The modularity and flexibility of SIMATIC Route Control are optimally supported by the hardware available. The SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstations from the "Industrial Workstation/IPC" section can be used for SIMATIC Route Control.

Hardware for small plants

For small plants, SIMATIC Route Control can be installed either alone or together with the OS software on a single station system. You can select the hardware for this OS/RC single station from the section "Industrial Workstation/IPC", subsection "SIMATIC Rack PC".

Client/server configuration

Distributed multi-user systems with client-server architecture are typical for the automation of material transports with SIMATIC Route Control. Basically it is possible to operate an RC Server, Batch Server and OS Server on shared basic hardware. However, availability will be higher and performance better if each component has its own server hardware. The availability of the RC server can be increased further by a redundant design of the server hardware. SIMATIC PCS 7 supports a Route Control server or pair of Route Control servers for each multi-user system.

The Route Control client (RC Client) is represented by the Route Control Center (RCC). The RCC can be installed on an OS Client, a Batch Client or separate client hardware.

System connection

RC server and OS/RC single stations can be connected to the Industrial Ethernet plant bus via a CP 1613 A2/1623/1628 communication module or via a simple Fast Ethernet network adapter with BCE (suitable for communication with up to 8 automation systems; not redundant systems).

The IE versions of the SIMATIC PCS 7 Workstation for single stations and servers are equipped with a CP 1623 communication module with the SIMATIC NET HARDNET?IE S7 communications software. When using redundant automation systems, the SIMATIC PCS 7 workstation requires SIMATIC NET HARDNET?IE S7?REDCONNECT communications software instead of the SIMATIC NET HARDNET?IE S7 communication software. The SIMATIC NET HARDNET?IE S7?REDCONNECT PowerPack is suitable for upgrading the communications software (for ordering data, see section "Communication", section "Industrial Ethernet, System Connection of PCS 7 systems").

Redundancy

The SIMATIC Route Control Server software supports the RC server redundancy. Further software components or a separate connection between the two servers as is the case with the OS server redundancy or batch server redundancy are not required.

With the assistance of the SIMATIC Route Control Server software, the two redundant RC servers carry out mutual monitoring during operation. If the active RC server fails, the redundant partner immediately becomes the master and takes over operation. The RC clients are automatically switched over to the new master in this case. Following the return of the failed RC server, data matching is carried out with the active RC server with the latter remaining the master.

For information and components for the redundant bus connection (plant bus and terminal bus), see "Communication" chapter, "Industrial Ethernet" section and "System connection of PCS 7 systems".

Expansion options

OS/RC single stations and RC clients can be optionally expanded for multi-monitor mode with up to 4 monitors. Using multi-monitor mode, the visualization of a plant/unit can be divided among 2 to 4 process monitors per operator station using different views. These plant sections can all be operated using just one keyboard and one mouse.

Note:

Since all messages from SIMATIC Route Control are processed in the operator system's message system, it is not necessary to use a signal module.

Requirements for selection of the automation systems

SIMATIC Route Control supports standard automation systems, fault-tolerant and safety-related automation systems of the S7-400 range based on to the following CPU types:

• CPU 416-3 (up to 30 simultaneous material transports)
• CPU 410?5H, CPU 417?4 and CPU 417?4H (up to 300 simultaneous material transports)