Step 1.

Below is a configuration of DP/DP Coupler on partner PLC side in Siemens Step7. Partner PLC will send 16 bytes Output (Q52…Q67) as booleans (some alarms, motor states etc.) and 16 bytes Output (Q132…147) as Integers (coefficients of PID).

Step 2.

There are no included HW library for Siemens DP/DP Coupler so let’s create it manually.

128 booleans

8 Integers

Name of new library will be SiDPDPCouplerHwLib

Step 4.

Filling-up of SiDPDPCouplerHwLib with needed Hw types

Get Hw types from si018070.gse file

Step 5.

Device Import Wizard starts up after selecting of si018070.gse file

Step 6.

Definition of Name and Description of new device

Step 7.

From all modules, described in si018070.gse file, select just those modules, which we need according configuration of DP/DP Coupler on partner PLC side in Siemens Step7 (see first picture). Pay attention – one can select every module just once.

Step 8.

Skip UserPrmData dialog box

Step 9.

This is a main dialog box – how previously selected from si018070.gse file modules have to be represented in AC800M. I applied standard conversions rules for input and outputs modules – 1 byte converted to 8 bool and 1 Word to 1 Dword. In case if need some special conversions it is possible to customize inputs and outputs. Pay attention – for every modules one can apply just single conversions rules.

After applying of conversions rules Device Import Wizard automatically creates new channels.

Step 10.

Skip diagnostic settings dialog box and two following resulting boxes.

Step 11.

After successful creation of SiDPDPCouplerHwLib we can instantiate it in PLC and create a needed units which are hardware types in Hw library based on modules in gse file.

In PLC we can use every hardware types from Hw library as often as it is needed but all of same hardware types will have same conversions rules and same list of available channels.

It is not problem if you really have absolutely same hardware types, but in my case I have same hardware types (16 bytes output from partner PLC) with different conversions rules (see step 1). So, question from my post - is it possible without editing of gsd file, to import same module more than one time (see step 7) and apply different conversion rules (see step 9)?