Getting Started using Triconex Integration

 

Control Architect supports the importing of Triconex TriStation exported project configuration data for integration of PLC Modbus data through PKS PCDI Channel blocks and PKS SCADA point blocks.  Triconex integration is also supported for all LCN interface types including { DHP, PLCG, SM }.  The import process imports exported TriStation documents and generates Control Modules that contain a single embedded block to represent a PLC Controller and blocks to represent PLC Logic Programs.  Users can now see the Modbus address and PLC Alias name being referenced in their Control Strategies when viewed in a Chart View.  A Program Logic viewer allows users to view the Logic as a PDF view.  A Variable list allows users to navigate to its usage in the Program Logic.

 

 

A new PKS configuration Collection snapshot must be created using a minimum Control Architect release of 21.11.3.  Beginning with this release during the import of PKS Server configuration special processing is added for PCDI Channel Block connections to support PLC Modbus connectivity.  Existing configuration snapshots created with an earlier release are not supported for PLC Modbus connectivity.

 

If your configuration project consists entirely of SCADA, then having to rebuild existing configuration snapshots is not required as there are no additional connection processing required for SCADA points.

 

 

 

The data required for importing into a configuration project Collection snapshot must reside in a single folder in your file system.  This folder path is then referenced in the Import tool when choosing to import Triconex type PLC configuration.

 

 

To begin importing TriStation exported data sources, the Project Implementation default report must be displayed and saved as a PDF document type.  This document will be read and its Project Information Header Block data parsed for specific properties that includes { Project Version#, Project Description, DownloadedOn date, DownloadedVersion, NodeName, NodeNumber, Platform, TriStation Version#, Last SavedOn date, and the Project Name.  These properties are used to generate a unique PLC Controller Strategy name and these property values are cached in this new PLC Controller Strategy to support future version comparison operations.

 

 

The Triconex Node configuration settings document needs to be exported as a PDF document type named "Module Configuration Settings.pdf".  This document provides the IP addresses used for both Primary and Secondary that are used to map to an existing PCDI Master or SCADA Channel.

 

Users can export this document from TriStation by using its File-Print All menu item when the [Controller] tab is selected.

 

 

 

All Program Logic documents must be exported from TriStation as PDF document types using the File-Print All menu item.  This will display a "Print All Options" window that allows you to choose only the "Programs" item.  While printing to a PDF the user will be prompted to provide a SaveAs PDF filename, which for expediency you can choose to name the programs documents as in 1.pdf, 2.pdf, etc.  During import these Program Logic documents will be read and their Title Block data parsed to extract the actual name of the Program Logic that is then used to rename the actual PDF documents prior to importing and to also use as the name of the new generated Program Logic strategies.  These Program Logic strategies allow the user to launch a Program Logic viewer window for viewing logic and for navigating its used variable list.

 

 

The following Excel documents must be exported from TriStation as Excel *.XLS Data-Only types.

 

 

Export these documents from TriStation by:

 

The TriStation Export Toolbar button used to export "Program Variable Listing" and "Tagnames Where Used" Excel XLS documents.

 

The TriStation method for exporting the "Tagname Declarations" Excel XLS document:

 

 

 

The "Project Implementation" PDF document must be present in the export folder.  It is recommended to use its default name, but if you choose to rename differently, then you can browse for this renamed document file.

 

If the project implementation document is found, then it is read and its Project information header block is used to generate a unique PLC Controller Control Module name.

 

 

As noted above, during import if the name of the Program Logic drawing does not match its identifier as displayed in its Title Block, then the PDF document will be renamed.

 

 

During import a mapping of all variables defined in the TriStation project is created that also specifies where the Variables are used along with their Modbus Alias name and Modbus Address.  This mapped document is used to resolve PCDI Channel and SCADA point block Modbus address references during the import operation.  This map is also saved to the generated PLC Controller CM Strategy as a JSON type data collection.

 

 

It is expected that no errors will occur during import, but reality is that at times what is configured in the DCS won't necessarily match what the PLC project has defined.  For example a SCADA point strategy could be referencing a Modbus Address that is no longer defined in the PLC project

where the SCADA point should have been either deleted or updated to a new address.  Failure to resolve these Modbus connections will be noted as an error in the Error tab view.  Errors listed in this view are often indicative of a defect in the configuration.

 

Modbus references that could not be resolved will be displayed as an invalid Modbus reference.

 

 

Upon successful completion of an Import operation documents will have been imported into a MongoDB Database Collection that is logically named "PLCAssets".  The documents that were imported consist of the Program Logic PDF files, Modbus Alias mapping, and Excel files.

 

 

During import a number of strategies that represent both the PLC Controller node and its contained PLC logic programs are generated as Control Modules to fit within the PKS Control Strategy schema.  Program Logic CM's are contained within the PLC Controller CM.  Users can view the assigned and containment relationships by choosing to group the configuration Data View.

 

A single Control Module is generated to represent the PLC Controller node itself.

 

Control Modules that represent PLC Program Logic are named using the format: PLC-NodeName-LP-ProgramName where NodeName is the name of the PLC node extracted from the "Project Implementation" document and the ProgramName is the name of the Logic Program. i.e. PLC-TRICON1-LP-COMPRSD.

 

 

 

Users can choose to overwrite an existing import.  If the imported PLC Controller Strategy name is the same as an existing, then it along with all its documents and generated Control Module strategies will be replaced or overwritten.  Connections that were generated to support SCADA and PCDI relationships for the PLC Controller being imported are deleted prior to reimporting.

 

 

The Chart View has been enhanced to support the visualization of a Modbus connection type.  These connection types are expected for PCDI Channel and SCADA point blocks.

 

 

Here is an example of what to expect when viewing PCDI Channel blocks or SCADA point blocks within a Chart View.

 

 

 

When hovering your mouse over a Modbus connection type, additional information is displayed.

 

 

 

 

The Program Logic associated with a PLC Program Logic block can be viewed by clicking a button that becomes visible in the adorner layer of a Chart View block when the mouse enters a block visual.

When this View Logic button is clicked a Program Logic View window will be launched.

 

 

Program Logic can also be viewed from the Data View tab.  The Ribbon Toolbar for the Data View tab contains a drop-down button that lists all PLC Assets that are discoverable in the current project configuration snapshot.  This viewer allows you to view all logic programs and their variable usage within a single viewer unlike the Program Logic block that is scoped to only that PLC program itself.

 

Use the grouping functions to see the containment relationship between a PLC (Triconex) Controller block and its Program Logic blocks.

This view is grouped on the "AssignedTo" property.

 

 

Users can typically view their PCDI data by using the filter in the Data View to filter on Name or FunctionBlocks with the filter text "PCDI".

 

Users can also filter on the text "PLC" to achieve a similar related view of strategies associated with a Triconex project import.

 

 

The Manifest Data that is created and maintained for each configuration snapshot provides history and information as to the contents of a configuration snapshot.  This view is accessible from the configuration Data View.  This Manifest View provides the functions that allow you to attach or create a new binding between an existing PLC project import and the current configuration snapshot.

 

 

 

The existing Manifest View has been enhanced to support a new "PLC Binding View" Tool window.  This view provides any future maintenance functions that will become available for working with imported Modbus assets.