How to set up a S7 connection between a Siemens OPC-server and a VIPA S7-300 series plc?

Figure 1: Assign a project name

Confirm the input of the project name (in the example: "PC_Station") with OK.

Figure 2: Adding PC Station

Add a PC station with the menu item "Insert -> Station -> SIMATIC PC Station".

Now open the hardware configuration of the PC station. For this, you have to select the PC station, then right mouse click -> "Open Object". If the hardware catalog should not exist then open it now.

Now place your PC modules in the rack and connect them and assign an IP address. The IP address you assign is the address for your PC.

Select the OPC server in the hardware catalog and drag and drop into any available slot. Now open the program "NetPro" and place an unspecified S7 connection.

As the connection is now created "unspecified", you have to enter the IP address of the partner.

Please fill in the CPU slot of the Simatic S7 control partner.

Open the software "Configuration Editor" which you can find as an icon on your desktop.

Click the "Import Station" button and confirm the next window with "Yes".

Enter the path where the XDB file can be found via the browser window. The XDB is always created in the project from Step 7. (See Figure 1: Creating a project)

Confirm this window with "OK". The import is now completed and the project engineering is loaded.

Connect to the OPC server by performing a double click on "OPC.SimaticNet". Enter a suitable group name in the displayed dialog and confirm with OK.

By repeating the double-click on the link and "objects" the tree with the possible objects appears which can be accessed.