Integrating SIMATIC Comfort Panels with PCS 7: Industry Library Panel Blocks and Alarm_DQ Architecture

SIMATIC HMI Comfort Panels (engineered in WinCC TIA Portal) cannot process native SIMATIC PCS 7 ALARM_8P messages. To integrate Comfort Panels with PCS 7, engineers deploy the PCS 7 Industry Library (IL), which provides companion panel blocks (e.g. PMonAnDi, PMotL) paired with APL blocks. The panel block utilizes ALARM_DQ (SFC 107) instead of ALARM_8P to transmit alarms to both the Comfort Panel and WinCC OS, ensuring synchronized alarm visualization and cross-acknowledgement.

Architectural Incompatibility: WinCC OS ALARM_8P vs. Comfort Panels

SIMATIC PCS 7 is architected around centralized WinCC OS Server/Client architectures. Process alarm generation in standard APL technological blocks (MonAnL, MotL, VlvL) relies on ALARM_8P (SFB 35). When an alarm triggers, ALARM_8P constructs raw S7 communication telegrams containing timestamps, message IDs, and process values, broadcasting them directly to connected WinCC OS Servers.

However, field operations frequently demand local operator control via SIMATIC HMI Comfort Panels (e.g. TP1200 Comfort 6AV2124-0MC01-0AX0, KP1500 Comfort 6AV2124-1QC02-0AX0). Comfort Panels are configured in SIMATIC WinCC (TIA Portal) and execute Windows CE runtime environments.

The Architectural Challenge:
* WinCC Comfort Runtime does not support ALARM_8P.
* Comfort Panels cannot interpret raw ALARM_8P message telegrams.
* If a plant uses standard APL blocks, alarms are completely invisible on local field panels.
* Furthermore, if an alarm is acknowledged on a local panel, standard PCS 7 OS servers cannot synchronize the acknowledgement state without specialized intermediary logic.

The PCS 7 Industry Library (IL) Panel Concept

To solve this challenge without requiring custom PLC ladder logic, Siemens developed the SIMATIC PCS 7 Industry Library (IL).

The Industry Library introduces a dual-block technological architecture:
1. APL Core Block: Executes the main process control algorithm in the S7-400 CPU (e.g. MonAnDi, MotL, VlvL).
2. IL Companion Panel Block: Placed in the same CFC chart, paired directly with the core block:
* PMonAnDi – Panel interface for analog monitoring with digital limit checks.
* PMotL – Panel interface for single-speed motors.
* PVlvL – Panel interface for process valves.
* PApOpList – Panel operator prompt and messaging coordinator.

The panel block acts as a dedicated communication gateway between the APL block, the local WinCC Comfort Panel, and the central WinCC OS.

ALARM_DQ Message Routing and Faceplate Integration

Rather than relying on ALARM_8P, Industry Library panel blocks utilize ALARM_DQ (SFC 107 / SFC 108) or discrete bit-level alarms:
* ALARM_DQ generates process messages with associated values that are recognized by both SIMATIC S7-400 controllers and SIMATIC WinCC in TIA Portal.
* Message Routing: When the panel block is enabled, standard ALARM_8P message generation on the core APL block is deactivated (MsgLock = 1 or message suppression). All alarms for that technological unit originate from the panel block (PMonAnDi).
* Faceplate Impact on WinCC OS: Because messages originate from the panel block instance rather than the core block, the standard APL faceplate message view on the OS Server will appear empty unless the OS is configured to query messages by hierarchy folder or the Industry Library OS faceplates are deployed. Industry Library provides dedicated WinCC OS faceplates that seamlessly combine core and panel block attributes.

APL vs. Industry Library Panel Block Architecture Matrix

The following matrix compares standard APL alarming with Industry Library panel alarming:

Feature / AttributeStandard APL (MonAnL, MotL)Industry Library (PMonAnDi, PMotL)Alarm Generating BlockALARM_8P (SFB 35)ALARM_DQ (SFC 107) / Bit AlarmsWinCC OS CompatibilityNative out-of-the-boxFully supported via IL OS componentsComfort Panel CompatibilityNot supported (No alarms visible)Fully supported via TIA PortalAS Runtime PO Consumption1 AS PO per technological block0 additional AS PO for panel blockAcknowledgement SynchronizationOS-onlyBidirectional (Panel <-> OS Server)Engineering EnvironmentSTEP 7 Classic / CFCSTEP 7 Classic (AS) + TIA Portal (Panel)Required Software LicenseStandard PCS 7 ES LicensePCS 7 Industry Library Engineering License

Step-by-Step Configuration Workflow for Comfort Panels in PCS 7

Follow this standardized workflow to deploy Comfort Panels with PCS 7:
1. Install Industry Library Packages:
- Install PCS 7 Industry Library on the Engineering Station. Ensure both AS library blocks and WinCC OS faceplate components are installed.
2. Configure Paired Blocks in CFC:
- In your CFC chart, insert the core block (e.g. MonAnDi) and the corresponding panel block (e.g. PMonAnDi).
- Interconnect the structured interface inputs: connect PMonAnDi.Out to the relevant control parameters, and connect the core block status outputs to PMonAnDi.In.
- On the core block, disable standard ALARM_8P messages to prevent duplicate alarm generation on the OS.
3. Compile AS and OS:
- Compile CFC charts and compile the OS. Ensure Industry Library OS block icons are generated in WinCC Graphics Designer.
4. Configure Comfort Panel in TIA Portal:
- Open WinCC TIA Portal. Add the target Comfort Panel (e.g. TP1200 Comfort 6AV2124-0MC01-0AX0).
- Establish an S7 connection to the PCS 7 CPU 410-5H or S7-400 controller over Industrial Ethernet.
- Import the Industry Library TIA Portal faceplate library.
- Place panel faceplates on screen graphics and connect them to the DB addresses of the PMonAnDi / PMotL instances.
5. Configure Alarm Views in TIA Portal:
- In WinCC TIA Portal, insert an Alarm View control on the Comfort Panel alarm screen.
- Enable display of Controller Alarms (ALARM_DQ) and discrete bit alarms.

Verification

Verify integrated alarm signaling and acknowledgement:
1. Trigger a process alarm condition on the field sensor (e.g. simulate a high temperature limit trip).
2. Verify that the alarm appears simultaneously on:
- The SIMATIC HMI Comfort Panel alarm banner.
- The central WinCC OS Server / Client alarm screen.
3. Acknowledge the alarm on the Comfort Panel physical touch screen.
4. Confirm that the alarm immediately transitions to acknowledged state on the central WinCC OS banner.
5. Restore the process value to normal and verify the alarm clears across both the local panel and the OS.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Operating Comfort Panels over Industrial Ethernet alongside PCS 7 OS servers requires adequate communication resources; ensure the S7-400 CPU or CP 443-1 has sufficient free S7 connection resources.
Never enable both ALARM_8P on the core block and ALARM_DQ on the panel block concurrently, as this generates double alarms on the OS server for every process trip.
Commercial licensing note: PCS 7 Industry Library requires dedicated engineering and runtime licenses (e.g. 6ES7658-2CX58-0YB5); always validate final license quantities and MLFBs against the applicable Siemens catalog and authorized distributor quotation.

Engineer FAQ

Does inserting a panel block consume an additional AS Process Object (PO) license?

No. In SIMATIC PCS 7, the Driver Wizard and PO counting algorithms recognize Industry Library panel blocks (PMotL, PMonAnDi) as companion blocks paired with existing technological objects, incurring zero additional AS RT PO consumption.

Why does the message view on my standard APL OS faceplate appear empty when using panel blocks?

Standard APL faceplates filter messages using the specific block instance ID of the core block (MonAnL). Because ALARM_DQ messages originate from the panel block instance (PMonAnDi), the standard faceplate does not see them unless the Industry Library OS faceplates are used.

Can I use Basic Panels (e.g. KTP700 Basic) with PCS 7 Industry Library?

No. Basic Panels do not support ALARM_DQ or advanced script-based faceplate multiplexing. SIMATIC Comfort Panels or WinCC Runtime Advanced are strictly required.