What limits the maximum number of outputs allowed per network in a Step 7 program?

The maximum number of outputs allowed per network in a Step 7 program is primarily determined by memory size constraints. Step 7 operates under the limitation of the memory available within the hardware configuration being used. Each network in a Step 7 program requires memory to store its configuration, logic, and data variables. Therefore, as more outputs are added to a network, more memory is consumed. When the available memory is exhausted, no further outputs can be added to that network due to insufficient capacity.

While other factors, such as the physical connection limitations and software design restrictions, may play a role in practical scenarios, they do not directly limit the number of outputs in the way that memory size does. Physical connections may dictate how many devices can be wired into a system, but they are not a hard limit in terms of programming. Similarly, software design may influence the structure or efficiency of a program, but it does not impose a strict maximum on output quantities directly linked to network size within the program framework. Therefore, memory size is the critical factor that sets the definitive limit.