Powering What’s Next: A Practical Guide to Motion Control

elliTek, Inc.
2 days ago
3 min read

Industrial automation is evolving fast. Machines are faster, data expectations are higher, and engineering teams are under more pressure than ever to do more with less. Whether you’re an OEM trying to build smarter equipment, a system integrator juggling multiple platforms, or a plant engineer keeping production moving, one thing is constant:

Your controller matters. A lot.

That’s why Siemens built the SIMATIC S7 family — a unified, modern, and scalable controller portfolio engineered for real-world challenges across discrete manufacturing, hybrid industries, and process environments.

At elliTek, we support manufacturers every day who are choosing the S7 platform because it simplifies engineering, improves reliability, and sets the stage for Industry 4.0.

Here’s a breakdown of the portfolio and how each controller helps your team build better systems.

SIMATIC S7-1200 G2: Small Footprint, Big Capability for Motion Control

If you’re building compact machines or distributed control applications, the S7-1200 G2 is a powerhouse in a small package. Don’t let its size fool you — this controller punches well above its weight.

Why teams choose the S7-1200 G2

Built-in PROFINET for seamless communication
Advanced diagnostics without extra cost or complexity
Flexible expansion options
Ideal for stand-alone machines, OEM skids, RFID systems, and auxiliary processes

This controller replaces the need for “simple” PLCs that later become bottlenecks. With the S7-1200 G2, manufacturers get a strong, scalable foundation for future automation upgrades.

The new Simatic S7-1200 G2 controller generation, which combines efficient motion control and flexible machine safety solutions to enhance performance and scalability for basic automation applications. Watch the video to learn more - it's long, but well worth it!

The Future of Basic Automation - Combining Motion Control, Automation Performance, and Machine Safety with SIMATIC S7-1200 G2

SIMATIC S7-1500: The Gold Standard for High-Performance Control

For applications where speed, precision, and reliability matter — the S7-1500 stands alone. It’s the flagship controller Siemens is known for, and it shows.

Why manufacturers love the S7-1500

Exceptional processing power for complex logic
Deeply integrated security features
Best-in-class diagnostics and system integrity
Flexible modular design for expansion
Perfect for central control systems, multi-line plants, and data-heavy applications

If you’re looking to reduce downtime, increase transparency, and standardize on a modern control platform, the S7-1500 is often the right choice.

SIMATIC S7-1500 T-CPU: Precision Motion Without the Pain

When motion control becomes the star of the show — robotics, kinematics, synchronized axes, coordinated drives — the S7-1500 T-CPU takes center stage.

What makes the T-CPU different

Integrated high-precision motion control
Eliminates the need for dedicated motion controllers
Handles robotics, printing, packaging, and high-speed handling with ease
Reduces engineering time through tight TIA Portal integration

Instead of stitching together multiple control platforms, OEMs and integrators get motion, logic, communication, and diagnostics in one unified environment.

This is where machine builders often tell us, “I can’t believe how much time we saved.”

One Unified Ecosystem: TIA Portal

Across the S7 portfolio, TIA Portal brings everything together:

One engineering environment
One workflow
One place for commissioning, diagnostics, and optimization

That means less time searching for errors, less time rewriting code, and less time training new engineers. In a world where downtime costs thousands per minute, and skilled labor is harder to find, that matters.