We’ll continue where we left off in the previous blog. We’ve instantiated a Vlv_1Ctrl CM and added the 2Ctrl, Interlock, and Permit variants to the CM instance. I’d like to make the appropriate interconnections to my valve’s chart, so let’s look at the various options available.

The most obvious method is to open the CFC editor and make interconnections by selecting block IOs. This should be no surprise, it is a completely valid method of addressing IO or interconnecting blocks.

I’ll interconnect my valve’s open feedback limit switch using this method. Navigate to sheet B, page 1 where you’ll find the GSH block. Right-click on PV_In and select ‘Interconnection to Address.’ I’ll search for the device symbol that I previously created in the Symbol Table: ZSO-0101. Selecting the symbol will automatically address the correct memory location for this input: I70.2.

The technological IOs above the chart can save you a bit of time navigating between sheets. It summarizes all the pertinent information for the technological type in one convenient location. For example, if we wanted to use the technological IOs to make the closed feedback limit switch interconnection, we could simply open the appropriate object in the technological tree (GSL in this case), click on the signal we want to interconnect (PV_In), and select New Signal Interconnection. This brings up the same symbol navigator as before, where I’ll select ZSC-0101, the symbol for my valve’s closed limit switch.

The summary view provided by the technological IO editor is a convenient way to make interconnections — although it does not lend itself to bulk engineering. For example, Imagine I had multiple valves to configure. I could open each chart and make these interconnections. I could also leverage the Technological View in Simatic Manager to streamline this process.

In the Technological View, browse to the project hierarchy folder that contains your CM instance. In this case, there is only one CM; however, if you find the interface cluttered, you can apply filters (Filter by Column) to selectively view only the objects you care about. Head to the Signals tab to view the chart IOs. Here, you can quickly assign a symbol to the Signal property for each of the available chart signals.

In addition to addressing IO points, you can make interconnections to Parameters (such as the Interlock and Protect block inputs on the Parameters tab) or modify the default Event texts on the Messages tab.

There are multiple ways to make interconnections on PCS7, and each of them has its place. The Siemens BPCM Library lends itself to bulk engineering via the Technological View. If you’re considering PCS7 for your next process automation project, reach out to us at DMC!

Learn more about DMC’s Siemens Solutions Partnership and contact us for your next project. 

Read part one of this series: Introduction to Siemens Best Practice Control Modules

The post Bulk Engineering with Siemens BPCM in PCS7 appeared first on DMC, Inc..

What is the BPCM?

The Siemens BPCM takes its cue from the S-88 batch model. It aims to give developers a predeveloped and tested library of control modules, the lowest level of the S-88 model. Control modules may reference actual hardware, like valves or motors, or they may consist of a controller and an actuator such as a PID temperature controller and modulating globe valve. The BPCM contains fully developed control modules to address all of the routine equipment and controllers throughout your plant.

Valve Example

Not every valve is identical. Whereas one may be a normally closed air-over-spring valve with no feedback, an adjacent valve may be air-over-air with position feedback on either end of its stroke. The BPCM recognizes there is no one-size-fits-all valve prototype and it also eases a developer’s pain by providing variants on the control module to account for these differences.

Drag a Vlv_1Ctrl object from the library into your project hierarchy to create an instance of the control module type and give the object a unique and meaningful name. In this case, the valve I’ve created corresponds to YZ-0101 on my P&ID, so I’ll run with that. By right clicking on the object, you’ll see the option to define CM Variants:

Variants are optional ways you can modify the behavior of the CM type. Below, you can see I’ve selected the 2Ctrl, Interlock, and Permit variants. These variants will create additional blocks on this instance of the Vlv_1Ctrl object – namely, it will create Pcs7DiOu blocks to control the valve in either direction (open vs. close) as well as provide Intlk08 blocks that I can use for my valve interlocks and permissive.

With just a few clicks, we’ve created all of the required blocks to configure our valve. From here, we can configure the connections for our CM with either the Technology view (great for bulk engineering) or on the CM’s chart in the Continuous Function Chart editor.

It’s always better to let the tools do the work for you — in this case, the Siemens BPCM Library is an essential tool to developing consistent, manageable code in Siemens PCS7. If you’re considering PCS7 for your next process automation project, reach out to us at DMC!

Learn more about DMC’s Siemens Solutions Partnership and contact us for your next project. 

Read part two of this series: Bulk Engineering with Siemens BCPM in PCS7

The post Introduction to Siemens Best Practice Control Modules appeared first on DMC, Inc..

Part of the process of equipping the Mobile Worker with the tools they need to successfully execute their job is integrating mobile platforms for them to interface with the processes.

In the case of the MxD Testbed, we are using PCS neo, Siemens' new, completely web-based DCS platform, along with several other web-based applications, such as Siemens' MES platform Opcenter. To maintain security while using a web-based application, both PCS neo and Opcenter use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates.

In one of our demo's applications, we used a Siemens SIPIX tablet to connect to our Testbed via a Siemens SCALANCE wireless access point. The SIPIX tablet runs a Windows OS, so it was straightforward to join to our local domain and automatically receive the required certificates from our Certificate Authority; however, when coming to the off-the-shelf iPad, it required a little more work to integrate.

Integrating an iPad

Because an iPad is an iOS device, it can't fully join a Windows domain and automatically integrate into our Certificate Authority; however, we can still request a certificate from our Certificate Authority to trust as a root certificate.

First, open Safari on the iPad and go to http://<your-certificate-authority>/certsrv. You will be prompted to enter domain credentials.

After logging in, you'll be presented with a generic splash screen with some options. Select "Download a CA certificate." 

This will take you to a certificate request page. On this page, select "Install this CA Certificate."

You may be prompted to enter a password when installing. After the installation, you will have a new "profile" available on your iOS device.

Go to Settings > General > Profile to view the installed profile.

Drill down into the downloaded profile and install the root certificate. This will require you to enter the device’s password.

Now that the root certificate is installed, you will need to enable full trust for that root certificate. In settings, go to General > About > Certificate Trust Settings and enable the newly installed certificate authority.

Once everything is complete, you should be able to browse to any of your associated web-based applications without any issues. As you can see below, we were able to fully interface and operate with our Siemens PCS neo DCS and Opcenter MES.

Learn more about DMC’s Siemens Solutions Partnership and contact us for your next project. 

The post PCS neo on iPads appeared first on DMC, Inc..