Process Control System ECS

Process control software to control, monitor and log processes

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ECS Features

Automating heat treatment plants with ECS

The ECS process control system (SCADA) is designed for the visualization and control of industrial heat treatment processes. All necessary functions to control, monitor and log processes are fulfilled. Apart from the plant visualization, ECS offers various data evaluation and log possibilities.

Up to 16 plants can be controlled in the system network with integrated modules for configuration, program creation and administration, online operation with visualization and recording function, batch data evaluation with administration and operating picture design for process visualization.

Different program components process the different parameters and/or offer further functions.

ECS offers functionalities for modern heat treatment methods in order to operate processes easily and save and integrate process control requirements (nitriding potential control, online diffusion, carburizing simulation).
TELEPHONY is designed for alarm notification via E-Mail.

Application fields:

Hardening plants metal
Glow systems and forging line
Ceramic furnaces
Cold and climatic chambers
Autoclaves (food/pharmacy)
Glass autoclaves
Aircraft industry autoclaves
Semiconductor furnaces
Laboratory furnaces
... and much more

Technical Data

Functions:

Easy handling and continuous uniform user interface in all mo dules
Optimized for the use with STANGE program controllers SE-4xx, SE-5xx, SE-6xx, SE-7xx and Siemens S7
Operating system Windows 7 / 10 / 11
Program creation and administration for up to 9999 programs
Graphic and tabular report print-out
Online plant operation with vizualiation and recorder function
Batch data evaluation and administration
Graphic evaluation with comparison of process curves
Graphic representation of setpoint curves and digital tracks
Batch protocol print-out with screen preview
Tabular batch overview with filter-/ search function
Operation picture designer for process visualization
Reduction of project work by simple duplication of plants
Configuration program
Batch data storage, administration and evaluation
Process data overview tabular or as tree structure
Operation picture designer for process visualization with symbol library
Visualization and storage of measuring data for Siemens S7 as we ll as other OPC compatible systems
OPC driver for STANGE devices
ECS Replication for batch data backup in a superordinate directory

Optional:

Alarm notification via e-mail
Carburizing simulation software with integrated material data base
Nitriding potential calculation on PC
Nitriding case depth precalculation on PC
Interface ECS to the office TTC software for hardening shops or other ERP systems
Software maintenance contract

ECS-SQL Export

Interface between ECS and SQL

The software module exports values, alarms and batch header data from the ECS software to a Microsoft SQL Server. Beginning from version 5.0.8.
The export runs automatically in the background and gets start and end form ECS StatusControl tool.

Requirements

The monitoring of day files must be activated inside ECS system configuration.
Microsoft SQL-Express-Server or SQL-Server.

Interface between ECS and AMS

Interface between process control system ECS and the administration management system of TTC Informatik with the following functions:

- Automatic recipe replication
New recipe names in ECS are automatically transferred to AMS

- Automatic recipe download
In AMS a batch is prepared and transferred together with the recipe name and plant number to ECS. The recipe is loaded from ECS automatically to the chosen controller. The start must be carried out on the SE-controller.

- Transfer batch data
The AMS batch number and the order information (order no, client etc.) are transferred from AMS to ECS. ECS stores the AMS batch numbers in one of the 20 data fields (configurable) of the evaluation and the AMS order information in the comment field.

- Batch evaluation access out of AMS
Out of AMS, the ECS evaluation (ECS-2K-AW) can be selected with the appropriate batch file via the AMS batch number and can be analysed. For each PC, where this function should be possible, an additional licence of ECS-AW-1 is required.

- Sending of status information to AMS
ECS-AMS transmits also the status information "batch is running" / "batch is not running" to AMS

The implementation must always be carried out by an employee of STANGE Elektronik. In case of a good and steady online connection, the implementation can be executed via remote access.

Batch graph as PDF/PNG file for ECS-AMS

Option for ECS-AMS.

At batch end a PDF or PNG file (configurable) is automatically created and transferred with the AMS batch number as file name to the AMS program (Fa. TTC).
The license is required for each ECS-PC.

Diagrams, alarms, batch header data etc. are selectively contained in the ECS batch documentation. The content of the ECS batch documentation as well as the configuration of the used graphic templates is configured during start-up according to customer's specifications.

Process Control System ECS and SIMATIC S7

The control system software ECS communicates with SIMATIC S7-300 and/or SIMATIC S7-400 controllers via OPC (OLE for Process Control).
SIEMENS, SOFTING and INAT (restricted) OPC servers are supported.

Data exchange takes place over a software interface, contained in the scope of supply, which must be integrated into the user project. This interface makes a standardized OPC namespace available over a symbolism.
Communication with the S7 is made by this symbolism. An addressing over the absolute addresses of variables and I/Os is not necessary.

By this procedure a simple connection of SIMATIC S7 controllers to the control system ECS is ensured.

The S7 interface is available in two versions:

Full Version:
All features of the ECS visualization can be used. Both display and recording of process values, and the binding to a program controller and up-/download of recipes is implemented in the full version.

Lite Version:
For the visualization and recording of process values. Not all standard pages and functions of ECS are available.

Depending upon kind of the connection (Ethernet or MPI), appropriate interfaces must be present in SIMATIC S7 control and in the PC.

The definition of devices that can be connected to the process control system ECS takes place over the ECS Unit Control. Apart from our own program controllers and automation systems (SE-4xx, SE-5xx, SE-6xx, SE-7xx), there are already pre-defined S7 controllers. For SIEMENS, Softing and INAT S7-OPC-server is available in each case a control in the full and lite version. The use of these pre-defined S7 controllers simplifies the connection to the control system ECS, because configuration errors are impossible. A manual change and also the creation of your own configuration is likewise possible respectively.

Variations of possible communication connection:

Industrial Ethernet

Manufacturer	OPC Server	PLC Hardware	Specifics
Siemens	IE SOFTNET-S7 V6.2 6 GK1704-1CW62-3AA0	e.g. CP 343-1 für S7-300 or CP 443-1 für S7-400
Siemens	IE SOFTNET-S7 Lean / 20056 GK1704-1LW63-3AA0	e.g. CP 343-1 für S7-300 or CP 443-1 für S7-400	Supports only max. 8 connections
Softing	S7/S5 OPC-Server V3.0	e.g. CP 343-1 für S7-300 or CP 443-1 für S7-400
INAT	OPC-Server TCPIP-S	e.g. CP 343-1 für S7-300 or CP 443-1 für S7-400 and/or S7-TCP/IP from INAT	For Siemens and INAT CPs
INAT	OPC-Server TCPIP-I	S7-TCP/IP from INAT	Only for INAT CPs

Profibus (S7 protocol over MPI interface)

Manufacturer	OPC Server	PLC Hardware	PC Hardware
Siemens	PB SOFTNET-S7 / 2005 6GK1704-5CW63-3AA0	No special hardware needed, the existing MPI interface of the CPU is used.	CP 5611 PCI Board 6GK1561-1AA00
Softing	S7/S5 OPC-Server V3.0	No special hardware needed, the existing MPI interface of the CPU is used.	PROFIboard PCI (1-channel)

The components specified in the product overview are not contained in our scope of supply.
Due to the simpler configuration we recommend the use of Softing OPC server.

System requirements
Windows 7 / 10 / 11 starting with Home-Edition (Starter Edition is not supported);
In combination with other languages than English and German the Ultimate-Edition is recommended.
Additional system requirements of respective OPC server are to be considered!

System Requirements for ECS

Minimum system requirements for ECS version 6.xx

Windows 10: including Framework 3.5 (Framework installation via Internet during ECS installation possible. Alternatively via Windows DVD with the tool
"\Framework3.5SP1\SetupMsFrameworkWindows10" from the ECS DVD)
(Starting with ECS version 6.0, Framework 3.5 is no longer used. Instead, the Windows integrated framework version 4.x.x is used).
Windows 11: Starting with version ECS version 6.0
Windows Server 2022: Starting from version ECS version 6.0. Attention! ECS runs under server systems, but it is still bound to a single user login. It does NOT run as a service. Thus, access from outside cannot take place via multiple RDP sessions of multiple users. The user must remain logged in.
File system: NTFS

Hardware:

Any computer that is suitable for the operating system mentioned above
Recommended i5 12th generation or newer.
Min. 4 GB RAM. Recommended 8GB.
Possibly DVD-ROM drive für Installation.
Approx. 10 GB free storage capacity on the hard disk (for installation)
NIC (Network Interface Card); in combination with 6 series controllers an additional network interface is recommended to separate the field network from the office network
One free COM-Port per 4 units for controllers of the 4th and 5th generations

Optional: