Integration of New Siemens S7-1500 PLC Family in UNICOS-CPC: Engineering Challenges and Performance Evaluation

UNICOS-CPC (UNified Industrial COntrol System - Continuous Control Package) framework is the CERN standard solution for the design and implementation of continuous industrial process control applications. This paper reports on the design and test results of the integration of a new PLC platform, the new S7-1500 Siemens PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers) series. Special focus is given to the challenges faced during the integration due to the new software architecture of the PLC, as well as to the early stage of the development and interfaces provided by the supplier. The paper shows the TIA portal openness capabilities of the PLC development tool and presents a comprehensive evaluation of the PLC-SCADA communication mechanisms, as well as their integration in UNICOS-CPC.