determined from the MLFB

The IPD card is not a generic accessory. Its order number is keyed by two parameters encoded in the drive's MLFB (Maschinenlesbare Fabrikatebezeichnung / machine-readable product designation):

1. The device family (G130 chassis vs. G150 cabinetized).
2. The output rating and voltage class derived from positions 7–10 of the power module MLFB.

The MLFB prefix that distinguishes the two families is unambiguous:

Mechanically and electrically the G150 is a G130 mounted in a Rittal cabinet with the option modules pre-wired. The control electronics — including the CIB/CIM, the IPD card, and the CU320 — are identical between the two families. The cabinet options (line filter, line reactor, motor reactor, dv/dt filter, main contactor, fuses, and the operator panel) change the prefix from 6SL3310 to 6SL3710 but do not change the IPD order number.

For the example power module 6SL3310-1TE41-0AB0, position-by-position decoding yields:

The "E4" rating block combined with the 400 V class maps to IPD card 6SL3351-3AE41-0DA0. If the drive were rated at a different power level (e.g., "E3" for the smaller 380–480 V chassis, "F4" for the 500–600 V class, or "F6" for the 660–690 V class), the IPD card order number would change accordingly. The 3AE41-0DA0 suffix is specific to the E4 / 1TE41 power module family.

Step-by-Step Upgrade Procedure

The procedure below assumes the drive has been safely de-energized, locked out, and that the DC link has been discharged to below 5 VDC as measured at the DC link test points on the power module. Confirm with a CAT III 600 V meter before opening any cabinet door.

Prerequisites

• Replacement CIM (6SL3350-6TK00-0EA0), ESD-bagged.
• IPD carrier card (6SL3351-3AE41-0DA0 for the E4 / 1TE41 power module).
• Starter kit of pre-cut shielded signal cables (Siemens 6FX8002 series or pre-fabricated harness) — required because the CIB X43 wiring cannot be reused as-is on the CIM X45.
• Starlight or equivalent commissioning tool (Starter / SCOUT / Startdrive), current project file, and an offline backup of the drive parameters.
• ESD wrist strap, grounded work surface, and the CIB/CIM extraction tool (Siemens service tool, listed in the G150 service manual).

Removal of the Legacy CIB

1. Open the cabinet and locate the CIB in the left-hand option-slot column above the CU320. Document all wiring to X43 with a photograph and a hand-written pin map.
2. Label and disconnect each conductor on X43, including the shield drain wire. Do not rely on wire color alone; position is the only stable identifier.
3. Loosen the CIB mounting screws (typically two captive M4 screws with shoulder washers) and lift the CIB vertically out of its guides. Place it into an ESD bag immediately.
4. Inspect the backplane connectors for any bent pins or contamination. Clean with electronics-grade IPA and a lint-free swab if required.

Mounting the IPD Card

1. Unpack the IPD (6SL3351-3AE41-0DA0) from its ESD bag. Verify the printed MLFB on the PCB matches the order.
2. Seat the IPD card into the same guide rails that previously held the CIB. The IPD must lock flush with the backplane connector — if any pin set is misaligned by even 0.5 mm the card will appear to seat but will fault on first power-up (F08501 "Signal monitoring, encoder interface" or F08505 "Communication to power unit failed").
3. Tighten the two captive screws to 0.8 N·m. Do not exceed 1.2 N·m — the threaded standoffs are pressed into the plastic guide and will strip.

Mounting the CIM

1. Position the CIM (6SL3350-6TK00-0EA0) over the IPD card so that the female connector on the underside of the CIM mates with the male header on the IPD. The connector is keyed and can only be inserted in one orientation.
2. Apply firm even pressure until the locking clips engage. The CIM-to-IPD stack should sit flush, with no gap greater than 0.2 mm at any corner.
3. Reconnect the drive-side signal wiring to X45 on the CIM, not to X43. The CIB X43 pin map and the CIM X45 pin map are not identical; the IPD handles the reassignment internally, but the field wiring must land on X45.

Wiring the X43-to-X45 Path Through the IPD

The IPD card carries the encoder and temperature-sensor signals between the power module's internal harness and the CU320. The relevant signal path is:

The IPD does not alter the signal assignment. It provides a mechanical translation from the CIB-era X43 footprint to the CIM-era X45 footprint, and it carries the PE bond between the cabinet backplane and the encoder-cable shield. Field wiring that landed on CIB X43 must be moved to the matching X45 pin on the CIM — the IPD makes the electrical translation automatically.

Parameter and Firmware Considerations

The CIM is functionally compatible with the CU320-2 firmware baseline used by the legacy CIB, but two firmware-dependent items must be verified before commissioning:

1. CU320-2 firmware version. The CIM is supported from CU320-2 firmware V4.7 SP3 upward. If the existing CU320 is on V4.5 or V4.6, perform a firmware upgrade before fitting the CIM. Skipping this step yields F08501 on first run.
2. Power module firmware (CF card). The power module's CF card holds the parameter set tied to the CIB. After fitting the CIM, the drive will detect a new interface and offer a parameter conversion in p0010 = 30 (commissioning). Accept the conversion so the topology (drive object 1 = control unit, drive object 2 = power module) is rebuilt correctly.

Key parameters to verify after the conversion:

Verification Procedure

After the IPD and CIM are mounted and the X45 wiring is landed, perform the following verification before energizing the line side:

1. With the cabinet still locked out, use a multimeter in continuity mode to verify each X45 pin reaches the intended destination on the IPD backplane. Confirm that X45.9 (PE/shield) shows less than 0.5 Ω to the cabinet PE bar.
2. Apply 24 VDC to the CU320 only (control voltage tap on the option-slot strip). Confirm that the CU320 powers up, that the CIM is recognized in the topology (r0002 = commissioning / r0009 = ready), and that no F085xx fault is active.
3. Open Starter / Startdrive and perform an online Device trace on r0035 (DC link voltage) and r0063 (actual speed). With the line contactor still open, both should be 0.
4. Close the line contactor. Verify the pre-charge completes (DC link rises to approximately 1.35 × Vline RMS within 5 s) and that r0019 (speed setpoint filter output) follows p2000 without any overshoot greater than 5 %.
5. Run a no-load motor identification (p1910 = 1) to confirm encoder direction and current controller bandwidth. A clean identification finishes within ~60 s and sets p1910 = 0 automatically.

Troubleshooting Matrix

Identifying G130 vs. G150 in the Field

Two field checks will confirm whether a given cabinetized drive is a true G150 or a G130 mounted in a third-party cabinet:

1. Nameplate MLFB. A G150 always carries a 6SL3710 MLFB on the cabinet nameplate. A G130 carries 6SL3310. The cabinet options are part of the 6SL3710 designation.
2. Door layout. The G150 ships with a Siemens-branded Rittal cabinet, a Siemens AOP30 advanced operator panel on the door, and pre-wired option slots. A retrofitted G130 typically has a generic enclosure and an aftermarket HMI.

For the purpose of IPD card selection, the nameplate MLFB is the authoritative source — the cabinet vendor and the operator panel do not affect the order number.

Ordering and Stocking Notes

When ordering the IPD card separately from a Siemens DICT (Drive Competence Center) or authorized distributor, the following fields must be specified exactly to avoid delivery of the wrong rating block:

• MLFB: 6SL3351-3AE41-0DA0
• Designation: Interface Panel Drive, for G130/G150, 380–480 V, E4 output class
• Compatible power module: 6SL3310-1TE41-0AAx family

Spare IPD cards should be stocked against the E4 rating block for any G150 fleet operating in the 400 V class. Drives on the F4 (500–600 V) or F6 (660–690 V) blocks require different IPD order numbers that share the 6SL3351-3AE prefix but diverge in the suffix — verify the full MLFB against the current Siemens Industry Online Support catalog before placing the order.

Safety and Field Commissioning Caveats

FAQ