TP170B TIA Portal V13 SP1 Compatibility: Migration Guide

TP170B TIA Portal V13 SP1 Compatibility: Migration Guide

Engineering teams frequently ask whether a project built in TIA Portal V13 SP1 UPD9 for a TP700 Comfort panel can be downloaded to a legacy TP170B color HMI. The short, unambiguous answer is no: TIA Portal does not support the 170-series panels, and a TP700 Comfort image cannot be transferred to a TP170B device. This reference explains the underlying device-generation boundaries, the exact compatibility matrix for TIA Portal V13 SP1, and the two valid migration paths that preserve engineering investment.

1. Why Direct Download from a TP700 Project to TP170B Fails

The TP700 Comfort and the TP170B color belong to two distinct device generations with fundamentally different runtime images, tag databases, alarm architectures, and project file formats. The TIA Portal "Download to device" function generates a panel-specific image that contains the runtime, the configured tags, the screens, and the project checksum tuned for the target panel. The TP170B expects a WinCC Flexible 2008 SP5 or earlier image; the TP700 Comfort expects a TIA Portal-generated Comfort Panel image. The two are not interchangeable.

Three hard limits block any direct download attempt:

1. Device family exclusion. The TP170B is not present in the TIA Portal device catalog for V13, V14, V15, V16, V17, V18, V19, or V20. The HMI device library for TIA Portal V13 SP1 begins at the 177 series and the Basic/Comfort line.
2. Runtime image mismatch. The TP170B uses the WinCC Flexible 2008 runtime; TIA Portal cannot generate that image. A TP700 Comfort project compiled in TIA Portal produces a Comfort Panel runtime that the TP170B bootloader will reject.
3. Project file format incompatibility. TIA Portal stores HMI configuration in integrated S7-plus-HMI project files (.ap13 / .ap20). WinCC Flexible 2008 stores standalone HMI projects (.hmi). A TP700 project file cannot be opened in WinCC Flexible 2008, and a TP170B .hmi file cannot be opened in TIA Portal V13 SP1.

2. Technical Background: TP170B Hardware and Software Generation

The TP170B belongs to the second generation of SIMATIC Text/Operator Panels (170 family) released in the late 1990s. It uses a 5.7-inch STN color display with 320 x 240 pixel resolution, has a 4 MB internal Flash, and communicates with the controller over MPI/PROFIBUS DP. The TP170B color PN/DP variant adds PROFINET capability through an integrated PN interface.

The TP170B is configured using either ProTool/Pro (legacy) or, more commonly today, WinCC Flexible 2008 SP5. The configuration software stack has remained static since 2008 - there is no migration path from 170-series to TIA Portal because the panel hardware has reached end-of-life and is no longer in the TIA Portal device catalog.

3. TIA Portal V13 SP1 UPD9 Supported HMI Device Families

TIA Portal V13 SP1 UPD9 is the last V13 cumulative update released by Siemens. It supports the following HMI families in the device catalog:

The 170-series absence is by design: Siemens has not maintained the runtime for these panels in TIA Portal, and no firmware update path exists. Engineering teams must select one of the two migration paths described in Sections 5 and 6.

4. Pre-Check: Identifying Your Existing TP170B Project

Before choosing a migration path, determine the source of the existing project file. Open the project's backup archive or the panel's MMC/PC card (PN/DP variant) and inspect the file structure.

4.1 Files That Identify a WinCC Flexible 2008 Project

• *.hmi - main WinCC Flexible 2008 project file
• *.log - compile log
• *.pdz - compiled runtime image loaded into the panel
• *.srt / *.txt - text libraries and translation files

4.2 Files That Identify a ProTool Project

• *.pdb - main ProTool/Pro project file
• *.arj / *.zip - archived project backup
• *.ab0 - binary runtime image

ProTool projects must be converted to WinCC Flexible 2008 first using the ProTool/Pro > WinCC Flexible 2008 migration wizard, then to TIA Portal if a panel upgrade is selected.

5. Migration Path 1: Keep the TP170B with WinCC Flexible 2008 SP5

If the existing TP170B must remain in service (spare-parts scenario, validated process, retro-fit constraint), the only viable engineering path is to keep the panel configured with WinCC Flexible 2008 SP5 and to never open the project in TIA Portal.

5.1 Prerequisites

• WinCC Flexible 2008 SP5 (with Hotfix 13 or later) installed on a Windows 7 SP1 / Windows 10 LTSC engineering station. Siemens officially documents WinCC Flexible 2008 SP5 as the final release for 170-series panels.
• SIMATIC S7-PLCSIM (optional) for offline simulation of the HMI logic.
• PC Adapter USB (6GK1571-1AA00) or MPI/PROFIBUS cable for commissioning the panel.
• A 2 GB MMC card (TP170B PN/DP variant) or a serial transfer cable (TP170B mono/color) for runtime transfer.

5.2 Step-by-Step: Project Editing in WinCC Flexible 2008

1. Open WinCC Flexible 2008 SP5. Select Open Project and navigate to the existing *.hmi file.
2. Verify the device type on the project header: it should read TP170B color PN/DP or TP170B color. If the project is for a different panel, change the device via Project > Device > Change Device Type and select the correct TP170B variant.
3. Edit tags, screens, and alarms as required. The TP170B supports a maximum of 256 tags, 500 alarms, and 32 screens in WinCC Flexible 2008.
4. Set the PG/PC interface in the Windows Control Panel: SIMATIC S7-PCI / CP5611 / PC Adapter for MPI/PROFIBUS, or TCP/IP for the PN/DP variant.
5. Compile the project: Project > Compiler > All. Inspect the *.log for errors. The compile must complete with 0 errors before the runtime transfer is allowed.
6. Transfer the runtime: Project > Transfer > Transfer to Device. Use MPI for the legacy TP170B, Ethernet for the PN/DP variant.
7. Set the panel's transfer mode: power up the panel, enter the loader menu (hold the lower-right corner during boot), select Transfer, and confirm the MPI/PROFIBUS address matches the WinCC Flexible project (default address 1, baud 187.5 kbps).

5.3 Verification

• The TP170B should display the configured start screen within 8 to 12 seconds after the transfer completes.
• Confirm tag polling by toggling a bit in the connected S7 CPU and verifying the indicator on the HMI screen updates within the configured acquisition cycle (default 1 s).
• Trigger a configured alarm from the PLC and verify the alarm row appears in the alarm view; acknowledge the alarm and confirm the acknowledge bit is set in the controller.

6. Migration Path 2: Replace the TP170B with a Modern Panel

If the application can tolerate a hardware change, replace the TP170B with a 177-series, Basic, or Comfort panel. This unlocks TIA Portal V13 SP1 as the configuration environment and preserves forward compatibility with newer TIA Portal versions (V14 through V20).

6.1 Recommended Replacement Panels

For a true drop-in mechanical replacement, the TP177B 4:3 form factor matches the TP170B cutout most closely. For an upgrade path that includes TIA Portal V13 SP1 full feature support, the KTP700 Basic PN is the lowest-cost entry into the Comfort ecosystem.

6.2 Sizing and Selection Considerations

When sizing the replacement panel, evaluate three engineering constraints:

• Tag count. The TP170B supports 256 tags. Modern Basic and Comfort panels support 256 to 4096 tags depending on the configured runtime license. Verify that the new panel's tag limit is not exceeded.
• Alarm count. The TP170B supports 500 alarms. Comfort panels support 4000+ alarms with no practical limit for typical applications.
• Recipe memory. The TP170B has 40 KB recipe memory. Basic panels offer 256 KB to 2 MB. Comfort panels offer 4 MB to 16 MB.

7. Step-by-Step: Migrating a WinCC Flexible 2008 Project to TIA Portal V13 SP1

After the hardware replacement has been decided, migrate the WinCC Flexible 2008 project to TIA Portal V13 SP1 UPD9. Per the official Siemens TIA Portal documentation, upgrading a WinCC project requires the project to first be opened in the source WinCC version and re-saved before the TIA Portal migration wizard can process it.

7.1 Prerequisites

• TIA Portal V13 SP1 UPD9 installed (with license for WinCC Comfort/Advanced).
• WinCC Flexible 2008 SP5 installed (required for the source project re-save step).
• A working copy of the original *.hmi project file.
• Backup of the original TP170B runtime (*.pdz) for emergency fallback.

7.2 Migration Procedure

1. Open the existing project in WinCC Flexible 2008 SP5. Perform Project > Compiler > All and confirm a clean build. If errors exist, fix them in WinCC Flexible first - the TIA Portal migration will not resolve them.
2. Re-save the project in WinCC Flexible 2008 SP5 format. This step is required to update internal format metadata that the TIA Portal migration wizard validates.
3. Close WinCC Flexible 2008 SP5.
4. Open TIA Portal V13 SP1 UPD9. Create a new project and select Project > Migrate project.
5. Browse to the WinCC Flexible 2008 *.hmi file. TIA Portal analyzes the source project and lists the supported target devices.
6. Select the target panel (e.g., TP700 Comfort) from the device dropdown. The migration wizard lists only the devices that are supported in the current TIA Portal version and compatible with the source project structure.
7. Confirm the device mapping. The wizard may flag unsupported objects (legacy controls, certain alarm classes) that require manual re-creation in TIA Portal.
8. Click Migrate. TIA Portal imports screens, tags, alarms, recipes, and text libraries. Inspect the migration log for warnings and unresolved references.
9. Open each migrated screen in the TIA Portal editor and verify layout, tag connections, and event scripts. Common issues include:
   • WinCC Flexible Set Bit functions may need to be re-bound to the new tag database.
   • Old SIMATIC S7-300/400 area pointers must be re-validated against the S7-1200/1500 connection configuration.
   • Custom libraries from WinCC Flexible are not transferred; re-import them as TIA Portal master copies.
10. Compile the migrated project: Project tree > HMI_1 [TP700 Comfort] > Compile > Software (rebuild all). Resolve all errors before download.

7.3 Download to the New Panel

1. Connect the PC to the new panel via PROFINET. Set the PG/PC interface to the panel's IP subnet (default 192.168.0.x / 255.255.255.0).
2. Configure the panel's transfer mode: power up, enter the loader, select Transfer, enable PROFINET transfer, and confirm the IP address matches the project.
3. In TIA Portal, right-click the HMI device and select Download to device > Software and configuration. The first download typically takes 90 to 240 seconds for a TP700 Comfort.
4. Verify the transfer: the panel should restart automatically and display the start screen within 30 seconds of reboot.

8. Project Conversion Verification and Commissioning Checks

After migration, perform a structured acceptance test that validates the tag, alarm, recipe, and communication functions of the new panel against the original TP170B behavior.

9. Troubleshooting Matrix

10. Engineering Best Practices for Legacy Panel Replacement

• Inventory the spare-parts window. Confirm the production life expectancy of the new panel. Comfort panels typically have a 10-year spare-parts and repair window from the date of phase-out.
• Verify the controller compatibility. The TP170B commonly pairs with S7-300/400 CPUs. Modern Comfort panels pair natively with S7-1500 and S7-1200. If the controller is staying as-is, confirm the HMI connection supports the S7-300/400 protocol - Comfort panels do support S7-300/400 via PROFINET or PROFIBUS with the appropriate CP or interface module.
• Preserve the HMI tag database. Export the WinCC Flexible tag list as a CSV before migration. After migration to TIA Portal, compare the imported tag list against the CSV to detect any data loss.
• Document the project structure. Save a PDF printout of the WinCC Flexible project before migration. This serves as a reference for the original screen layout, alarm priorities, and user levels.
• Use the TIA Portal "Library" function for reusability. After migration, convert the imported screens into a TIA Portal master copy library. This enables efficient reuse across multiple machine variants.

11. FAQ