convert SCL or another Siemens programming language directly into CFC?

Hi Stefan,

If you compile a SCL source, a FB or FC is created (depends on the SCL source). After compiling, the Blocks folder is updated and your new FB or FC block is generated. 

You can now open CFC editor and drag the FB/FC block to CFC. A block is displayed with all the inputs and outputs you configured.

The only way you can make it easier for yourself is using the Control Module Type concept or using the old way: Process Tag Types. PTT like CMT must be created once and then you can generate instances of them. With PTT you use the Import Export Assistent which is Excel like. You can fill in all defined parameters so you can configure each instance with it's own parameters. After generating, your instances 10,100,1000x are generated in PCS7 project.

The newer concept is Control Module Types. You still have to develop a type. That is the minimal requirement of you want to bulk engineer a project.

Goodmorning!,

OK, here we go:

There are mainly two ways for bulk engineering of PCS7 projects.

The most important thing to do is to create a Master library, where you place all the blocks, sources and stuff you need for a project. The library can be used on other projects as well. Also, whenever there is an update of the PCS7 installation, blocks can be changed on the ES installation, meaning the blocks in the project change as well. If you use a library, you determine when to update them and distribute over the projects.

A typical PCS7 project is a multiproject which contains several subprojects. Mainly one subproject for each AS and a subproject for all clients and a subproject for all servers. This has an advantage that you can distribute them easily when several engineers are working on the project, or in case of multi-engineering.

What you want to do is the following: A typical control module, for example a valve, contains several blocks. You will create a CFC chart (in the master library) with those blocks and interconnect them properly: 

- Feedback open driver

- Feedback close driver

- Valve block

- Open command driver

- Interlock block

You can give the CFC chart a name like: "Vlv_Standard". This is going to be a Process Tag Type or Control Module Type. Prefer to use a Control Module Type, because this is the newest concept and has some advantages over Process Tag Types. However, to effectively use the bulk engineering of CMT, you will need a software tool called COMOS or Plant Automation Accelerator. You can also copy CMT to the plant hierarchy of your project, but this will take time

Control Module Types:

CMT is working with the Technology Editor, which can be called in CFC editor. Once the CFC is created, you can drag and drop I/Os for you to use in the type. Whenever an I/O is used on a block (parameters/signals/messages), the block color will change to green and means this IO can be parametrized for each instance. An IO for example is the monitoring time of the valve. For instance x1, the time must be 10sec and for instance x2, the time must be 5 sec. With one of the software tools, you can parametrize each instance and thus create x-amount of instances.

The advantage of CMT over PTT is that CMT are better synchronized in case of changes and you can create Variants. A variant means that you have your CMT type and in the CMT you can configure the blocks as variants. We created the valve with two feedback drivers, but we can make a variant, for example a valve with a feedback close signal only. The advantage over PTT is that we don't have to create another CFC chart. With one of the software tools, you can create all of the Control Modules and import them into the PCS7 project. 

Process Tag Types is the old concept, but works in the same manner mostly. You create the CFC chart again and you will configure the chart as PTT. Whenever you do, you can select give the PTT a name and select IOs you want to parametrize. When you selected the IOs, an excel like editor (Import-Export assistant) is opened displaying columns with each IO you selected. When you create a new line, you create an instance. You can enter the plant hierarchy location, the name of the tag, and also the monitoring time you selected as IO. 

When you created all the instances, you can import them in the PCS7 project and voila, all instances you entered are created. The disadvantage of PTT is that they are not synchronized. If you make changes to a PTT instance (Process Tag), you cannot create it again with the IEA tool.

So, you will have to create a library containing several Control Module Types or Process Tag Types-> A motor, a valve, a PID controller etc. Whenever the type has been configured, you can create instances of it. The instances are then used in the project, each with the correct tagname and I/O signals and configured parameters.

Using CMT takes more time then creating a PTT, but if the template is good, you have a big advantage over PTT. 

See the following manual about CMT and a quick comparison between CMT and PTT. The link also provides a example library which you can use free of charge. The library is quitte good, so I suggest you will use this as a template for you to start with.

Control Module Types Technology