It integrates 16 digital inputs, 16 digital outputs, 4 analog inputs, and 1 analog output, plus a built-in 24 V DC power supply, so it runs a small machine or sub-system without needing separate I/O modules or an external power supply module — a single backplane connection and it's live. The 32 KB working memory handles the logic for a modest standalone application or a distributed station under MPI communication.
The 16 digital inputs and 16 digital outputs are wired via two 40-pin front connectors — the same pinout as other S7-300 CPUs with that connector count, so a pre-wired panel that used a 314 or 315 with 40-pin connectors can swap this CPU in without re-terminating the field wiring. The 4 analog inputs and 1 analog output cover the typical mix of 0-10 V or 4-20 mA signals for a small process skid or a compact machine with a few transducers and a single analog setpoint. The integrated 24 V DC supply powers the CPU and its backplane bus; it does not power the field I/O loops, which need their own 24 V DC source from the panel supply.