Engineering system

The engineering system of the SIMATIC PCS 7 process control system is based on the high-performance SIMATIC PCS7 Industrial Workstation, which can be used either in office applications or in industrial environments.

The engineering software run on this hardware can be optimally matched to different customer requirements and tasks. The basic functionality defined by the standard engineering software can be optionally expanded depending on the project-specific task and its implementation.

The software licenses provided for the engineering system can be used to configure two system variants for different applications areas:

• Classic, dedicated engineering station
  allows in addition to engineering a 2-hour OS test mode, but no productive operation as an operator station
• Combined engineering/operator station for small applications
  allows in addition to engineering also process control for small plants in productive operation

The architecture of the Engineering System depends on how the SIMATIC PCS 7 project is processed:

• Locally, on a central Engineering Station
• In the engineering network (concurrent engineering)

Central Engineering Station

Hardware platform for the central Engineering Station is the SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstation for ES/OS single station. This is based on a SIMATIC IPC of Rack PC design which is prepared for installation in 19" rack systems. Two variants are available for communication link to the Industrial Ethernet plant bus:

• Communication over BCE
  Connection to plant bus with 10/100/1 000 Mbps RJ45 network adapter and Basic Communication Ethernet (BCE) for communication with up to 8 automation systems (no redundancy stations)
• Communication over Industrial Ethernet
  Connection to plant bus with CP 1623/1628 communications module for communication with up to 64 automation systems

Two onboard 10/100/1 000 Mbps Ethernet RJ45 ports are available for connecting to the terminal bus.

The Microsoft Windows 10 operating system and the SIMATIC PCS 7 engineering software for AS/OS are pre-installed on the SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstation on delivery. The scope of performance of the pre-installed SIMATIC PCS 7 engineering software is defined by installation of the purchased software licenses.

Engineering network

With concurrent engineering in an engineering network, the project is localized on one of the participating Engineering Stations, the "Project server". The Engineering Stations working as "project clients" can access the project server data over LAN/WAN. Every Engineering Station in the network (project server/client) is able to download configuration data to a SIMATIC PCS 7 subsystem provided it has the required communication connections.

In this architecture, it is sensible to install the project server on a SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstation for OS servers. The Microsoft Windows Server operating system and the SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Software server are pre-installed on this when delivered (scaling/expansion of SIMATIC PCS 7 installation required).

Two variants are also available for the communication link to the Industrial Ethernet plant bus with the SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstation for OS servers:

• Communication over BCE
  Connection to plant bus with 10/100/1 000 Mbps RJ45 network adapter and Basic Communication Ethernet (BCE) for communication with up to 8 automation systems (no redundancy stations)
• Communication over Industrial Ethernet
  Connection to plant bus with CP 1623/1628 communications module for communication with up to 64 automation systems

With the SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstation for ES/OS single stations, you can use the same hardware platform for the project clients as for the central Engineering Station.

Configuration can be made easier by multi-monitor mode with up to 4 process monitors, both for a central Engineering Station and for individual stations in an engineering network.

See section "Industrial Workstation/IPC" for ordering data and detailed information on the scope of delivery and technology of the SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstations as well as available options/expansions.