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11/25/2014 2:08 PM | |
Posts: 1 Rating: (0) |
We are doing a PROFIBUS Process Plant, we would like to know in detail what is PCS7 and how it works. Can it communicate to any instrument? |
11/25/2014 8:12 PM | |
Joined: 6/23/2008 Last visit: 9/10/2024 Posts: 1168 Rating: (282) |
Hello, It's difficult to describe in detail here what PCS7 is and how it works. Ok, I will start answering, maybe some others will also give some information... PCS7 is a DCS (Distributed Control System) and Process Control System. You don't need to be a real programmer but of course it can be an advantage. You can create your control functions with the grafical editor CFC by placing function blocks in CFC and interconnect the blocks in/outputs to each other. PCS7 comes with plenty libraries for blocks and a lot of templates for all common purposes. You can also write your own blocks for CFC, i.e. with SCL. PCS7 consists of to parts; The part for creating the software for the controllers (CFC for example) and the part for creating an Operator Station (process visualization, HMI). There is a very good editor for creating graphics and the dynamic objects needed to show the process status are generated by the system. You can modify everything what is generated for the Operator Station (OS)and you can customize a lot of properties influencing the apearance. You could also create your own objects.Also for the OS no programming skills are reqiured but can be an advantage because ANSI C and VBS are supported. When it comes to your question "Can it communicate to any instrument?", the answer gets more complicated; Because of the context of PROFIBUS in your thread I assume that you talk about connecting instruments to PCS7 via PROFIBUS PA. For that purpose you could purchase the option SIMATIC PDM. SIMATIC PDM gives you the possibility to parameterise the instruments from an integrated tool. SIMATIC PDM comes with a huge catalog (EDDs = Electronic Device Description) for SIMATIC PDM. There are the most devices available on the market included in this catalog. If they are not included you usally can download the nesessary EDD from the vendors homepage. All PA devices can communicate with a PCS7 controller. When it comes to motor control systems like inverters, softstarters or control devices for direct starters wich should be connected via PROFIBUS DPit depends an your requirements. In general every device with an PROFIBUS interface can be used in PCS7. It is more a question how convienient you would like to implent those devices or how "PCS7 like" the implementation should be. For a lot of Siemens devices you can order an additional library. In that case the implementation is very easy and you will benefit from the full PCS7 diagnosis concept. When you are using devices not from Siemens you need to ask the vendor of that device if there is any library for PCS7 available. If not, you can still use it. Either you write your own driver blocks for that device with fully PCS7 support or you dispense on full PCS7 support and use it like in Step7. For some impressions regarding PCS7 have a look at this site: http://w3.siemens.com/mcms/process-control-systems/en/distributed-control-system-simatic-pcs-7/Pages/distributed-control-system-simatic-pcs-7.aspx Best Regards, mark |
"Expert" does not necessarily mean Siemens employee. Please cross-check your requirements always with official Siemens documentation. Also "Experts" are pleased about feedback. Please don't send support requests as PM. Questioners who don't follow up their thread will be put to my list of users to be ignored. |
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