In production plants with Simatic automation stations, the Simatic PDM Maintenance Station is directly connected to the plant bus, and so communicates over the automation stations with the field devices of the lower-level field bus systems. In addition, a separate network can be created to the field devices if direct access is not possible.
The Simatic PDM Maintenance Station offers the same functionality and user guidance as the Simatic PCS 7 Maintenance Station, which is recommended for larger-scale applications using Simatic PCS 7 as a control system. "The special feature of the Simatic PDM Maintenance Station V 2.0 is that it can be used independently of Simatic PCS 7. Even if it isn't integrated into a Simatic PCS 7 project, it can use the existing infrastructure of a Simatic S7/PCS 7 project or create its own communication infrastructure," says Holger Rachut, Product Manager at Siemens. "It makes no difference how the field devices are connected, for instance using Profibus DP / PA, Profinet, HART or Ethernet," adds Rachut.
The compact Simatic PDM Maintenance Station is flexible and offers scope for expansion. It can even be used several times over within a single project for different tasks, for instance as a diagnostic station for sub-plants or a data collector for selected field devices. Used as a data collector, the Simatic PDM Maintenance Station enables the cyclical capture and transmission of identity, event and parameter data to the relevant data evaluation systems.
In its recommendation NE 107, Namur has defined four status signals to be used on a standardized basis for all field devices: device failure, maintenance required, out of specification and function check. This enables identical status visualization for all field devices based on what is known as the device description package DD/EDD, irrespective of type or manufacturer. The Simatic PDM Maintenance Station captures the diagnostic statuses and condition data of field devices implemented by the device manufacturer and described in DD/EDD. The maintenance station automatically reads this information from the field devices on a cyclical basis and where applicable signals any maintenance-related requirement, request or alarm on the basis of the NE 107, ensuring that service personnel are immediately informed and able to act or react promptly.
Development of the Simatic PDM Maintenance Station is based on Namur recommendations NE 105 in respect of field device integration, NE 107 for diagnostic status evaluation of field devices and NE 129 for general functionality of the device measurement station.
The Simatic PDM Maintenance Station requires only simple, low-cost engineering. Network structures and field devices can be simply adopted from existing projects. The basic package comprises a pre-installed industrial PC (Microbox IPC 427E) and the necessary function licenses, alongside a software recovery package. The Simatic PDM Maintenance Station can be optionally adapted within the quantity structure to the field devices to be monitored, and extended to include the server/client functionality of Simatic PDM.
For further information on the subject of Simatic PDM Maintenance Station, please see
www.siemens.com/simatic-pdmms