C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)
6C
6 Cielo Ciencia y Tecnología
·Publicada en C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)

Interconnecting Faceplate Jump Navigation Between PIDConL and ConPerMon in PCS 7

Interconnecting Faceplate Jump Navigation Between PIDConL and ConPerMon in PCS 7

To enable bidirectional faceplate jump navigation between PIDConL and ConPerMon in SIMATIC PCS 7 APL, two distinct interconnections are mandatory in the CFC chart. To jump from PIDConL to ConPerMon, connect ConPerMon.CPI to PIDConL.CPI_In, which activates the 'Control perform.' button on the PIDConL faceplate. To jump from ConPerMon back to PIDConL, connect any output of PIDConL (such as PIDConL.MV or PIDConL.PV_Out) to ConPerMon.SelFp1, which activates the 'User faceplate 1' button. Both AS and OS must be compiled and downloaded to register the block hierarchy links in WinCC.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

In SIMATIC PCS 7 Advanced Process Library (APL), tight visual integration between regulatory control blocks (PIDConL) and diagnostic blocks (ConPerMon) is accomplished through dynamic faceplate jump navigation. Operators inspecting a sluggish temperature or flow controller need to jump directly into the Control Performance Monitor faceplate to inspect control performance indices (CPI) and settling times, and then return seamlessly to the controller faceplate. Engineers frequently report that after connecting ConPerMon.CPI to PIDConL.CPI_In, the jump button on PIDConL fails to appear, or the reverse jump button ('User faceplate 1') on ConPerMon remains absent. This issue arises from omitting the reverse interconnection (SelFp1), failing to interconnect complete loop signals, or not executing a complete OS compilation to compile cross-block navigation paths.

Architecture and Fundamental Mechanics

The APL faceplate jump mechanism relies on cross-block structure references that are resolved during OS Compilation:

1. Forward Jump: PIDConL to ConPerMon via CPI_In

The PIDConL faceplate Standard view contains a dedicated button titled 'Control perform.'. The visibility and click event of this button depend on the parameter CPI_In (a structure input):
- When ConPerMon.CPI is connected to PIDConL.CPI_In, OS compilation parses the interconnected block's tag name (TagPrefix).
- During runtime, the APL C-script checks if CPI_In has a valid block interconnection. If present, the button unhides, and clicking it opens @PG_ConPerMon.pdl referencing the ConPerMon instance.

2. Reverse Jump: ConPerMon to PIDConL via SelFp1

The ConPerMon block does not possess a hardcoded 'Return to Controller' parameter. Instead, APL equips diagnostic blocks with generic user faceplate jump inputs (SelFp1 and SelFp2):
- To enable 'User faceplate 1' on the ConPerMon faceplate, the engineer must connect any valid block output from PIDConL (standard practice connects PIDConL.MV or PIDConL.PV_Out) into ConPerMon.SelFp1.
- The OS compilation inspects the block connected to SelFp1, extracts its hierarchy name, and dynamically generates the button script that opens the PIDConL faceplate.

3. Uncertain Process Status Indicator Mechanics

If ConPerMon displays a yellow 'Uncertain Process' warning badge across CPI, MV mean value, and steady-state gain, the block lacks complete process tracking. It mandates connections for PV, SP, MV, LoopClosed, and ManAct to evaluate metrics accurately.

Step-by-Step Implementation Procedure

To establish flawless bidirectional jump navigation between PIDConL and ConPerMon:

Step 1: Establish Complete Signal Interconnections in CFC

  1. Open the CFC chart containing the PIDConL and ConPerMon block instances.
  2. Make the following mandatory interconnections:
    - Forward Jump: Connect ConPerMon.CPI $\rightarrow$ PIDConL.CPI_In.
    - Reverse Jump: Connect PIDConL.MV $\rightarrow$ ConPerMon.SelFp1.
    - Loop Metrics: Connect PIDConL.PV_Out $\rightarrow$ ConPerMon.PV.
    - Setpoint: Connect PIDConL.SP_Out $\rightarrow$ ConPerMon.SP.
    - Output Feedback: Connect PIDConL.MV $\rightarrow$ ConPerMon.MV.
    - Operating Mode: Connect PIDConL.LoopClosed $\rightarrow$ ConPerMon.LoopClosed and PIDConL.ManAct $\rightarrow$ ConPerMon.ManAct.
  3. Best Practice: Alternatively, instantiate the PIDConL_ConPerMon template from the APL library, which pre-wires all these parameters.

Step 2: Compile the Automation Station (AS)

  1. In CFC, click Chart -> Compile -> Changes only.
  2. Download the compiled program to the S7-400 / CPU 410 controller (or S7-PLCSIM).

Step 3: Execute OS Compilation

  1. In SIMATIC Manager, select the OS station object and choose Compile.
  2. Select Entire OS (or changes) with the options 'Tags and messages' and 'Picture Tree' checked.
  3. The OS compilation compiles the cross-block references (CPI_In and SelFp1) into WinCC tag management and faceplate script caches.

Step 4: Verify in WinCC Runtime

  1. Start WinCC Runtime or open the faceplates on an active OS Client.
  2. Open the PIDConL faceplate and confirm the 'Control perform.' button is visible.
  3. Open the ConPerMon faceplate and confirm the 'User faceplate 1' button is visible.

Verification

To verify navigation operation:

  1. Forward Navigation Test:
    - Click the 'Control perform.' button on the PIDConL faceplate Standard view.
    - Verify that the ConPerMon faceplate opens instantly over the controller faceplate.

  2. Reverse Navigation Test:
    - On the ConPerMon faceplate, click the 'User faceplate 1' button.
    - Verify that the PIDConL faceplate immediately receives focus.

  3. Process Integrity Verification:
    - Confirm that the yellow 'Uncertain Process' indicator disappears from the ConPerMon faceplate once the PID loop runs in closed-loop mode.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Operational limitations and precautions:

  1. OS Compilation Mandatory: Merely downloading CFC changes to the AS does not update WinCC jump buttons. The OS must be compiled so WinCC parses the interconnection pointers.
  2. S7-PLCSIM Behavior: Faceplate navigation operates identically on real CPUs and S7-PLCSIM; simulation does not alter faceplate script resolution.
  3. Maximum User Faceplates: ConPerMon supports a maximum of two user faceplate jump buttons (SelFp1 and SelFp2).
  4. Commercial Disclaimer: Verify all software libraries, engineering licenses, and system packages with an authorized Siemens distributor or the Siemens Industry Mall.

Engineer FAQ

Why didn't the 'Control perform.' button appear after connecting CPI to CPI_In?

The button appears only after both AS and OS have been compiled. OS compilation parses the interconnection and registers the target faceplate path.

How do I enable the reverse jump button from ConPerMon back to PIDConL?

Connect any output of PIDConL (such as PIDConL.MV) to ConPerMon.SelFp1. This activates the 'User faceplate 1' button on ConPerMon.

What causes the 'Uncertain Process' badge on ConPerMon?

This badge appears when essential tracking signals (PV, SP, MV, LoopClosed) are not fully interconnected or when the loop is operating in open-loop / manual mode.

Does faceplate jump navigation work in S7-PLCSIM?

Yes. Faceplate jump scripts execute inside the WinCC runtime engine and function identically whether connected to physical CPUs or PLCSIM.

Can SelFp1 be connected to a block other than PIDConL?

Yes. SelFp1 can be connected to any APL block (such as a motor, valve, or calculation block) to provide a direct operator jump to that equipment.

Technical References

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Related Tags

  • ConPerMon
  • PIDConL
  • Faceplate Jump
  • SelFp1
  • CPI_In
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