Industrial Automation Knowledge Base

This article will help you and guide you step by step to clone your controller application, which allows you to upload the application from one controller and download it only to a same controller reference. The clone function clones every parameter of the controller e.g., firmware, application, data file, post configuration file and remanent variables.

Firewalls help protect network security zone perimeters by blocking unauthorized access and permitting authorized access. This article will help you to configure a firewall script using the dynamic mode with the dedicated function block.

The following Knowledge Base article details the steps required to create a Faceplate and associate it with a CAT, using AVEVA Industrial Graphics in EcoStruxure Automation Expert and the Schneider Electric supplied OMI Layout.

Issue Many AVEVA Industrial Graphic symbols supplied within the AVEVA.IndustrialGraphics library can display the Asset Label (Instance Name), however by default it is not configured.   In the following example the Label on the valve symbol should be V003.   Resolution The following Knowledge Base article details the steps required to display the Asset Label (Instance Name) on a symbol.   Step 1 – Enable the Label display Open the symbol within the CAT and select it. In Properties select the LabelType and set to ObjectTagname     Step 2 – Add the ability to enable / display the visibility for the Label   Click on the Object, right-click and select Custom Properties.       Select the LabelVisible Default value to MyViewApp.Settings.LabelVisible       Save and close the Symbol. Create / Update the new template in AVEVA System Platform by using Sync AutoMapped .   Once the Template has been created in AVEVA System Platform, use the CAT in your applications and synchronize to System Platform via the normal method, using the Deploy and Diagnostic Tab.     Deploy and test - the Label can be turned on and off by selecting the banner symbol at the top     Use the Label slide switch to turn Visibility on or off.     Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Schneider Electric.  

Issue Please see Resolution. Resolution This article includes a video demonstrating how to create EcoStruxure Automation Expert CATs using AVEVA Industrial graphics symbols, which will allow EcoStruxure Automation Expert to be synchronized. The Software versions used:       • AVEVA System Platform 2023 SP3       • EcoStruxure Automation Expert V23 The article also includes:       • EcoStruxure Automation Expert Basic and CAT Templates       • AVEVA System Platform Template Objects Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Schneider Electric.  

Issue Before using AVEVA Industrial Graphics within Automation Expert, the AVEVA Industrial Graphics symbols need to be exported from AVEVA System Platform and then imported into Automation Expert.   Resolution The following Knowledge Base article details the steps required to install the required DLLs to export the AVEVA Industrial Graphics symbols and import them into Automation Expert.   Before exporting the AVEVA Industrial Graphics symbols, reference the AVEVA.IndustrialGraphicsLibrary Library and check that the symbols do not already exist.      Step 1 – Install DLLs   On the PC that AVEVA System Platform IDE is installed, ensure that the IDE Application is closed. Open the Services and stop the AVEVA.Watchdog   Navigate to the Automation Expert installation folder ” ArchestrA Extensions” and copy the DLLs.    Paste the three DLLs from “ArchestrA Extensions” folder to  "C:\Program Files (x86)\ArchestrA\Framework\Bin\IDEExtensions" folder  Restart the ArchestrA.Watchdog service  Relaunch the AVEVA System Platform IDE   Step 2 – Using AVEVA System Platform to Export the Symbols          Find the symbol that you wish to export right-click > Export > As Portable Object(s)         Save the zip file to a folder.   Step 3 – Import the Symbol into EcoStruxure Automation Expert          In the Solution Explorer navigate to the bottom of the tree and on OMI>MyContent right-click> New Folder, give the folder a name, e.g., Symbols         Select the newly created folder right-click>Import, select the exported zip file.         Click OK to the Import dialog box.         Give the Symbol a name.   Step 4 – Using the new Symbol within a CAT          Create the CAT function block network and HMI Interfaces, see example below:         Add the AVEVA Industrial Graphics.         Drag the new Symbol onto the Canvas.        Right click on the Symbol and select Custom Properties.         Highlight the three minus characters “---”,  click the three dots “…” and assign the OPC UA variable.         Save and Close the Graphics.       Prepare to create the template within AVEVA System Platform by using ASP Asset Mapping and the AutoMap feature.         Repeat using the ASP Attribute Mapping and Build.       Create the new template in AVEVA System Platform by using Sync AutoMapped .     Once the Template has been created in AVEVA System Platform, use the CAT in your applications and synchronize to System Platform via the normal method using the Deploy and Diagnostic Tab.   Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Schneider Electric.  

Issue In a M580 Hot Standby architecture the BMENUA0100 Module does not swap IP addresses like the other communication modules, therefore the SCADA system has to independently detect which NUA module is Primary. Resolution The aim of this document is to provide a step-by-step guide for configuration of AVEVA Plant SCADA (Citect) communicating to the BMENUA0100 Module using OPC UA Client and M580 Hot Standby. Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Schneider Electric.  

Issue In EcoStruxure Automation Expert V23.0, a new "Alias Name Toggle" button has been added. However, the documentation for this button is not available yet. Resolution The purpose of this document is to show how it is used to display Instance Name, Asset Tag name or HMI alias information. Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Schneider Electric.  

Issue SE.AppCommonProcess and other SE libraries offer the ability to show or hide the tag name on symbols used in graphics screens, but this function is not available when you create your own CATs. Resolution The aim of this document is to show you how to use the Tag Name Visibility in your own CATs. Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Schneider Electric.  

Issue I want to have multiple engineers working on my EcoStruxure Automation Expert Solution. Resolution This article describes the main features of EcoStruxure Automation Expert Sub Versioning, and how they can be used to allow multiple engineers to work on the same solution concurrently. Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Schneider Electric.  

Issue It is often a puzzle to many on where C# comes into play in EAE. Well, C# “lives” in the HMI and are found beneath Symbols that we create as part of a CAT. The next question then comes on how does the C# Codes get called to execute, where exactly is the entry point? And after, how do we debug our codes, or at least know what our codes are doing? Resolution This Knowledge Base article is meant to “demystify” the questions raised by letting us operate on a sample Solution provided. By the end of the lesson, we will:   Understand the structure of C# Codes in EAE and how it interacts with HMI. Learn a quick and dirty way of Debugging our C# Codes using .NET MessageBox method. Snapshots from article:  Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Schneider Electric.  

Issue When it comes to dealing with IIoT solutions with EAE, NETIO Basic Function Block is one of the most useful to handle interactions with cloud services. However, the help file does not elaborate in detail how to use it. Resolution Understand how NETIO is to be used for a HTTP Post with an example application. We will also get to see how the response should be handled.   Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Schneider Electric.  

Issue How can I obtain data values from any Modbus devices utilizing the State RAM topological objects (%MW, %M, %S, %SW, %KW, %I, and %IW) via EcoStruxure OPC UA Server Expert without having to install the EcoStruxure Control Expert programming software? Resolution Using the EcoStruxure OPC UA Server Expert Configuration Tool, enable the Populate option, we can use topological addressing to retrieve data values from the EcoStruxure OPC UA Server Expert without the requirement to create located and unlocated variables in EcoSruxure Control Expert. Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Schneider Electric.  

Issue I would like to upgrade my Modicon M580 Firmware to overcome published vulnerabilities identified in the previous firmware version or gain access to features delivered in a newer version. Resolution The aim of this article is to provide a step-by-step guide to properly upgrade Modicon M580 CPU Firmware from V3.20 and earlier to V4.10 of the Modicon M580 CPU firmware.

Issue A security database was created with the Security Editor tool on a PC where an old version of EcoStruxure Control Expert is installed (i.e. version 15.0). Then, a newer version of EcoStruxure Control Expert is installed (i. e. version 16.0) on the same PC. How to avoid creating the entire security database from scratch after installing a newer version of EcoStruxure Control Expert. Resolution Use the Security Database Migration Tool to migrate the previous security database to the one that is automatically created as part of the installation process of EcoStruxure Control Expert V16.0.

This Article describes step by step how to use Autotune tool for axis in a PacDrive System

Want to communication with a Modicon M262 with EcoStruxure Machine SCADA Expert?  Review this article and find out how!

Learn how to create complex pattern recognition files within Asset Link  

This document shows how to create your own patterns on Asset Link, how to use Asset Link and how to update the patterns.

Issue The best way to experience and learn the General Purpose Library is to run the Demonstration Project and explore its features and configuration. Resolution The attached document is to provide a step by step guide for the installation and setup of the General Purpose Library (GPL) with Wonderware System Platform using the supplied Demonstration Project. Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Schneider Electric.