| name | dcs-platforms |
| description | Reference for major DCS/PLC platforms - ABB Freelance, Siemens PCS7/TIA Portal, Emerson DeltaV, Honeywell Experion. Use when comparing platforms, mapping function blocks across vendors, or designing cross-platform solutions. |
| user-invocable | false |
Major DCS/PLC Platforms Reference
Platform Overview
| Platform | Vendor | Primary Use | Engineering Tool | HMI |
|---|
| Freelance | ABB | Small-mid process | Control Builder F / EWP | DigiVis |
| PCS 7 | Siemens | Large process | SIMATIC Manager + CFC/SFC | WinCC |
| TIA Portal | Siemens | PLC/HMI unified | TIA Portal | WinCC Unified |
| DeltaV | Emerson | Process DCS | DeltaV Explorer + Control Studio | DeltaV Operate/Live |
| Experion PKS | Honeywell | Large process | Control Builder | HMIWeb |
ABB Freelance
Key Characteristics
- Compact DCS for small-medium plants
- FBD/LAD primary programming
- File-based engineering (PRT, DMF, CSV)
- BST_LIB (standard) + BST_USER (custom) function block libraries
- MSR points as primary addressable entities
- DigiVis for operator displays
- DIGI protocol for internal communication
Motor Control: IDF_1 + MOT_T1
MOTOR1 Structure (11 signals):
IN: AC (auto cmd), PR0 (safety), MA (req auto), MM (req manual)
OUT: ILK (interlock), RDY (ready), RUN (running), LOC (local), AUT (auto), FLR (fault), SDS (shutdown)
Automation Approach
- PRT file templating (text replacement)
- CSV project parsing/generation
- No public API (file manipulation is the standard approach)
- Checksum can be set to 0; Freelance recalculates on import
Siemens PCS 7
Project Hierarchy
PCS 7 Project
+-- OS (Operator Station - WinCC)
+-- AS (Automation Station - S7-400/1500)
| +-- CFC Charts (Continuous Function Charts)
| +-- SFC Charts (Sequential Function Charts)
+-- Hardware Configuration
+-- Plant Hierarchy (technological view)
+-- Process Tag Management
Motor Control: MotL Block (APL)
Inputs: ModLiOp, AutModOp, ManModOp, FbkRun, Protect, Intlock01, CmdStrt, CmdStop, MonTiRun, MonTiStp
Outputs: ModLiOp_Out, StartOut, RunOut, StopOut, Trip, SwiToLoc
Other APL blocks: MotR (reversing), MotSpdL (speed), VlvL (valve), PIDConL (PID), Intlk02/04/08/16 (interlock), MonDi/MonAn (monitoring)
File Formats
.s7p / .s7l - S7 project/library
.pdl - WinCC display
.xml - SimaticML block export (proprietary schema)
.aml - AutomationML (PCS 7 V9+)
.scl / .awl - ST / IL source
Automation: TIA Portal Openness API (.NET)
using Siemens.Engineering;
TiaPortal tia = new TiaPortal(TiaPortalMode.WithUserInterface);
Project project = tia.Projects.Open(new FileInfo(@"Project.ap17"));
PlcSoftware sw = device.GetService<PlcSoftware>();
sw.BlockGroup.Blocks.Import(new FileInfo(@"Block.xml"), ImportOptions.Override);
Capabilities: create projects, import/export blocks as XML, create tags, generate HMI screens, compile, download.
HMI: SiVArc
Rules-based auto-generation: "For every MotL instance, create a faceplate." Reads PLC structure, generates WinCC elements.
Emerson DeltaV
Architecture
DeltaV System
+-- Plant Areas
| +-- Control Modules (CM) - individual loops
| +-- Equipment Modules (EM) - sequences
| +-- Phases - ISA-88 batch
+-- Controllers (M-series, S-series)
+-- I/O Subsystem
+-- Module Templates (reusable designs)
Motor Control: DC (Device Control) Block
Inputs: MODE_BLK.TARGET, IN_D1 (running fbk), IN_D2 (stopped fbk), IN_D3 (fault), IN_D4 (available), INTERLOCK, PERMIT
Outputs: OUT_D1 (start), OUT_D2 (stop), SP_D (setpoint), PV_D (process value)
Config: IO_OPTS, FBK_STRATEGY, FBK_TIMEOUT
Automation: Class-Based + Bulk Edit
- Module Templates: Define once, instantiate many. Change propagation on template update.
- Bulk Edit: Export to Excel, modify, import back.
- FHX Files: Text-based config format, parseable and generatable.
MODULE TEMPLATE "MT_MOTOR_1SPD" /
MODULE_CLASS = DEVICE /
{
FUNCTION_BLOCK "DC-1" / DEFINITION = "DC" /
{ ATTRIBUTE MODE_BLK.TARGET = AUTO ; ... }
}
Tag Structure
Area/ControlModule/FunctionBlock/Parameter
Example: PLANT/M_101/DC-1/PV_D
Honeywell Experion PKS
Motor Control: MOTOR Block
Inputs: SP (cmd), MODE, INTLK, FB_RUN, FB_STOP, FB_TRIP, LOCAL
Outputs: OP (output), STATUS, ALARM
Config: FB_TIME (monitor time), STRATEGY
Programming
- CL (Control Language): Proprietary ST-like language
- FBD: Graphical function blocks
- Custom Algorithms (CA): Complex logic
Automation
- CSV/Excel bulk point import
- COM-based API (Experion PKS API)
- OPC DA/UA interface
Cross-Platform Motor Block Mapping
| Concept | ABB Freelance | Siemens PCS 7 | Emerson DeltaV | Honeywell |
|---|
| Block | IDF_1 / MOT_T1 | MotL | DC | MOTOR |
| Start Input | AC | CmdStrt | SP_D | SP |
| Run Feedback | RUN | FbkRun | IN_D1 | FB_RUN |
| Fault | FLR | Protect/Trip | IN_D3 | FB_TRIP |
| Interlock | ILK | Intlock01 | INTERLOCK | INTLK |
| Auto/Manual | AUT/MA/MM | AutModOp/ManModOp | MODE_BLK | MODE |
| Local/Remote | LOC | ModLiOp | IO_OPTS | LOCAL |
| Monitor Time | Lz (T#5s) | MonTiRun | FBK_TIMEOUT | FB_TIME |
| Data Structure | DBS:RECORD (MOTOR1) | Instance DB | Module params | Point params |
Cross-Platform Function Block Mapping
| Function | ABB Freelance | Siemens PCS 7 | Emerson DeltaV | Honeywell |
|---|
| Motor | IDF_1 / MOT_T1 | MotL / MotR | MOTOR_BASIC / DC | MOTOR |
| On/Off Valve | VLV_1 | Valve | DEVICE_DISCR | DVALVE |
| Mod. Valve | VLV_2 | AnlgValve | DEVICE_AO | AVALVE |
| PID | PID | PIDConL | PID_PLUS | PID |
| Analog In | M_ANA | MEAS_MON | AI | AI |
| Digital In | M_BIN | MON_DIGI | DI | DI |
IEC 61131-3 Support Comparison
| Language | ABB Freelance | Siemens PCS7/TIA | Emerson DeltaV | Honeywell | Schneider |
|---|
| LD | Yes | Yes (KOP) | No | Via ControlEdge | Yes |
| FBD | Yes (primary) | Yes (FUP/CFC) | Yes (primary) | Yes | Yes |
| ST | Yes | Yes (SCL) | Partial (CALC) | CL (similar) | Yes |
| IL | No | Yes (AWL) | No | No | Yes (deprecated) |
| SFC | Limited | Yes (S7-GRAPH) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OOP | No | TIA V16+ | No | No | No |
| PLCopen XML | No | Partial | No | No | Yes |
Bulk Engineering Comparison
| Approach | ABB Freelance | Siemens TIA | Emerson DeltaV | Honeywell |
|---|
| Primary | PRT file templating | Openness API (.NET) | Class-based + Bulk Edit | CSV point import |
| File format | PRT/CSV (text) | XML (SimaticML) | FHX (text) | CSV |
| API | None (file-based) | TIA Openness (.NET) | COM API | COM API |
| Scripting | Python file manipulation | C#/VB.NET | Python + FHX | VBScript |
| HMI gen | DMF templating | SiVArc rules | Auto-faceplates | Template displays |