COMMUNICATION PROCESSOR CARD 6GK1561-1AA00 6GK1 561-1AA00 6GK1561-1AAOO

Siemens 6GK1561-1AA00 | CP 5611 32-Bit PCI PROFIBUS / MPI / PPI Communications Processor

Engineering PC to PROFIBUS and MPI — With Industrial-Grade Protection

The CP 5611 is the standard PCI card that connects a STEP 7 engineering workstation or Siemens PG programming device to PROFIBUS and MPI networks. It provides the hardware link for:

• STEP 7 programming and monitoring of S7-300 and S7-400 PLCs via MPI or PROFIBUS
• Drive commissioning with STARTER (SINAMICS) and DriveMonitor (SIMOREG 6RA70) via PROFIBUS DP
• Process device management with SIMATIC PDM for PROFIBUS PA instruments
• S7-200 programming via PPI with STEP 7 Micro/WIN
• Custom PROFIBUS applications via FDL SEND/RECEIVE with SOFTNET-PB software

The 1,000 VDC galvanic isolation separates the RS-485 port from the PC's PCI bus — preventing ground loop currents and common-mode voltages from industrial plant wiring reaching the PC's internal circuits. The 100A surge protection (Ipp = 100A, 10/700µs, 4 kV) handles conducted transients on PROFIBUS cables near motor drives, welding equipment, and large contactors. Auto-recovery overcurrent protection allows the port to withstand 60V sustained fault voltages without permanent damage — when the fault clears, the port restores automatically without requiring card replacement.

Key Specifications

PROFIBUS DP, MPI, and PPI — Three Networks, One Card

PROFIBUS DP: The CP 5611 connects to PROFIBUS DP segments at up to 12 Mbit/s. With SOFTNET-PB DP software it operates as a DP Master (polling slave devices for cyclic I/O exchange) or DP Slave (appearing as a data exchange partner to a master controller).

MPI: Siemens' proprietary programming protocol, native to S7-300 CPUs. The CP 5611 enables STEP 7 online access to S7-300 MPI interfaces — relevant for legacy machine CPUs that have not been updated to PROFIBUS.

PPI: S7-200 communication protocol. The same card handles S7-200 programming from STEP 7 Micro/WIN alongside S7-300/400 access.

PCI Slot — Current Platform Compatibility

The CP 5611 uses the 32-bit parallel PCI slot (PCI 2.1) — standard on desktop PCs built between approximately 1995 and 2010. Industrial PCs and rack-mount computers retain PCI slots longer than consumer desktops. The CP 5611 does not fit PCIe slots. For PCIe-based workstations, the correct card is the CP 5622 (6GK1562-2AA00), which provides equivalent PROFIBUS and MPI functions via PCIe X1.

FAQ

Q1: What card should be specified for a new PCIe-based engineering workstation?

The CP 5611 (6GK1561-1AA00) and its direct successor CP 5611 A2 (6GK1561-1AA01) require a 32-bit PCI slot — absent from most current motherboards. For PCIe workstations, specify the CP 5622 (6GK1562-2AA00), which uses a PCIe X1 interface and supports 32-bit and 64-bit Windows OS with the same PROFIBUS DP and MPI functions.

Q2: Can the CP 5611 connect to PROFIBUS and MPI simultaneously?

No. The card has one physical RS-485 port on a single 9-pin Sub-D connector. It connects to one network at a time. For simultaneous access to two networks, two cards are required.

Q3: What software is required for STEP 7 programming with the CP 5611?

The CP 5611 driver is included in the SIMATIC NET PC software package. Once installed and configured in SIMATIC NET, STEP 7 accesses the card through the standard PG/OP interface for PLC programming, monitoring, and diagnostics — no additional license is needed for this use. SOFTNET-PB DP and SOFTNET-PB S7 add runtime DP Master/Slave operation and S7 PUT/GET for custom PC applications.

Q4: Does the surge protection cover direct lightning strikes to the PROFIBUS cable?

The Ipp = 100A (10/700µs) protection covers conducted transients from cable runs near power equipment or entering a building from an outdoor cable — the practical scenarios encountered in industrial environments. Direct lightning strikes involve energy levels that exceed the card's built-in protection. For PROFIBUS segments running outdoors or between buildings, dedicated surge arrestors at the building entry points are required in addition to the card's protection.

Q5: At what point does the operating temperature rating become a practical concern?

The 0–+70°C range applies to the card's internal operating temperature — determined by the ambient temperature inside the PC chassis plus the card's 2.0W self-heating. Control cabinets exceeding +50°C ambient are common in summer or poorly ventilated enclosures. If the PC is inside such a cabinet, the internal PC temperature may exceed the card's rating. Install the PC in a separately ventilated or air-conditioned enclosure in high-temperature environments.