Integrating S7 Devices into the Management Platform Using N to 1 Mapping

 

Scenario: You want to install S7 devices into the management platform using N to 1 Mapping.

 

Reference: For general information on S7, see the reference section.

 

Workflow diagram:

 

Prerequisites:

  • An active S7 driver license is available in the Licensed Products tab in the License Management Utility (LMU). .
  • You have the software distribution containing the S7 extension module.
  • You have installed S7 and added it to the project using SMC
  • The System Manager is in Engineering mode.
  • Ensure that you have configured the PG/PC interface.
  • You have customized the S7 library according to your customization levels.

 

Steps:

1 – Create Object Models
  1. Create a CSV file with details of object models and their properties.
  1. Select Project > System Settings > Libraries > Simatic S7 > Object Model.
  1. Click the Import tab.
  1. Click Browse.
  • The File Open dialog box displays.
  1. Select the CSV file with details of the object models and click OK.
  • The CSV file is pre-processed and validated. If the file is valid and has all the required parameters, the entries in the file are listed in the Source Items list. In case of any discrepancies, an error message displays in the Preimport File Log dialog box. You can access this dialog box by clicking the Analysis Log button.
  1. Select the items to import from the list of items displayed in the Source Items list.
  1. Click to import.
  • The selected items are transferred to the Items to Import list.
  1. Click Import.
  • A confirmation message displays asking if you want to import the selected items.
  1. Click Yes.
  • The import procedure begins and a progress bar displays.
  • When the import completes successfully, the Import dialog box displays a summary of the import information.
  1. Click OK.
  1. Set the ManagedType for the imported object model:
  • Select the imported object model, if not already selected.
  • Click the Models and Functions tab.
  • In the Main expander, select the Managed type as S7DataPoint.
  • Click Save .
  • The Object Model is created below the Object Model folder.

 

2 – Create and Configure a CSV File
  • The properties of the object model to which you want to assign the address are specified in the [Property] field in the [POINTS] section of the CSV. For more information, see N to 1 Mapping in Format of the CSV Data.
  • Create the CSV file at any location on your hard drive and thereafter modify the information present in the [DEVICES] and [POINTS] sections as per your device configuration.
  • Save the CSV file.

 

3 – Create and Start the S7 Driver
  1. In System Browser, select Management View.
  1. Select Project > Management System > Servers > Main Server > Drivers.
  • Object Configurator displays.
  1. Click New Object and select New S7 DRIVER.
  • When the Create New Object dialog box displays, the Child type is pre-defined to S7 Driver, and the Name and Description fields are pre-defined to S7 Driver_n and S7 Driver n respectively, where 'n' represents the count of the number of drivers in the system.
  1. Click OK.
  • The new S7 driver object appears in the System Browser below the Drivers node.
  1. Select the S7 Driver node.
  1. Select the Extended Operation tab and navigate to the Status property.
  1. Click Start to start the driver. You may need to enlarge the pane to access the buttons that are located on the right side of the pane.
  • The Status property changes to Started to indicate the the driver has started.

NOTE:
You must not delete the driver if it is monitoring a network.

 

4 – Create the S7 Network and associate it with the S7 Driver
  1. In System Browser, select Management View.
  1. Select Project > Field Networks.
  • Object Configurator displays.
  1. Click New Object and select New S7 Network.
  • The Create New Object dialog box displays with Child type pre-defined to New S7 Network.
  1. Do the following:
    a. Enter a name and description.
    b. Click OK.
  • The New S7 Network node appears in the System Browser.
  1. Select the New S7 Network and thereafter select the S7 tab.
  1. Open the Device Information expander.
  1. From the Monitored by driver drop-down list, select the S7 driver you want associated with the network.
  1. Click Save .
  • The driver is associated with the network. If you need to modify the driver after the association is saved, you must select the empty space in the Monitored by driver drop-down list and click Save . This disassociates the driver with the network. However, if there are devices present below the network, then you cannot disassociate the driver with the network.

NOTE:
You can delete a S7 network by selecting the network and then clicking Delete . However, you cannot delete the network while an import is in progress.

 

5 – Import S7 Devices to the Management Station
  • The S7 network is available.
  • An S7 driver is created and linked to the network.
  • No background processes, such as project backup or BACnet discovery, are in progress.
  1. In System Browser, select Management View.
  1. Select Project > Field Networks > [S7 Network].
  1. Select the Import tab.
  1. Click Browse.
  • The File Open dialog box displays.
  1. Select the CSV file and click OK.
  • The CSV file is pre-processed and validated. If the file is valid and has all the required parameters, the entries in the file are listed in the Source Items list. In case of any discrepancies, an error message displays in the Preimport File Log dialog box. You can access this dialog box by clicking the Analysis Log button.
  1. Select the items to import from the list of items displayed in the Source Items list. If the list of items is long, you can filter the items by using the Search field. Once you have your list of filtered items, you can remove the applied filter by deleting the text.
  1. Click to import.
  • The selected items are transferred to the Items to Import list.
    NOTE: To return the items from the Items to Import list to the Source Items list, click .
  1. (Optional) Select the Delete unselected items from the views option only if, during the import, you want to remove from the views any items that are not present in the file to import. For example, you can use this option when there is some pre-existing data in the system for that view, but you do not want to retain it.
  1. Click Import.
  • A confirmation message displays asking if you want to import the selected items.
  1. Click Yes.
  • The import procedure begins and a progress bar displays.
  • When the import completes successfully, the Import dialog box displays a summary of the import information.
  1. Click OK.
  1. (Optional) Click the Import Log button to view a log of the import process.
  • The devices are created below the S7 network.

NOTE:
If after selecting a file to import, you decide to change your selection, a message box displays and informs you that selecting another file will clear all items that are displayed in the Source Items list and confirms if you want to proceed. Click Yes if you want to continue. The Source Items list is cleared. Click No to abort the change of selection. The Source Items list is not cleared.