C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)
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Engineering Guidelines on S7-GRAPH Coexistence and Virtualization in SIMATIC PCS 7 Multiprojects

Engineering Guidelines on S7-GRAPH Coexistence and Virtualization in SIMATIC PCS 7 Multiprojects

Installing S7-GRAPH directly on a SIMATIC PCS 7 Engineering Station is officially unsupported by Siemens. While S7-GRAPH may technically install over the underlying STEP 7 V5.5 software layer, mixing discrete machine engineering tools with PCS 7 risks compiler corruption, unsupported upgrade deadlocks, and voided technical support. In multiprojects containing both PCS 7 controllers (e.g. CPU 410-5H) and classic STEP 7 controllers (e.g. S7-300 with S7-GRAPH), engineers must isolate the engineering environments using dedicated VMware virtual machines or dual-boot partitions, or migrate the machine logic into native PCS 7 SFC and CFC architectures.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Industrial manufacturing facilities frequently operate hybrid automation environments where large continuous process units governed by SIMATIC PCS 7 (utilizing high-capacity controllers such as the CPU 410-5H or S7-400H) interface with discrete packaging machines or auxiliary skids controlled by SIMATIC S7-300 or S7-1500 controllers. In such facilities, engineers frequently consolidate all automation stations into a single SIMATIC Manager Multiproject. When an S7-300 program relies on S7-GRAPH for machine sequence logic, engineers often attempt to install S7-GRAPH directly onto the PCS 7 Engineering Station (ES). While the setup installer may succeed due to the presence of STEP 7 V5.5, this combination creates an unsupported and brittle software configuration. This guide analyzes the architectural conflicts and presents compliant engineering architectures.

Software Architecture: Why PCS 7 Replaces S7-GRAPH with SFC

SIMATIC PCS 7 is not merely a collection of individual engineering tools; it is a tightly integrated process control system with a unified database architecture:

  • S7-GRAPH Design Scope: S7-GRAPH was developed as an optional software package for classic STEP 7 machine automation. It compiles into standalone function blocks (FBs) with separate instance DBs executed in OB1. It lacks automated Plant Hierarchy mapping, dynamic OS message routing, and native WinCC faceplate integration.
  • PCS 7 SFC Design Scope: PCS 7 completely supersedes S7-GRAPH through SFC (Sequential Function Chart) and SFC Types. SFC is natively embedded within the Continuous Function Chart (CFC) editor, interfaces directly with technological APL blocks, generates hierarchical WinCC faceplates automatically, and integrates with SIMATIC BATCH for ISA-88 recipe execution.
  • Catalog Incompatibility: In the Siemens PCS 7 setup configurator, S7-GRAPH is intentionally grayed out and blocked from installation.

Technical Risks of Installing S7-GRAPH on a PCS 7 Engineering Station

Forcing the installation of S7-GRAPH (e.g. S7-GRAPH V5.3 SP7) on a PCS 7 ES introduces severe technical liabilities:

  1. Software Dependency Deadlocks: A specific release of S7-GRAPH is tied to an exact STEP 7 build. Applying a PCS 7 update bundle or hotfix updates STEP 7 components, which can break S7-GRAPH internal DLLs without warning.
  2. Database Schema Corruption: S7-GRAPH writes block cross-references into the STEP 7 database using algorithms that do not account for the PCS 7 Plant Hierarchy, risking compilation failures during OS server compilation.
  3. Vendor Support Disqualification: Siemens Technical Support strictly disallows mixed PCS 7 and standalone STEP 7 engineering tool installations on the same operating system instance; any support request involving an unreleased tool combination will be rejected.

Evaluating Multiprojects Containing Both S7-400/CPU 410 and S7-300 Systems

While SIMATIC Manager permits placing an S7-300 station alongside an S7-400 in the same Multiproject, their operating philosophies are fundamentally disparate:

  • The S7-400/CPU 410 station utilizes PCS 7 driver generators, CFC charts, SFC, and automated OS compilation.
  • The S7-300 station relies on manual DB addresses, LAD/FBD/STL, S7-GRAPH, and manually mapped WinCC tags.
  • Attempting to maintain both toolchains within a single desktop environment inevitably leads to configuration drift.

Recommended Architecture 1: Virtualized Engineering Stations (VMware)

The industry-standard, fully supported solution for managing hybrid facilities is workstation virtualization:

  1. Host PC: A high-performance industrial engineering workstation running a supported 64-bit Windows operating system.
  2. VM 1 (PCS 7 Engineering): A dedicated VMware Workstation / ESXi virtual machine containing exclusively the certified SIMATIC PCS 7 software suite (e.g. PCS 7 V8.1 SP1 / V9.1) and plant libraries.
  3. VM 2 (Classic Machine Engineering): A separate virtual machine containing classic STEP 7 V5.5, S7-GRAPH, S7-SCL, and WinCC Flexible for maintaining the S7-300 machine skids.
  4. License Management: SIMATIC Automation License Manager (ALM) on the host PC shares floating licenses across both virtual machines over a virtual network adapter.

Recommended Architecture 2: Complete Migration to Native PCS 7 SFC/CFC

For long-term operational excellence, the ideal engineering path is architectural modernization:

  • Migrate Logic to PCS 7: Translate S7-GRAPH steps and transitions into native PCS 7 SFC Charts or SFC Types.
  • Controller Modernization: Replace the standalone S7-300 controller with an ET 200M or ET 200SP distributed I/O station connected directly to the central PCS 7 CPU 410-5H controller via PROFINET or PROFIBUS DP.
  • Unified HMI: Eliminate fragmented machine panels and integrate all control sequences into native WinCC APL faceplates.

Coexistence and Migration Strategy Matrix

The following table compares architectural approaches for handling S7-GRAPH within PCS 7 facilities:

Engineering ApproachVendor Support StatusSystem StabilityMaintenance OverheadRecommended Application ScenarioDirect Install on PCS 7 ESUnsupported (Voided support)High risk of compiler crashesHigh; hotfixes break toolchainNever recommended in production plantsDual-Boot PartitionsFully supportedHigh stability (Full isolation)Moderate; requires PC rebootField laptops with limited RAMVirtualization (VMware VMs)Fully supported by SiemensHigh stability; snapshot backupsLow; simultaneous accessStandard engineering office / plant ESMigration to Native PCS 7 SFCFully supported (Standard PCS 7)Optimal performance and diagnosticsLowest long-term lifecycle costPlant modernization and revamping projects

Verification

To verify the integrity and stability of the segregated engineering architecture:

  1. Virtual Machine Isolation: Confirm that VM 1 contains zero S7-GRAPH registry keys and compiles PCS 7 CFC and SFC charts with 0 errors.
  2. Communication Link Test: In NetPro, verify that the S7 connection between the S7-300 controller and the WinCC OS Server is active and green without diagnostic alarms.
  3. Sequence Operation: In VM 2, open S7-GRAPH online and monitor machine step progression. Confirm that changes compiled in VM 2 download to the S7-300 without impacting S7-400 / CPU 410 process execution.

Preventive Software Maintenance and Lifecycle Recommendations

To maintain compliant software configurations across engineering teams:

  • Consult the Siemens Compatibility Tool: Always check software package compatibility via the official Siemens Compatibility Tool (Kompatibilitäts-Tool) before installing add-ons on an engineering station.
  • Implement Baseline VM Snapshots: Create baseline VMware snapshots before applying any SIMATIC software updates or hotfixes.
  • Establish Multiproject Partitioning: Keep classic STEP 7 projects in a separate project container if they do not share common cross-controller communication blocks.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Never download an S7-GRAPH block into an S7-400 CPU running a PCS 7 program. S7-GRAPH blocks do not integrate with the PCS 7 operating system executive (OB100/OB8x) and can trigger CPU cycle time exceedance (OB80).

When planning software licensing, virtualization host sizing, or controller migration equipment schedules, all software packages and hardware components must be validated against official Siemens catalogs and confirmed through an authorized Siemens distributor quotation.

Engineer FAQ

Can S7-GRAPH sequences generate PCS 7 WinCC faceplates?

No. S7-GRAPH does not integrate with the PCS 7 OS Compilation wizard and cannot generate automatic PCS 7 faceplates or group displays.

Why does the PCS 7 installer block S7-GRAPH?

PCS 7 is designed around CFC and SFC. S7-GRAPH uses an architectural model that conflicts with the PCS 7 driver and hierarchy system.

Can I run SIMATIC Manager on both the host and VM simultaneously?

Yes, provided they access separate projects and use valid floating licenses served by Automation License Manager.

What is the equivalent of an S7-GRAPH sequence in PCS 7?

The direct equivalent is an SFC Chart (for standalone unit control) or an SFC Type (for reusable, parameterized multi-instance sequences).

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