Classic, exclusive engineering station with unlimited number of process objects for engineering (Engineering unlimited POs)

Two software versions with unlimited engineering POs are available for the classical engineering station:

• AS/OS – for engineering of automation systems (AS) and operator systems (OS)
• AS – only for AS engineering

With the AS/OS software version, the OS configuration can be tested in an OS test mode limited to 2 hours. This OS test mode is not suitable for productive operation. After 2 hours, the engineering station automatically switches to demonstration mode.

Rental License

A 30-day or 50-hour rental license for AS engineering (unlimited POs) gives you a cost-effective alternative for short-term projects or short-term capacity bottlenecks.

The licenses for 30 days and 50 hours differ as follows with regard to runtime billing:

• With the 30-day license, the uninterruptible timer starts at the time of first usage. Time billing is thus independent of usage.
• With the 50-hour license, only the actual period of use is billed. The timer stops when the SIMATIC PCS 7 application is exited, and restarts when the application is opened again.

Combined engineering/operator station for small applications

The combined engineering/operator station is designed to support compact process control plants. This combines an unlimited AS/OS Engineering license (unlimited POs) with an AS/OS Runtime license for 250 POs. These licenses can only be used together on a station. It is not possible to separate the Engineering and Runtime licenses for use on different stations.

The runtime POs can be expanded with cumulative Runtime licenses:

• SIMATIC PCS 7 AS Runtime license for 100, 1 000 or 10 000 POs, see "Automation systems", "Modular AS 410‑5H and AS 410E systems".
• SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Runtime license for 100, 1 000 or 5 000 POs, see "Operator System", "OS software" under "OS standard software for single station/server/client".

Division of work during engineering

To enable engineering to be carried out in the shortest possible time, it is necessary to use resources optimally. The engineering system of the SIMATIC PCS 7 process control system not only supports uniform engineering of the project on an engineering station but also provides various options for dividing the work.

Concurrent Engineering

With Concurrent Engineering multiple project engineers can work concurrently on one project in CFC and SFC, without having to split the project up into sub-projects beforehand. During commissioning, for example, charts can be used in the online (debug) mode and at the same time changes can be made to the project. The Graphics Designer supports parallel working on a project even when creating process displays.

The project is localized on one of the participating engineering stations, the "project server". The engineering stations working as "project clients" can access the project data via LAN/WAN. A specific chart can be found very quickly using a cross-project search function.

CFC and SFC charts can be opened and viewed by several project engineers concurrently. However, the system rejects concurrent write accesses to the database. If the project engineer attempts to access a chart which is already being used, a corresponding warning is output in a dialog window.

Every engineering station in the network (project server/client) is able to download configuration data to a SIMATIC PCS 7 subsystem provided it has the required communication connections.

Multiproject Engineering

Multi-project engineering allows a complex project to be divided into multiple subprojects in accordance with technological criteria so that several different teams can work on the project in parallel. To achieve this, a host "Multi-project" is defined in the SIMATIC Manager. The individual projects can be added or removed from a multiproject at any time. Similarly, projects can be divided or combined (Branch & Merge).

The subprojects in a multiproject are stored on a central server and moved to the local engineering stations for editing. The engineering performance is then not affected by network access.

Central configuration functions for multi-projects help to reduce the configuration overhead. For example, a hierarchy folder can be created in the current project and also automatically in all other projects. It cannot be modified there, but objects can be inserted. All block types used in a multi-project can also be updated centrally.