Properties for PLC Cards

Number of Possible CPU Names for PLC Cards Expanded to 128

In the past up to four CPU names could be assigned to a PLC card. Now you can assign up to 128 CPU names to a PLC card. Through the assignment of the CPU names you specify which CPUs can read the signals of the PLC card.

Benefit:

The extension to 128 possible CPU names means that the signals of a PLC card can be read by up to 128 CPUs.

To this purpose the index of the CPU: Name (ID 20253) property has been extended to 128.

All the CPU names that were entered at the PLC box are displayed, separated by semicolons, in the existing property CPU: Name (ID 20433). The display is effected without gaps, meaning that empty entries are not listed.

In the course of this extension the PLC structure data tab has been redesigned. The property table now only displays the properties selected via the property selection. This corresponds to the default behavior of property tables.

Usage of the full CPU name

The CPU name has to be unique within the EPLAN project. Therefore now always enter the full CPU name in the form [Configuration project].[Station ID].[CPU identifier] at all the PLC boxes in the property CPU: Name (ID 20253), for example Siemens SIMATIC S7.Station 300.1.
In the drop-down list of this property all the full CPU names already available in the project are displayed as an input aid.

For PLC data exchange in AutomationML format the name element "CPU identifier" must be an integer. For the data exchange in the "SIEMENS STEP 7 Classic" format the values 1 to 4 are permitted for the CPU identifier.

Renamed property for PLC cards

The term "module" is used in EPLAN for a grouping of parts. To avoid misunderstandings we do not use modules in the PLC area but consistently use the term "PLC card". Therefore the Module name property was renamed for this version:

Old designation	New designation
Module name	PLC card name

This property (ID 20437) includes the designation of the PLC boxes and can be identified by PLC devices during the PLC data exchange in the AutomationML or Studio 5000 Architect format.