Integrating ABB ACS800 Drives and System 800xA Interfaces in SIMATIC PCS 7

Integrating an 'ABB 800' system with SIMATIC PCS 7 depends on whether the target equipment is an ABB ACS800 variable frequency drive or an ABB System 800xA distributed control system (DCS). For ABB ACS800 drives, integration is achieved over PROFIBUS DP or PROFINET by installing the manufacturer GSD/GSDML file, configuring PPO telegrams in HW Config, and encapsulating the peripheral words into a reusable CFC Chart-in-Chart or Control Module Type (CMT) wired to APL 'MotSpdCL'. For ABB System 800xA DCS-to-DCS communication, exchange process values and alarms via OPC DA/UA using OpenPCS 7, or deploy standard industrial protocol gateways such as Modbus TCP over CP 443-1.

Executive Summary

Process facilities frequently encounter integration requests referring broadly to 'ABB 800' control within a SIMATIC PCS 7 environment. This ambiguity typically refers to one of two completely distinct automation architectures: integrating field-level ABB ACS800 Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) into PCS 7 controllers, or interconnecting an existing ABB System 800xA DCS with a PCS 7 plant bus for plant-wide supervisory coordination. This guide provides comprehensive architectures and engineering procedures for both scenarios, covering GSD-based fieldbus drive adapters, Control Module Types (CMT), and DCS-to-DCS data exchange via OpenPCS 7 and Modbus TCP.

Architectural and System Mechanics

Architectural Distinctions and Protocol Selection:

Architecture A: ABB ACS800 Variable Frequency Drive Integration:
Fieldbus Level: ACS800 connects via RPBA-01 (PROFIBUS DP) or RETA-01/02 (Ethernet/IP, Modbus TCP, PROFINET).
Control Protocol: PROFIdrive or ABB Drives Profile utilizing Parameter Process Data Objects (PPO Types 1 to 5).
Automation Layer: S7-400 or CPU 410-5H controllers process cyclic I/O using peripheral addresses. In CFC, custom Chart-in-Chart or Control Module Types (CMT) decompose the Main Control Word (MCW) and Main Status Word (MSW), connecting directly to the standard APL MotSpdCL (FB1854) block.
Architecture B: ABB System 800xA to SIMATIC PCS 7 (DCS-to-DCS):
Supervisory Level: Both systems operate independent distributed control infrastructures, databases, and alarm servers.
Data Exchange Approaches:
1. OpenPCS 7 (OPC UA / OPC DA Server): Exposes PCS 7 AS/OS tags and alarms to ABB 800xA OPC clients without direct controller coupling.
2. Modbus TCP Gateway: Uses CP 443-1 or CPU onboard PN ports running Modbus/TCP blocks (ModbusPN / ModbusCP) communicating with ABB CI867 Modbus TCP interfaces.
3. DP/DP Coupler: Connects PROFIBUS DP networks between an S7-400 master and an ABB CI854 master for deterministic cyclic handshaking without sharing bus masters.

Step-by-Step Engineering and Implementation Procedure

Engineering Procedures for ABB 800 Integration:

Scenario 1: ABB ACS800 Drive Integration via PROFIBUS DP:
1. In STEP 7 HW Config, install the ABB RPBA-01 GSD file (ABB_0812.GSD) and place the drive on the PROFIBUS master system.
2. Select a PPO Type (e.g., PPO Type 4 with 6 words PZD: MCW, RefSpeed, Status, ActualSpeed, Current, Torque).
3. In CFC, construct a Chart-in-Chart adapter block: split MotSpdCL.Fwd and Rev into the ABB MCW bit pattern (16#047F run, 16#047E stop, 16#0477 reset).
4. Map the drive's MSW bit 2 (Operation Enabled) to MotSpdCL.FbkRun and bit 3 (Fault) to MotSpdCL.Trip.

Scenario 2: System 800xA to PCS 7 DCS-to-DCS Integration:
1. For OPC communication, install the OpenPCS 7 license on a dedicated PCS 7 workstation connected to the OS LAN.
2. Configure security certificates and user authentication in the OpenPCS 7 OPC UA server interface.
3. On the ABB System 800xA Connectivity Server, configure an OPC UA Client data source pointing to the OpenPCS 7 endpoint.
4. For hard real-time interlock signals, place a DP/DP Coupler (6ES7158-0AD01-0XA0) between the PCS 7 PROFIBUS DP bus and the ABB CI854 bus module, exchanging up to 244 bytes consistently.

Verification

To verify the ABB 800 integration:
1. For ACS800 drives: Switch HW Config to online mode; confirm DP slave operational state (green). In CFC test mode, issue a start command from MotSpdCL and verify the motor rotates at the requested reference setpoint.
2. For System 800xA OPC link: Using an OPC test client (e.g., UA Expert), connect to the OpenPCS 7 server endpoint; verify that live process values and quality codes (16#80 Good) are updating reliably.
3. For DP/DP Coupler link: Monitor input/output test words in both PCS 7 VAT table and ABB Control Builder; verify round-trip data latency is within plant requirements (<100 ms).

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Operational precautions:
- Never attempt to connect both PCS 7 and ABB 800xA controllers as active masters on the same physical PROFIBUS copper segment without an isolating DP/DP Coupler. Direct multi-master token passing across disparate vendor stacks causes frequent bus timeouts.
- DCS-to-DCS communication across OPC or Modbus TCP is non-deterministic and should never be used for critical safety interlocks (SIL). Emergency shutdowns must be hardwired directly or routed through certified safety networks (e.g., PROFIsafe).
- Ensure that time synchronization is configured consistently across both systems using an external NTP GPS master clock to prevent misleading sequence-of-events (SOE) alarm ordering.

Engineer FAQ

Q: What is the primary difference between ACS800 and System 800xA in this context?

A: ACS800 is an individual variable frequency motor drive; System 800xA is a full distributed control system (DCS) manufactured by ABB.

Q: Can PCS 7 control an ABB ACS800 drive directly using APL blocks?

A: Yes, by configuring standard PPO telegrams in HW Config and wiring peripheral words to APL MotSpdCL through CFC conversion logic.

Q: What is the most reliable method for DCS-to-DCS data exchange between PCS 7 and 800xA?

A: For plant supervisory data, OPC UA via OpenPCS 7 is recommended; for deterministic controller interlocks, a hardware DP/DP Coupler or PN/PN Coupler is preferred.

Q: Does OpenPCS 7 require an additional engineering or runtime license?

A: Yes, OpenPCS 7 requires a dedicated software runtime license on the hosting workstation.

Q: Can Modbus TCP be used between PCS 7 and ABB 800xA controllers?

A: Yes, using Siemens Modbus/TCP blocks (ModbusPN or ModbusCP) communicating with ABB CI867 Modbus TCP interface modules.

Technical References

Related Tags

ABB ACS800, System 800xA, DCS Integration, OpenPCS 7, MotSpdCL

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Integrating ABB ACS800 Drives and System 800xA Interfaces in SIMATIC PCS 7