Citect S7 communication

pacak · Nov 1, 2007

Hi guys,

I'm new to Citect and have to setup a Scada system to monitorize a plant.
What we have now is 4 separate MPI networks with CPU315-2DP-s and different OPs on them. I have to get data from these networks to Citect but don't know what kind of communication should I use. (Also, in the future we want to monitorize plant energy consumption etc.)
I've found on the internet Ethernet gateways to MPI, which means that on the Citect side I could use a switch and a single card in the PC instead of 4 CP5611s (actualy I think that you can use max. 2 in a PC).
The problem is that I do not want to buy such gateways until I know that they will work with Citect.
Does anyone uses something like this with Citect? What brand? What kind of driver do I need for this?
Any other idea how to set up communication?

Thanks!

aneel24reddy · Nov 1, 2007

Hello

This is Srikanth from India. Put them on Ethernet using network switch & configure IP for each node then connect to Citect using Modbus ( Ethernet).
In communication Interface option in Citect define all these IP addresses.

regards
Srikanth.

John Gaunt · Nov 1, 2007

You should be able to use just one CP5611 and communicate Profibus to your four S7-315-2DP PLC's.I have many times used a CP5613 to communicate Profibus to several S7-400 2DP PLC's. I run Citect SCADA and use the S7NT driver.

pacak · Nov 1, 2007

Hi Srikanth and John,

Sorry, I was not very clear before.
We have four MPI networks, one with 4 CPUs, one with 5, third with 5 and the last has only one. If I put all of them on ethernet, that means 15 pieces of CP343 and I do not have so much money. That's why I thought about 4 or 3 MPI/Ethernet gateways.
What do you think?

JesperMP · Nov 1, 2007

I would also consider the ethernet option.
Either a CP343-1 LEAN in each S7-300 station, or one of the 3rd party Ethernet/MPI adapters.

Putting 4 CP5611 in one PC wont work. The CP5611 is a softnet card, and that means amongst other things that only 1 card can be used in 1 PC.
4 CP5613 cards + hardnet software sounds like an expensive solution to me.

Using 1 CP5611 card to connect to 4 PLCs via MPI or DP will work.
However, in case of CP5611 and DP, then maybe that is not a good idea if the PLCs have DP slaves attached to them. Hooking everything up in one Profibus network will increase the update time on the Profibus network significantly.

JesperMP · Nov 1, 2007

After your last post:

I would consider the "pro" versions of the adapters from Deltalogic or IBH. These have a separate 24V supply. And this means that the adapter will keep working even if the CPU that the adpater is connected to directly is shutdown.

pacak · Nov 1, 2007

Thanks JesperMP!

Have you used them before?
IBH sounds familiar to me, I think I saw it on the web but cannot find it now.
Do you have by any chance the web address of these companies?

JesperMP · Nov 1, 2007

http://www.ibhsoftec-sps.de/english/Selection_Hardware_S7.htm
http://www.deltalogic.de/index.php?target=s7-adapter/netlink/netlink-pro.htm (only german language it seems)

I havent used them myself.
For connection to Citect, it is possible that you have to use the OPC server that each of the two above vendors have for either adapter.

Doug_Adam · Nov 2, 2007

Is it feasible to combine all the MPI networks into a single network and use 1 CP5611?

We used to network in this way for a little while, however we have now setup Ethernet on nearly all of our S7s, That would be the best option if you can do it. We are not using MPI much for any purpose any more.

John Gaunt · Nov 2, 2007

I prefer Profibus.
However, use one CP5611 and either Profibus or MPI and use Citects
S7NT driver rather than OPC.

BobB · Nov 2, 2007

There is a Citect driver to Siemens available from South Africa. Cannot remember it but was mentioned in a Siemens/Citect thread here before. Apparently it is very good.

pacak · Nov 5, 2007

Doug_Adam said:
Is it feasible to combine all the MPI networks into a single network and use 1 CP5611?

In that case we would have 50 nodes and need for extra hardware (max 32 nodes on MPI).
Thus, if I will anyway need extra stuff, I would opt for the ethernet solution with MPI/Eth adapters instead of using CP5611 with repeaters.

Somebody recomended me to use an ethernet CP card next to one CPU in each MPI network and change that CPU to one which knows routing. This way I can reach the MPI network nodes trough ethernet and through that routing CPU.

I also contacted a local Citect distributor/integrator in a neighbour contry which also sells MPI/Ethernet adapters. I asked them if they used this adapter in any of their Citect projects - now wainting for the reply.

pacak · Nov 5, 2007

BobB said:
There is a Citect driver to Siemens available from South Africa. Cannot remember it but was mentioned in a Siemens/Citect thread here before. Apparently it is very good.

Hi Bob,

I've found it ... also on Citect's webpage. Thanks!

BobB said:
I noticed a post here that Citect have a new driver for Siemens that works very well. It is from South Africa. One of my customers is using it with Citect and networked PLCs. The Citect data base is now over 115,000 tags. It is called PSDirect. Probably much more efficient than OPC.

JesperMP · Nov 5, 2007

pacak said:
In that case we would have 50 nodes and need for extra hardware (max 32 nodes on MPI).

pacak said:
We have four MPI networks, one with 4 CPUs, one with 5, third with 5 and the last has only one.

Thats 4+5+5+1=15. How did it change to 50 ?

Anyway, I wouldnt try to create a big network with MPI in any case.
I would also investigate if the 3rd party adapters are compatible with Siemens' or Citect's Ethernet drivers. If not, you should go with the software from the vendor.

Also, checkup how many MPI nodes can be accessed at a time. I think that up to 5 should be OK, but if the number has grown dramatically, then maybe you have a problem.

I once contacted IBH and asked how the adapter distinguishes between MPI/Profibus stations, and the answer was that a special way of specifying the rack/slot adress was used to designate the MPI adress. Something like rack=3, slot=4 was used to designate station=34.

pacak · Nov 5, 2007

Actualy there are 19 CPUs, 21 OPs and 9 CPs.
The extra 4 CPUs will be added to the last network (I forgot them at the first count).

Citect S7 communication

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