ROUND UP
P
re-planning is a decisive phase in the engineering
process. It involves developing concepts for technical
machinery and plant design and estimating initial volumes
of project data.
The new Eplan Platform 2.3 breaks new ground in this
‘key phase’ for innovative designs. Whether it is graphical
overviews, placeholders for functions, initial project data
for drives, sensors and PLC inputs/ outputs, or parts lists
for calculations - comprehensive pre-planning tasks can be
processed directly in the
Eplan
Platform.
The subsequent enclosure production and detailed
design of the system is based on this comprehensive data
- without new data entry or transfer from other systems.
Users can benefit from very easy entry into this new plan-
ning method based on the Eplan Platform.This additional
integration allows you to increase data consistency and
project quality. At the same time, it reduces the cost of the
project development process.
The central dialogue in the Eplan Platform is the new
pre-planning navigator. In this dialogue, the defined seg-
ments for pre-planning are displayed and administered
within the project.
The use of pre-planningmacros, and copying andmoving
existing segments by drag and dropmakes it quick and easy
to create and edit machine/ plant structures. Alternatively,
the CAE software has the option of working directly in the
graphical editor for pre-planning. The data defined at the
pre-planning stage can be output in report form and used,
for example, for parts lists or for calculating prices and
labour.The process is integrative.
Based on the pre-planning in the navigator, the next
phase of configuration involves deriving and producing
the detailed plan, ie the schematic, using drag & drop. As
a further alternative for data entry, the pre-planning option
incorporates a comprehensive import functionality allowing
data to be exported into Eplan from Excel spreadsheets.
This means that information from other planning depart-
ments can be taken into consideration. Using the import
function pre-planning structures can also be generated
automatically.
Enquiries: Email
.
co.za.
S
iemens
is introducing three new communication modules CP 1243-1,
CP 1243-1 DNP3 and CP 1243-1 IEC for Simatic S7-1200 and two mobile
wireless routers Scalance M874-2 and Scalance M874-3 with which remote
terminal units (RTUs) can be economically implemented.
The CP 1243-1 module is based on theTelecontrol Basic telecontrol sys-
tem, which is designed for simple applications and small data volumes.The
CP 1243-1 DNP3 and CP 1243-1 IEC communication modules can establish
the connections according to the DNP3 and IEC 60870-5-104 telecontrol
protocols.They use the comprehensiveTelecontrol Professional telecontrol
system for demanding monitoring and control tasks. Due to their compact
design, the communication modules can be seamlessly installed alongside
the Simatic S7-1200 controller.To connect new modules to second-gener-
ation mobile wireless networks (GSM, GPRS, and EDGE), Siemens offers
the Scalance M874-2 industrial router.The Scalance M874-3 variant estab-
lishes links over third-generation networks (UMTS).The user can optionally
also connect routers and modules for LTE mobile wireless networks, the
Internet, or serial point-to-point links to the new communication modules.
Industrial routers or modems are connected to the new communication
modules via an Ethernet interface. The new communication modules are
configured and parameterized in Step 7 Basic, an engineering tool within
theTIA Portal. Users can set parameters for setpoints and alarms quickly
and simply in Step 7 Basic.
The modular structure comprising the control, communication module,
and industrial router and modem enables users to implement economical
and space-saving RTUs designed for the specific application. All variants
of the new communication module for Simatic S7-1200 transmit measured
values, setpoints, and alarms between the RTUs and control centre both
cyclically and under event control.
Enquiries: Keshin Govender. Email
.
Integration of pre-planning
and detail engineering
Economical remote
connection of controls using
a communication module
Control systems and automation
Electricity+Control
December ‘13
12
