Components

Each record in the tag tables of the project database represents a component. Each component can be linked to a ratings record. Each component can be linked to other components in the database. Creating components, editing their ratings and linking them to other components are the fundamental operations of the Instrument Manager interface.

Component Types

Each component in the project database has an associated type. This type is determined when the component is created and cannot be changed.

Components in the project database can contain (be the parent of) other components. This behaviour is achieved by creating a relational link between the components within the database structure. The types of components a given component can contain depend on the type of that component. The purpose of each component type and the types of components they can contain are discussed below.

Areas

An area component represents a physical location in which other components can exist. Areas can contain enclosures, instruments, devices.

The value used in the Component_Type column in the Tag_Tags table is "Area".

Enclosures

An enclosure component represents a physical container for electrical and electronic devices, for example a switch panel etc. Enclosures can be contained in areas. Enclosures can contain instruments, devices, terminal strips

The value used in the Component_Type column in the Tag_Tags table is "Enclosure".

Instruments

An instrument component represents a single instrument within a plant. Instruments can be contained in areas and enclosures. Instruments can contain terminals. Instruments can be linked to datasheets, hook-up diagrams, loop diagrams and wiring diagrams. When each of the diagrams is generated, the instruments that are linked to them are inserted into the diagrams.

The value used in the Component_Type column in the Tag_Tags table is "Instrument".

Devices

Devices represent any electrical or electronic device that is not an instrument, for example a relay or PLC etc. Devices are similar to instruments; they can be contained in areas or enclosures, and can contain terminals. Devices can be linked to datasheets, hook-up diagrams and custom loop diagrams. Devices can be linked to wiring diagrams, which are created in the Terminal Strip Diagram category. When a wiring diagram is generated each of the devices that is linked to it is drawn on the diagram.

The value used in the Component_Type column in the Tag_Tags table is "Device".

PLC Cards

A PLC card represents one card in one slot of a PLC as a specific type of device. There is no specific component type that represents an overall PLC, although an Enclosure is the natural equivalent for multi-rack PLCs. For a miniature PLC where the IO are not swappable a PLC card should still represent the IO contained in one strip of terminals. PLC cards can be linked to datasheets, hook-up diagrams and custom loop diagrams. PLC cards can be linked to wiring diagrams, which are created in the Terminal Strip Diagram category.

The value used in the Component_Type column in the Tag_Tags table is "PLC Card".

Terminal Strips

Terminal strips are in reality a group of discrete terminals. Inside Instrument Manager a terminal strip object is used to refer to each group of terminals as one object: namely a terminal strip. Terminal strips can only be contained in enclosures, and can contain terminals. Terminal strips can be linked to terminal strip diagrams. When a terminal strip diagram is generated each of the terminal strips that is linked to it is drawn on the diagram.

The value used in the Component_Type column in the Tag_Tags table is "Terminal Strip".

Terminals

Terminals represent an electrical connection point. They should always be contained in an instrument, device or terminal strip. Terminals cannot contain any other components. Terminals can be connected wires or the cores or conductors of cables.

The value used in the Component_Type column in the Tag_Tags table is "Terminal".

Terminal Groups

A terminal group represents a single I/O channel on a PLC card or a user-defined grouping of terminals on a device or instrument. Terminal groups are contained in PLC cards or devices. A terminal group links to the terminals that are functionally part of that group. A PLC card or device can contain multiple terminal groups. A common terminal of a PLC card or device can appear in more than one terminal group.

You can associate an instrument or device with the terminal group on a PLC card that represents the I/O channel for that instrument or device. You can also associate a terminal group with another terminal group, e.g., a specific terminal group on an instrument with the terminal group on the PLC card for those terminals' I/O channel.

Terminal Groups are stored in the "TerminalGroup_Terminal Groups" table, not the Tag_Tags table, and the terminal groups table does not have a Component_Type column. Regardless of the lack of Component_Type column, the value used to refer to a terminal group is "Terminal Group".

Wires

Wires represent single conductors, and are used to make an electrical connection between two terminals, one for each end of the wire. Wires should only connect the terminals of instruments, devices and terminal strips that reside in the same enclosure. Wires are not contained by and cannot contain any component.

The value used in the Component_Type column in the Tag_Tags table is "Wire".

Cables

Cables represent multiple-core conductors. Cables are not contained by any other component. Cables can contain cores (conductors) which connect the terminals of instruments, devices and terminal strips.

All of the components, to which each core or conductor of a single cable is connected, must be contained in no more than two distinct enclosures or areas.

Cables can be directly connected to devices and enclosures without the need to connect the cores. This can be useful in the planning stages of your project or for cable routing in Cable Scheduler.

Cables can be linked to datasheets.

The value used in the Component_Type column in the Tag_Tags table is "Cable".

Cores / Conductors

Cores represent the individual conductors contained in a cable. Cores can make an electrical connection between two terminals, one for each end of the core. Cores should always be contained in a cable. Cores cannot contain any component.

The value used in the Component_Type column in the Tag_Tags table is "Core".

User Defined Component Types

Types defined by the user. These can only be associated with other components and cannot act as containers for other components or be electrically connected. They are suitable for P&ID components.

See User Defined Component Types

The value used in the Component_Type column in the Tag_Tags table is defined in the configuration file for the user type. For example, the values used for the supplied user types are "Tank", "Valve", "Line" and "Document".

Other non-tag types

The following types are not stored in the Tags table and do not have a Component_Type column. These type values are used when you are importing or setting relational aliases.

Datasheet
Hookup Diagram
Loop Diagram
Custom Loop Diagram
Terminal Strip Diagram
Datasheet Template
Hookup Diagram Template
Loop Diagram Template
Loop Diagram Component Template
Custom Loop Diagram Template
Terminal Strip Diagram Template