Extensions for PLC Subdevices

Specific PLC devices consist of multiple integrated modules, that each have their own address ranges and start addresses. Such integrated modules within a PLC device can be displayed in EPLAN with PLC subdevices. To this purpose up to twelve PLC subdevices are available. The management of PLC subdevices has been extended for this version. This way you can also replace PLC subdevices that are managed in the PLC configuration program as independent devices. Apart from I/O connection points you can now also assign bus ports to a PLC subdevice.

Device identification for PLC subdevices

You can now also enter a device identification at PLC subdevices. To this purpose there are two new properties for each PLC subdevice:

PLC subdevice x: PLC type designation: PLC type designation for PLC subdevice x of a PLC card.
PLC subdevice x: Device description: Index in file: Reference to the device in the device description file that is entered at the PLC box (main device) in the property Device description: File name.

Benefit:

With the device identification you can now also exchange PLC subdevices during the PLC data exchange in the AutomationML format that are managed as independent devices in the PLC configuration program.

These properties are available to you in the property dialog of PLC boxes on the PLC box tab and in the parts management on the Properties tab. During a part selection or device selection the function templates of the parts stored in the values are transfered to the functions. The device data for the main device and the associated PLC subdevices are maintained once per device by the manufacturer in the parts management.

Note:

The device identification for the main device and the associated PLC subdevices must be carried out in the same way. If, for example, a PLC type designation is specified at the PLC box, the PLC subdevices must be defined via a PLC type designation.

Uniform properties for all PLC subdevices

In the course of this extension the properties for PLC subdevices were harmonized and the start addresses and data lengths of the first PLC subdevice were separated from those of the main device. For the PLC subdevice 1, these data are not specified at the main device anymore but - analog to other PLC subdevices - via separate properties. To this purpose there are the following new properties:

PLC subdevice 1: Start address (inputs)
PLC subdevice 1: Start address (outputs)
PLC subdevice 1: Data length (inputs)
PLC subdevice 1: Data length (outputs)

Grouped display of PLC subdevices in the parts management

In the parts management you can enter the data for PLC subdevices on the Properties tab. The properties for the individual PLC subdevices are now displayed in groups below the PLC node. This way you can now immediately see the assignment of the properties to the individual PLC subdevices.

Bus ports at the PLC subdevices

The property PLC subdevice: Index (ID 20384) is now also available at bus ports. Previously this property was only available for I/O connection points. With this property you specify to which PLC subdevice the PLC connection point belongs. For example, the index value "3" means that the PLC connection point belongs to the subdevice 3. This information is required for automatic addressing. The property can also be stored in the function templates of the parts and is transferred to the PLC connection points for a device selection or when inserting devices.