Mass Engineering and Instantiation of Control Module Types (CMT) in SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0

In SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0, mass engineering and bulk instantiation of Control Module Types (CMT) and Equipment Module Types (EMT)—replacing the legacy Import/Export Assistant (IEA) used for classic Process Tag Types (PTT)—is achieved natively via the Process Object View (POV) or comprehensively through SIMATIC PCS 7 Plant Automation Accelerator (PAA) or COMOS. While the Process Object View allows tabular bulk editing of parameters, signals, and messages directly in SIMATIC Manager, full generative mass creation of hundreds of CMT instances from an external I/O schedule or Excel sheet requires Plant Automation Accelerator (6DL8900-0XX00-0YB5), which provides bidirectional engineering database synchronization.

Evolution of Templating in PCS 7: Process Tag Types vs Control Module Types

In legacy SIMATIC PCS 7 versions (V6 and V7), modular chart replication relied on Process Tag Types (PTT) managed via the Import/Export Assistant (IEA). Engineers created an import/export file (.txt or .csv), exported model parameters, edited tag names and I/O addresses in a spreadsheet, and re-imported the file to spawn individual charts. However, PTT lacked centralized lifecycle synchronization: subsequent changes to the master template required tedious, destructive re-import operations that often broke manual chart adjustments.

Starting in PCS 7 V8.0 and perfected in PCS 7 V9.0, Siemens introduced Control Module Types (CMT) and Equipment Module Types (EMT) adhering to ISA-88 and NAMUR NE150 standards. CMTs feature optional blocks, dynamic variant selection, and permanent type-instance synchronization. However, because the legacy IEA utility is strictly coupled to PTT, engineers transitioning to PCS 7 V9.0 frequently inquire how to perform bulk instantiation without manual chart copying.

Native Mass Engineering Capabilities in the Process Object View

Within standard SIMATIC Manager without additional software packages, the primary native mass engineering tool is the Process Object View (POV) (View -> Process Object View):

Hierarchy Folder Duplication: Instantiating multiple CMTs can be accomplished by copying hierarchy folders containing Control Module instances or copying CM instances across Plant Hierarchy levels.
Tabular Parameterization: The POV displays all instantiated CMT parameters, signals, and messages in a spreadsheet grid.
CSV Export / Import: Engineers can export the Process Object View table to a CSV file (Process Objects -> Export to CSV), modify hundreds of hardware addresses, chart names, setpoint defaults, and comments in Microsoft Excel, and re-import the CSV back into the POV to apply updates across the entire multiproject simultaneously.

Generative Mass Engineering via SIMATIC Plant Automation Accelerator (PAA)

For true generative engineering—where hundreds of control loops, motors, and valves are automatically instantiated from an electrical hardware schedule—Siemens provides SIMATIC PCS 7 Plant Automation Accelerator (PAA) (6DL8900-0XX00-0YB5):

Unified Engineering Database: PAA bridges electrical design, field I/O planning, and PCS 7 automation software.
1-Click Generation: In PAA, engineers map Excel I/O lists to Master Library CMTs. PAA automatically generates the entire Plant Hierarchy, places CMT instances with the appropriate optional variants enabled, interconnects hardware signals, and assigns symbolic names.
Bidirectional Synchronization: Any subsequent modifications made in PCS 7 CFC or PAA can be cross-synchronized with full discrepancy reporting.

Comparison of Mass Engineering Workflows in SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0

The following table compares the capabilities of mass engineering tools available for PCS 7 V9.0:

Engineering FeatureLegacy IEA (Process Tag Types)Process Object View (Native POV)Plant Automation Accelerator (PAA)Supported Object TypeProcess Tag Types (PTT) onlyCMT, EMT, and Classic CFCsControl Module Types (CMT) & EMTLicense RequirementIncluded in standard ESIncluded in standard ESDedicated PAA Commercial LicenseMass Instance CreationGenerates new charts from CSVRequires manual copy/paste firstFully automatic generation from I/O scheduleType-Instance SyncDestructive overwriteNon-destructive CMT sync (Update Plant Types)Automated bidirectional synchronizationOptional Variant SelectionNot supported (static templates)Manual activation per instanceRule-based automated variant selectionHardware I/O AssignmentColumn-based text mappingTabular hardware address entryDirect electrical and channel mapping

Step-by-Step Procedure to Bulk Instantiate CMTs via Process Object View

To execute bulk engineering of CMT instances using native PCS 7 tools without PAA:

Define the Master CMT in the Project Library:
- In the Master Library, create the Control Module Type (e.g. CMT_Motor containing MotL, interlocks, and channel drivers).
- Define optional variants (e.g. current monitoring MonAnL) and assign type attributes.
Instantiate Baseline Control Modules in Plant Hierarchy:
- In SIMATIC Manager Plant View, create your plant unit folders.
- Drag the CMT_Motor from the library into the plant folder. Duplicate the created CM instance (Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V) to create the desired number of instances (e.g., 50 motor charts).
Export Process Object View to CSV:
- Switch to the Process Object View (Ctrl+Shift+P). Select the target plant unit in the left tree.
- Navigate to the Signals or Parameters tab.
- Select menu Process Objects -> Export to File... and save the configuration as a CSV file.
Batch Edit in Microsoft Excel:
- Open the CSV file in Excel. Edit chart names, technological tag descriptions, hardware addresses (e.g., IW 512, QW 512), and setpoint defaults using Excel auto-fill formulas.
- Save the file as a delimited CSV.
Re-Import CSV into Process Object View:
- In the Process Object View, select Process Objects -> Import from File....
- Review the import preview dialog to confirm zero mapping errors, then apply changes.
- Execute Options -> Plant Types -> Update Plant Types to verify type-instance consistency.

Verification

Verify mass-engineered Control Modules in SIMATIC Manager:
1. Open the Plant Hierarchy in Plant View. Confirm that all 50 motor charts exist with unique, standardized tag names.
2. Open a representative chart. Confirm that input channels are interconnected to the correct physical I/O symbols configured in the CSV.
3. Select Options -> Plant Types -> Synchronize Plant Types. Verify that the status log reports 'All instances are synchronized with library types'.
4. Perform a delta compile (Chart -> Compile -> Changes only) and confirm that module drivers generate without address collisions.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Never Rename Library Blocks Inside Instances: Renaming internal block names inside a CMT instance breaks type-instance synchronization. All structural alterations must be made on the master CMT in the Master Library.
CSV Delimiter Compatibility: When editing Process Object View CSV files in Microsoft Excel, ensure the regional list separator (comma vs semicolon) matches the Windows regional settings; otherwise, the POV import parser will reject the file.
Memory Sizing: Mass instantiating hundreds of CMTs simultaneously increases S7-400 work memory and Process Object (PO) consumption. Always monitor PO limits in Automation License Manager.

Engineer FAQ

Can I use the classic Import/Export Assistant (IEA) with Control Module Types?

No. The classic Import/Export Assistant (IEA) was designed exclusively for Process Tag Types (PTT). Control Module Types (CMT) use the Process Object View (POV) or SIMATIC PCS 7 Plant Automation Accelerator (PAA) for bulk engineering.

What is the primary advantage of CMT over PTT?

CMTs maintain permanent, non-destructive type-instance synchronization. If you add an interlock or change a default parameter in the master CMT, running 'Update Plant Types' automatically propagates the change across all existing instances without overwriting custom instance parameters.

What is SIMATIC PCS 7 Plant Automation Accelerator (PAA)?

PAA is an integrated software package based on COMOS that provides complete electrical and automation engineering, enabling automatic generative creation of PCS 7 hardware, CMTs, EMTs, and sequence logic directly from engineering databases.