A Practical Guide to the Siemens Product Lifecycle and Upgrade Planning

Siemens defines five lifecycle phases for its automation products. This article explains what each phase means for hardware, software and product support. It outlines popular Siemens control system equipment that is currently in a discontinuation phase and their recommended migration path.

By Patti Engineering Texas Director of Operations, Nick Hitchcock

Siemens, a leading provider of OEM automation equipment, has defined clear stages that describe their product life cycle. These stages define when products are active, when phase-out begins, and when support eventually ends. Given the long lifespan of manufacturing production lines, this information informs manufacturers’ decision making with respect to the longevity and support for their Siemens controls and automation equipment. As this equipment ages and moves towards obsolescence, it becomes increasingly difficult and costly to keep it running efficiently. 

This article outlines which common Siemens control system products are currently in a discontinuation phase. Note that it is normal and expected for these components to fail and require replacement long before the line’s mechanical equipment. As a result, control system upgrades are a necessary part of long-term production line maintenance, and usually the most effective way to maximize both a line’s longevity and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) metrics while minimizing costs. 

Siemens Legacy Product Reference Table

The table below shows commonly used Siemens control equipment that is currently in some phase of product discontinuation, its discontinuation status, recommended upgrade, and the relevant Siemens discontinuation notice.

A more detailed description of the implications of each lifecycle phase is described beneath the table.

Table 1. Siemens Legacy Products, Lifecycle Status and Upgrade Path

Siemens Lifecycle Status Key: P.M300 = Active; P.M400 = Phase-out announced; P.M410 = Product cancellation; P.M490 = End of spare-parts obligation; P.M500 = End of lifecycle.

Siemens Product Lifecycle

The Siemens product lifecycle is broken into five distinct phases, P. M300, P.M400, P.M410, P. M490, and P.M500. The first phase, P. M300, is for active products and all subsequent phases describe some stage of product discontinuation. Siemens has a 10-year spare parts guarantee that begins from the day they announce a product’s planned phase out, the P.M400 phase.  The phases apply not only to hardware availability but also to firmware and software updates, which follow the same lifecycle timeline.

By understanding each of the Siemens lifecycle phases, manufacturers can anticipate product and software availability, plan spare parts strategies, and schedule equipment upgrades before obsolescence creates unnecessary risk.  Each of these phases is described in further detail below.

Siemens 10 Year Spare Parts Guarantee

Siemens 10‑year spare‑parts guarantee always counts from the P.M400 date, not from P.M410. That means if P.M400 is announced in 2023, Siemens commits spares until 2033, regardless of the associated P.M410 date.

P.M300 – Active phase

• The product is fully supported by Siemens and available for purchase as a new item.
• Spare parts, accessories, and software updates are readily available.
• The product is recommended for use in new projects and system expansions.
• Manufacturers can rely on long-term availability, ongoing software development, and standard lead times during this phase.

P.M400 – Phase‑out announced

• Siemens formally announces the product’s planned discontinuation.
• The product can still be purchased new at this time.
• The 10-year spare-parts commitment begins on this date.
• The announcement includes the anticipated P.M410 date, when the product will no longer be available for purchase new.
• Firmware updates and security patches remain available, though no new functionality is added.

P.M410 – Product cancellation (type cancellation)

• Siemens stops selling the product as a new item.
• From this date forward, the product is available only as a spare part to support existing installations. Complete modules (e.g. PLC CPUs, power supplies, I/O cards) can still be purchased for one-to-one replacement in legacy systems.
• Spare parts supply is supported under the 10-year guarantee that began at P.M400.
• Firmware and security updates continue within the spare-parts window, but engineering software enters legacy status and only receives maintenance patches.
• Lead times and prices for spare parts often increase after this milestone.

P.M490 – End of spare-parts obligation

• The 10-year spare-parts commitment that began on the date of the P.M400 announcement expires.
• Siemens is no longer obligated to manufacture or provide spare parts.
• Availability is limited to existing Siemens stock or third-party suppliers.
• Software and firmware updates stop; users must rely on whatever versions were last released.
• Manufacturers who have not yet migrated by this point face a significant downtime risk if equipment fails due to parts scarcity.

P.M500 – End of lifecycle

• Siemens discontinues all repair services, technical support, and spare-parts provision for the product.
• The product is considered fully obsolete within Siemens’ portfolio.
• Any needed replacement parts must be sourced from secondary markets.
• Archived software downloads and updates are no longer supported, leaving users without Siemens technical or update assistance.
• Manufacturers that continue running the product beyond this point operate without Siemens support.

Control Upgrades for Long Term Line Longevity

Patti Engineering values optimizing clients’ existing equipment to maximize OEE while minimizing their overall costs and risk. There are several reasons a legacy control system requires upgrading and specific strategies that support a project’s success when doing so.

For more information on the topic of upgrading control systems, consider reading the additional articles below, or contact us directly. 

• How Virtual Commissioning Paves the Way for Digital Twins
• Control System Upgrades: A Strategic Investment in Line Longevity
• Upgrading a Legacy Controls System
• Strategies and Preparation for a Controls Upgrade
• Engineering Strategies to Improve OEE