Siemens SIMATIC S5 Handbuch Seite 5

Warning
Risks involved in the use of so-called SIMATIC-compatible modules of
non-Siemens manufacture
"The manufacturer of a product (SIMATIC in this case) is under the general obligation
to give warning of possible risks attached to this product. This obligation has been
extented in recent court rulings to include parts supplied by other vendors. According-
ly, the manufacturer is obliged to observe and recognize such hazards as may arise
when a product is combined with products of other manufacture.
For this reason, we feel obliged to warn our customers who use SIMATIC
products not to install so-called SIMATIC-compatible modules of other manu-
facture in the form of replacement or add-on modules in SIMATIC systems.
Our products undergo a strict quality assurance procedure. We have no knowledge
as to whether outside manufacturers of so-called SIMATIC-compatible modules have
any quality assurance at all or one that is nearly equivalent to ours. These so-called
SIMATIC-compatible modules are not marketed in agreement with Siemens; we have
never recommended the use of so-called SIMATIC-compatible modules of other ma-
nufacture. The advertising of these other manufacturers for so-called SIMATIC-com-
patible modules wrongly creates the impression that the subject advertised in peri-
odicals, catalogues or at exhibitions had been agreed with us. Where so-called SIMA-
TIC-compatible modules of non-Siemens manufacture are combined with our SIMA-
TIC automation systems, we have a case of our product being used contrary to
recommendations. Because of the variety of applications of our SIMATIC automation
systems and the large number of these products marketed wordwide, we cannot give
a concrete description specifically analyzing the hazards created by these so-called
SIMATIC-compatible modules.
It is beyond the manufacturer's capabilities to have all these so-called SIMATIC-
compatible modules checked for their effect on our SIMATIC products. If the use of
so-called SIMATIC-compatible modules leads to defects in a SIMATIC automation
system, no warranty for such systems will be given by Siemens.
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© Siemens AG 1991 C79000-D8563-C702-01