PCS 7/APACS+ OS Engineering Software V8.2 (unlimited PO)

PCS 7/APACS+ OS engineering software (unlimited POs) is available for configuring PCS 7/APACS+ OS engineering stations. The software covers the OS engineering and OS interfacing of the APACS+/QUADLOG controller. It also supports a 2-hour OS runtime test mode. It is, however, not suitable for continuous OS runtime operation during production.

The PCS 7/APACS+ OS engineering software V8.2 comprises the following components:

• SIMATIC PCS 7 AS/OS engineering software V8.2 according to Catalog ST PCS 7, "ES software" section
• PCS 7/APACS+ OS DBA
  Database Engineering Package for the migration of user data
• APACS+ OS Server Channel DLL
  for communication with APACS+/QUADLOG controllers
• PCS 7/APACS+ OS library
  with OS icons and OS faceplates
• OPC Engineering plug-in
  for interfacing third-party controllers (e.g. Allen-Bradley)

Other SIMATIC PCS 7 engineering software must be ordered separately from Catalog ST PCS 7, Section "ES software".

Appropriate basic hardware for a PCS 7/APACS+ engineering station can be found in the section "Industrial Workstation/IPC" of Catalog ST PCS 7.

PCS 7/APACS+ OS DBA

Database Automation (DBA) tool for generation of the PCS 7 OS database

A core component for the PCS 7/APACS+ OS Engineering is the Database Automation PCS 7/APACS+ OS DBA. This automatically generates the OS database with the display hierarchy, required tags, alarm messages and alarm priorities as well as the specific block icons and faceplates from the data of the APACS+/QUADLOG controllers. The display hierarchy is the basis for navigation between the process pictures and for alarm management. PCS 7/APACS+ OS DBA automatically positions the type-specific block icons, e.g. for controllers or analog inputs (AI), in the generated process pictures. These block icons are linked to the associated function blocks and faceplates through the database. Manual configuration is mainly limited to the design and positioning of the static graphic elements, for example, tubes or tanks.

APACS+ OS Server Channel DLL

The APACS+ OS server channel DLL implements reliable communication with the APACS+/QUADLOG controllers using an original SIMATIC PCS 7 driver, and simultaneously permits communication with the AS 41x controllers by dual channel. It supports the Industrial Ethernet interfacing of APACS+/QUADLOG controllers using the CP 1613/CP 1623 communications module in conjunction with the Industrial Ethernet Module IEM, as well as direct connection to the MBUS using an APACS+/QUADLOG MBI PCI card.

PCS 7/APACS+ OS library

The PCS 7/APACS+ OS library contains the following types of symbols and faceplates:

The PCS 7/APACS+ OS icons and faceplates developed in line with the SIMATIC PCS 7 standard take into account the special properties of the APACS+/QUADLOG controllers.

OPC engineering plug-in

An additional component in DBA enables engineering of OPC connections to any third-party systems, e.g. for interfacing Allen-Bradley controllers. In addition to process values, this can be used to also integrate messages and alarms from third-party systems into the PCS 7 OS database. Analogous to APACS+, the OPC component supports automatic generation of the OS plant hierarchy as well as positioning of the corresponding block icons. The engineering overhead for integrating third-party systems can thus be drastically reduced.