🚀 New Generation Sinamics G Drives from Siemens: Safety and Digitalization for Your Production Line! 🚀

[Erkan Teskancan]

Siemens Introduces Unified Drive Platform for Continuous Motion Applications​

Siemens has launched a new generation of Sinamics G drives, a unified and scalable portfolio specifically designed for continuous motion applications. This new portfolio has been developed to meet simultaneous demands for productivity, energy efficiency, and flexibility. By offering a consistent approach to engineering and operation, it aims to shorten development times, manage product diversity, and simplify commissioning for machine builders and plant operators.

Cybersecurity and Integrated Safety: "Security by Design"​

The new generation of drives is built around the principle of "Security by Design" and is prepared for the upcoming EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). The systems offer built-in cybersecurity capabilities up to Cybersecurity Level Capability 2 (SL-C 2) as defined in the IEC 62443-4-2 standard. Alongside these cyber protections, the platform features integrated safety functions up to Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL3) to protect personnel, machinery, and plant assets from physical operational hazards.

Digital Integration and Portfolio Expansion​

The platform deeply embraces digitalization through seamless integration with TIA Portal, an integrated web server, and standard Ethernet-based OPC UA communication. This connectivity enables efficient utilization of drive and operational data for condition monitoring, asset management, and predictive maintenance. The newly introduced models—the general-purpose Sinamics G200, the highly compact G210C, the versatile G210, and the infrastructure-focused G210X—join the high-end G220 introduced in 2023, completing a comprehensive portfolio for pumps, fans, compressors, and complex positioning tasks.

IEC 62443 and SIL3 in Modern Drive Technology​

In industrial automation, the convergence of Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) has made Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) critical vectors for cyberattacks. Achieving Security Level Capability 2 (SL-C 2) under the IEC 62443-4-2 standard means the drive possesses inherent defenses against intentional cyber threats from adversaries with basic skills and resources. This is achieved using features like role-based access control (RBAC), secure boot, and encrypted communication. Concurrently, achieving Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL3) for functional safety requires sophisticated hardware redundancy and continuous internal diagnostics. In a SIL3-rated drive, safety sub-functions like Safe Torque Off (STO) or Safe Limited Speed (SLS) are executed by dual-channel microprocessors that cross-check each other in real time. If an inconsistency is detected, the drive automatically forces the motor into a safe state, virtually eliminating the possibility of dangerous latent hardware failures that could lead to uncommanded motion.