Understanding Siemens PCS 7 Industry Library Licensing, Packaging, and Download Entitlements

The Siemens Paper and Pulp library (SIPAPER) and PCS 7 Industry Library (IL) are specialized commercial products that do not ship on standard PCS 7 installation media and cannot be downloaded as free standalone software from public support forums. To obtain these libraries, you must procure official software licenses—specifically an Engineering License for the Engineering Station and Runtime Licenses for each OS Server—through an authorized Siemens distributor. Once purchased, the complete installer is provided via physical DVD media or authorized Siemens Online Software Delivery (OSD).

Commercial Software Model for Specialized PCS 7 Industry Libraries

Industrial automation engineers working with SIMATIC PCS 7 often assume that all Siemens technological blocks, driver libraries, and faceplates are included on the standard PCS 7 operating system installation DVDs.

However, Siemens categorizes its software portfolio into distinct commercial tiers:
1. Core System Software: Included with standard PCS 7 (STEP 7, CFC, SFC, WinCC, Basis Library, and the Advanced Process Library).
2. Standard Optional Packages: S7-PLCSIM, S7-SCL, OpenPCS 7, Process Historian.
3. Specialized Industry Add-On Libraries: SIPAPER (Paper & Pulp), CEMAT (Cement & Mining), and the PCS 7 Industry Library (IL).
These industry libraries represent specialized engineering intellectual property developed by Siemens sector competence centers. They are proprietary, commercially licensed software products and are never distributed as public freeware or un-entitled downloads.

Packaging Architecture: Engineering vs Server Runtime Licenses

Deploying an industry library requires matching software entitlements administered via the Automation License Manager (ALM):

Engineering License (Floating License):
Installed exclusively on the Engineering Station (ES).
Authorizes the engineer to open the block library in SIMATIC Manager, place specialized function blocks in CFC charts, and configure graphic templates in WinCC.
OS Server Runtime License (Single License):
Mandatory on every active WinCC OS Server and Single Station executing industry library faceplates.
In a redundant OS server pair, an independent runtime license must be purchased and installed on both the Master server and the Standby server.
Process Object (PO) Capacity:
In addition to the industry library license, instances of technological blocks (such as complex multi-drive coordination blocks) consume standard AS RT Process Objects and OS RT Process Objects.

Official Procurement Pathways and Online Software Delivery (OSD)

To procure a specialized library like SIPAPER or the PCS 7 Industry Library:

Identify Required Version and Release:
* Determine the exact installed version of PCS 7 (e.g., PCS 7 V8.1 SP1).
* Verify compatibility in the Siemens Kompatibilitäts-Tool (Compatibility Matrix). An Industry Library designed for PCS 7 V9.0 cannot run on PCS 7 V8.1.
Engage Authorized Sales Channels:
* Contact your local Siemens sales representative or authorized industrial distributor.
* Request an official quotation specifying the required Order Numbers (MLFBs) for both the Engineering package and the OS Runtime packages.
Delivery via Online Software Delivery (OSD):
* Modern Siemens software delivery utilizes the Online Software Delivery (OSD) portal (https://www.siemens.com/automation/osd).
* Upon order processing, the customer receives an email with login credentials to download the ISO disk image and transfer electronic Certificate of License (CoL) License Keys directly into Automation License Manager.

Step-by-Step Verification of Library Entitlements in ALM

Once the software licenses have been delivered:

Launch Automation License Manager:
* Open ALM on the Engineering Station.
* Select File > Connect to OSD... to download keys directly, or insert the official Siemens USB License Flash Drive.
Transfer Keys to Local System:
* Select the license key (e.g., SIMATIC PCS 7 Industry Library Engineering V8.1).
* Drag and drop the license onto drive C: or execute menu License Key > Transfer....
Verify License Validity:
* Select drive C:. Confirm that the newly transferred license reports status OK with a solid blue key icon.
* Repeat the transfer of the Runtime license to each OS Server across the terminal bus using ALM's remote computer connection feature.

Comparison of Standard vs Add-On Library Licensing Models

The table below outlines the commercial licensing structure across standard and specialized PCS 7 libraries.

Library PackageDelivery MethodES LicensingOS Server RT LicensingRedundant Server RequirementPCS 7 Basis LibraryStandard PCS 7 DVDIncluded with ES LicenseIncluded with OS RT LicenseNo extra license requiredAdvanced Process Library (APL)Standard PCS 7 DVDIncluded with ES LicenseIncluded with OS RT LicenseNo extra license requiredPCS 7 Industry Library (IL)Separate Order (OSD/DVD)Dedicated Floating LicenseDedicated RT License per ServerSeparate License per ServerSIPAPER APLSeparate Order (OSD/DVD)Dedicated Floating LicenseDedicated RT License per ServerSeparate License per ServerCEMAT V7 / V8Separate Order (OSD/DVD)Dedicated Engineering LicenseDedicated Server LicenseSeparate License per Server

Verification

To confirm that library procurement and licensing are valid:
1. Open Automation License Manager on the ES and OS Servers. Confirm that all required industry library licenses report status OK.
2. Open SIMATIC Manager and confirm that the library appears in the library catalog and can be opened without licensing warnings.
3. Place a block from the library into a CFC chart, compile the chart, and execute an OS compilation.
4. Launch WinCC Runtime on an OS Client. Open a faceplate associated with the library block.
5. Verify that no license violation banners, demo popups, or periodic warning dialogs appear during runtime operation.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Never obtain software packages from unauthorized file-sharing websites or unofficial forum links; pirated or modified libraries violate manufacturer warranties and introduce severe malware risks.
Always validate final software package names, license quantities, and Siemens order numbers (MLFBs) against the applicable Siemens catalog and authorized distributor quotation before finalizing procurement.
Ensure that redundant OS server pairs are licensed correctly: each physical or virtual server requires its own runtime license.
Distinguish software licensing (ALM License Keys) from hardware capacity licensing (System Expansion Cards for CPU 410); they follow completely different administrative mechanisms.

Engineer FAQ

Can I download the Paper and Pulp library from the Siemens Support website?

No. The Siemens Industry Online Support (SIOS) website provides manuals, updates, and service packs for registered owners, but the core software package requires purchasing an official commercial license through Siemens sales channels.

What happens if I run an industry library without a runtime license?

If the required runtime license is absent in Automation License Manager, WinCC will generate intrusive runtime warning popups every few minutes, or the faceplates will stop responding after an evaluation trial period expires.

Can an Industry Library license be transferred between computers?

Yes. Floating and Single License Keys managed by Automation License Manager can be transferred across network stations or stored on an official Siemens USB flash drive for maintenance.