SIMATIC Overview

Introduction
In the past, control tasks were solved with individual isolated Programmable
Logic Controls (PLCs) controlling a machine or process. Today in order for
companies to remain competitive, it is not enough to automate only individual
processing stations or machines in isolation. The demand for more flexibility with
higher productivity can then be fulfilled when the individual machines are
integrated in the entire system.

Totally Integrated Automation
Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) provides a common software environment that integrates all components, in spite of the diversification of applied
technology, into one uniform system. This brings together everything you need
to program, configure, operate, handle data, communicate, and maintain your
control solutions.
Step7 SIMATIC Manager, running on Siemens PGs or PCs, provides an
integrated set of tools for all system components that allows easy creation,
testing, start-up, operation and maintenance of your control solutions. While you
are configuring and programming, the Siemens software puts all of your data in
a central database to which all of the tools have access.

Central Database
A common database of all components of Totally Integrated Automation means
that data only have to be entered once and are then available for the entire
project. The total integration of the entire automation environment is made
possible with the help of:
• One common software environment (Step7 SIMATIC Manager) that
integrates all components and tasks into one uniform easy to use system.
• Common data management
• Standard open busses such as Ethernet, PROFIBUS, MPI, AS-interface
connect all components to each other, from the management level to the
field.