Configuring PC Stations in Station Configuration Editor and NetPro for OS Downloads

To successfully configure and download a new Operator Station (OS Client or OS Server) in SIMATIC PCS 7, the target PC must be properly set up in the Station Configuration Editor and NetPro. The virtual rack in Station Configuration Editor must contain matching components (WinCC Appl. and IE General) matching the exact hardware configuration in SIMATIC Manager. The yellow/missing connection icon on communication cards in Station Configuration Editor indicates that Named Connections configured in NetPro have not been downloaded. Download the NetPro connection table to the station using 'Selected Stations', and execute OS project download strictly from SIMATIC Manager rather than manually copying project folders.

PC Station Architecture: Virtual Rack and Configured Mode

In SIMATIC PCS 7, Windows PC stations (Engineering Stations, OS Servers, OS Clients, BATCH servers) are engineered as modular virtual racks inside the Station Configuration Editor. The Station Configuration Editor mirrors physical hardware slots inside software:

Slot 1: Reserved for Station Manager.
Slot Slot Index (Variable): Communication network processors (e.g., IE General on Slot 2 or CP 1623 on Slot 4).
Application Slot: HMI and automation runtime applications (e.g., WinCC Appl., WinCC Appl. (Stby), or WinCC Appl. Client).

A communication card operates in one of two modes: PG Mode (unconfigured, using Windows standard TCP/IP) or Configured Mode (managed directly by Siemens communication stacks based on STEP 7 hardware configurations).

Understanding the Connection Plug Icon and Named Connections

Engineers frequently observe that after creating a PC station in Station Configuration Editor, the network card displays a blank icon under the Conn. (Connection) column instead of the green plug icon. This leads to download aborts.

The Conn. plug icon indicates whether Named Connections (S7 fault-tolerant connections configured in NetPro) have been compiled and downloaded to the station. If NetPro connections were never transferred to the PC station, the communication card does not know which AS controllers it is linked to, preventing WinCC from establishing driver communication upon startup.

Configuration Workflow Comparison: Online Download vs XDB Import

The table below contrasts the two official engineering workflows for provisioning a new PC station in SIMATIC PCS 7:

Engineering WorkflowTarget Workstation StateTransfer MechanismBest Practice Use CaseRemote Online Download (Recommended)Target PC connected on terminal bus; Simatic Shell active.SIMATIC Manager -> PLC -> Configure... then PLC -> Download.Standard networked plant environments; fast and automated.Offline XDB File ImportStandalone PC or network restricted by firewalls.HW Config exports *.xdb file; imported via Station Configurator UI.Commissioning isolated PCs or when network routing blocks DCOM.Manual Folder Copy (Windows Explorer)Target PC directoryWindows File CopyProhibited: Bypasses SQL database registration; causes load failure.

Step-by-Step Procedure to Commission a New PC Station

Create and Name PC Station in SIMATIC Manager:
- In Component View, insert a SIMATIC PC Station.
- Rename the PC station to match the exact Windows computer name of the target station (e.g., OS5PC).
Configure Virtual Hardware in HW Config:
- Open HW Config for the PC Station.
- From the catalog, insert WinCC Appl. into Slot 1 (or Slot 3).
- Insert IE General (or CP 1623) into Slot 2. Assign the IP address and connect to the terminal/plant bus subnet.
- Select Station -> Save and Compile.
Configure Named Connections in NetPro:
- Open NetPro: select WinCC Appl. in the PC station grid.
- Insert an S7 connection (or S7 fault-tolerant connection) targeting the automation controller (AS).
- Select Network -> Save and Compile Completely.
Transfer Hardware and Connections to Target PC:
- In SIMATIC Manager, select the PC station -> select PLC -> Configure....
- Select the target computer from accessible stations and click Configure.
- Select PLC -> Download: transfers hardware configuration and NetPro connections.
- Inspect Station Configuration Editor on target PC: confirm that the network card displays the green Conn. plug icon.
Execute OS Project Download:
- Right-click the OS object in SIMATIC Manager -> select PLC -> Download.
- Select Entire OS: the project transfers and registers cleanly.

Verification

Verify PC station readiness through the following checks:
1. Open the Station Configuration Editor on the target PC: confirm that all configured components show status RUN with zero red error crosses.
2. Confirm that the communication card displays the green connection plug icon under the Conn. column.
3. Launch WinCC Explorer on the target station: verify that the project opens, driver connections report status OK, and process values update.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Never attempt to deploy an Operator Station by copying the WinCC project directory (C:\...\wincproj\OS1) from an existing station and pasting it onto a new PC. Manual project cloning bypasses SQL Server registration, duplicates computer names, and invalidates server data packages. Always deploy new stations through SIMATIC Manager using official OS download procedures.