SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0 Engineering Software Bundle Components and Licensing Specifications

The standard SIMATIC PCS 7 Engineering Station V9.0 software package (MLFB 6ES7658-5AX58-0YA5) includes foundational engineering software: STEP 7 V5.6, CFC V9.0, SFC V9.0, S7-SCL V5.6, S7-PLCSIM V5.4 SP8, Process Object View (TH-PO V9.0), WinCC Engineering (RC unlimited tags), Version Trail V9.0, and SIMATIC NET PC Software V14 SP1. However, specialized add-ons are not included and require separate licensing: SIMATIC PDM (Basic V9.1 and STEP 7 Integration), SIMATIC BATCH, SIMATIC Route Control, and SIMIT Simulation. Industrial Workstations (IPC bundles) can be ordered pre-installed with restore media, but optional package licenses must be selected via configurator.

PCS 7 V9.0 Engineering Toolset Architecture

In SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0, the Engineering Station (ES) serves as the central platform for configuring automation controllers (AS), operator stations (OS), and field communication networks. The baseline engineering license package—ordered under article number 6ES7658-5AX58-0YA5 (SIMATIC PCS 7 Engineering V9.0 AS/OS: PO Unlimited)—provides an integrated suite of core Siemens engineering tools.

Engineers frequently confuse what is bundled inside this core license versus which tools require standalone software licenses. While the engineering toolset entitles unlimited AS and OS engineering tags and process objects on the engineering computer, device parameterization tools (like SIMATIC PDM) and specialized batch management packages operate under distinct commercial licensing umbrellas.

Comprehensive Package Inclusions vs Standalone Add-ons

The core engineering package 6ES7658-5AX58-0YA5 delivers the following standard components:
- Automation Core: STEP 7 V5.6 (SIMATIC Manager, HW Config, NetPro, Symbol Editor, Global Data).
- Process Control Editors: CFC V9.0, SFC V9.0, SFC Visualization V9.0, Process Object View (TH-PO V9.0).
- Programming & Simulation: S7-SCL V5.6, S7-PLCSIM V5.4 SP8.
- HMI Engineering: SIMATIC WinCC RC (Runtime & Configuration) V7.4 SP1 Upd1 (unlimited engineering tags).
- System Utilities: Version Trail V9.0, Automation License Manager (ALM) V6.0, SIMATIC NET PC Software V14 SP1.

Conversely, SIMATIC PDM is NOT included. PDM Basic V9.1 (6ES7658-3...) and PDM Integration in STEP 7 must be licensed separately. Similarly, SIMATIC BATCH, SIMATIC Route Control, SIMATIC Safety Matrix, and SIMIT require dedicated standalone licenses.

Hardware Package Schedule - Engineering Toolset and Options

The following Hardware Package Schedule defines the core engineering package and optional add-on licenses for PCS 7 V9.0:

Software / Hardware PackageArticle Number (MLFB)License ScopeIncluded in Base License?SIMATIC PCS 7 Engineering V9.06ES7658-5AX58-0YA5Core ES Floating License (AS/OS PO Unlimited)Baseline PackageSIMATIC PDM Basic V9.16ES7658-3AX18-0YA54 TAGs, Standalone and IntegrationNo (Requires separate license)SIMATIC PDM Integration in STEP 76ES7658-3BX18-2YB5Integration into SIMATIC Manager HW ConfigNo (Requires separate license)SIMATIC S7 F Systems V6.26ES7643-1CC02-1YA5Engineering license for safety-related AS logicNo (Requires separate license)SIMATIC Version Cross Manager V9.06ES7658-1CX58-0YA5Graphical comparison tool for charts and librariesNo (Optional add-on)SIMATIC PCS 7 IPC547G Rack PC Bundle6ES7660-.......-....Pre-installed ES/OS Single Station HardwareHardware bundle; license configured separately

[!IMPORTANT]
Commercial Accuracy Notice: Siemens MLFBs, software entitlement scopes, and bundle configurations must be validated against > the active Siemens ST PCS 7 Catalog and an authorized Siemens distributor quotation. Do not infer licensing quantities > solely from I/O counts or controller size.

SIMATIC IPC Bundles and Factory Pre-Installation Options

When ordering SIMATIC Industrial PCs (e.g., IPC547G, IPC647D, or IPC847D) as PCS 7 Engineering Stations, Siemens offers pre-installed bundles configured via the Siemens Industry Mall configurator:

Operating System Image: Factory pre-installed with Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB (64-bit) or Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016.
Restore Media: Bundles include bootable USB restore media that recreates the factory-tested software image containing PCS 7 V9.0 engineering software.
License Delivery: Software license keys are delivered on a dedicated USB stick (License Key USB FlashDrive) or via Online Software Delivery (OSD). The factory image does not become active until the license keys are transferred using ALM.

Verification

Verify engineering license entitlements through the following steps:
1. Open Automation License Manager (ALM) on the Engineering Station.
2. Check drive C: for the active floating license: SIMATIC PCS 7 Engineering (AS/OS: Unlimited) V9.0 with status OK.
3. Open SIMATIC Manager: verify that CFC, SFC, and Process Object View launch without 'License missing' dialogs.
4. Check SIMATIC PDM: if PDM was ordered, confirm presence of SIMATIC PDM Basic and SIMATIC PDM Integration in STEP 7 in ALM.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

The core engineering license (6ES7658-5AX58-0YA5) is strictly an engineering toolset license; it does not authorize runtime operation on dedicated OS Servers or AS Controllers. OS Servers require distinct OS Runtime PO licenses (6ES7658-2...), and AS 410 controllers require System Expansion Cards (SEC) sized for runtime Process Objects. Furthermore, SIMATIC NET PC Software V7.0 is completely obsolete and incompatible with PCS 7 V9.0; PCS 7 V9.0 requires SIMATIC NET V14 SP1.