ABB 800xA with Advant Master integrated configuration

In-depth Guide to Integration and Configuration of ABB 800xA for Advant Master

1. Introduction: Connecting industrial automation across two eras

ABB's 800xA system is renowned for its robust collaborative operation capabilities and unified information management platform. Advant Master, particularly the AC 400 series, remains a core component in numerous critical process controls as a time-tested controller in the field of industrial control. The 800xA for Advant Master product serves as a bridge connecting these two eras. It is not merely a simple communication driver, but a comprehensive integrated solution that allows 800xA operator workstations to directly access the MasterBus 300 (MB300) control network, enabling monitoring and operation of AC 400 series controllers (such as AC 450, AC 410) and MasterPiece 200/1.

The core value of this integration solution lies in its significant simplification of engineering tasks. Engineers no longer need to redefine the process database within the 800xA system; instead, they can directly upload existing object structures and data from the controller, achieving a "what you see is what you get" engineering mode. This not only saves time but also eliminates errors that may arise from manual input. Furthermore, it seamlessly integrates Advant Master's powerful event processing and TTD historical logging capabilities into the unified alarm and event list, as well as the trend analysis platform of 800xA.

2. Core integration architecture: Building the communication bridge

The first step of any integration is to establish reliable physical and logical connections. For 800xA and Advant Master, the core lies in the RTA (Real-Time Accelerator) board.

2.1 Hardware Connection: The Role and Selection of RTA Board

The RTA board is a dedicated communication interface connecting the 800xA system server (Connectivity Server) with the MB300 control network. Depending on the hardware configuration, it can be divided into:

PU515A RTA board: a PCI-interface board that is directly installed in the PCI slot of the Connectivity Server.

PU410 RTA unit: An independent hardware unit that connects to the Connectivity Server via Ethernet, supports single-cable or redundant dual-cable connections, and provides dual RJ-45 interfaces for MB300 network access.

Both of these hardware components are transparent to users in terms of configuration and operation interface (such as the RTA Board Control aspect in Plant Explorer). From an engineering perspective, their functionalities are identical, with the main difference lying in the installation method and physical connection. When using the PU410, it is necessary to configure the network interface controller (NIC) of the Connectivity Server. It is generally recommended to set the IP address to 172.16.168.1 (for single cable) or 172.17.168.1 (for dual cable), and ensure that it is within the same network segment as the default IP address of the PU410 (172.16.168.50).

2.2 Network and node configuration

After installing the 800xA system, the first step is to set the network parameters of the RTA board through the configuration wizard:

Network Number: The number of the MB300 network, typically ranging from 11-19, 21-29, etc.

Node Number: The node address of the Connectivity Server on the MB300 network, ranging from 1 to 99.

Redundant network: If a redundant MB300 network is used, a second network number needs to be set, and "PU410 redundant cable supervision" should be checked in the PU410 configuration to monitor the cable status.

These settings are crucial, as any duplicate addresses may lead to network communication failures. After making changes, the RTA board must be restarted through the RTA Board Control aspect for the changes to take effect.

2.3 Time Synchronization Strategy

Precise time synchronization is the cornerstone of stable operation for distributed control systems. 800xA for Advant Master supports two time synchronization modes:

AC 400 controller as the clock master: This mode is recommended when MB300 is the only control network. The Connectivity Server receives time from the MB300 network and acts as the time service master, distributing the time to other nodes (such as Aspect Server, Client) in the 800xA system.

800xA as Clock Master: This mode is enabled when the system includes both an AC 800M controller (running on a TCP/IP network) and an Advant Master controller. The Connectivity Server, acting as the Clock Master, synchronizes all nodes on the MB300 network via the RTA board. To enable this mode, simply check "800xA as Clock Master" in the Network/Node Configuration tab of the RTA Board Control aspect.

3. Engineering construction: Data mapping from controller to 800xA

After completing the communication link, the next stage is the engineering phase, with the core objective of constructing a logical structure that matches the on-site controller within the Control Structure of 800xA.

3.1 Object types and libraries

800xA for Advant Master has predefined a complete set of Object Types to represent various database elements in the Advant Master controller, such as MB300 AI, MB300 PID Controller, MB300 Valve, etc. These Object Types are organized in the AdvantMasterObjectTypes base library, while the related process graphics are stored in the AdvantMasterObjectTypesPG2Ext extension library. This modular library structure allows for flexible activation or deactivation of functions.