Creating Functional Diagrams

Functional diagrams can be created on an existing page or on a separate new page. This section describes how a functional diagram can be created on a new page. The procedure for creating functional diagrams on existing pages is similar.

Preconditions:

  • You have opened a project.
  • You have added the symbol library OS_SYM_ESS.slk to the project. (This setting is carried out via the following commands: File > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Management > Symbol libraries.)
  • In the project settings you have set the special symbol that is used for the placing of the property texts in operational sequence sheets (e.g., OS1 for a text-based functional diagram or OS2 for a symbol-based functional diagram).
  • You have inserted functions or devices in the project and have entered on those the required values for the properties Function text, State [1] to State [10], etc.

Notes:

  • When you create a symbol-based functional diagram, the Functional placing with symbol graphic project setting must be activated. This setting must be deactivated for a text-based functional diagram.
  • The State [10] property has been set aside, by default, for the input of variables for GRAFCET diagrams.
  1. Create a new project page. Select the following commands: Tab Home > Command group Page > New.
  2. Select the entry "Overview (I)" in the New page dialog in the Page type field, and enter a descriptive text for the project page in the Page description field.
  3. In the table select the form to be used from the Form name field, for example F28_001.f28 for a text-based functional diagram or F28_002.f28 for a symbol-based functional diagram.
  4. In the table in the Grid field, enter the value "3 mm".
  5. Click [OK].

    A project page is created that contains the selected form for an operational sequence sheet.

    If the grid settings and the form used match, the grid points will be in the center of the table rows defined in the form. This facilitates the correct placing of devices and process sequences.
  1. Open the project page for the operational sequence sheet, e.g., by double-clicking the project page in the page navigator.
  2. Select the following commands: Tab Devices > Command group Devices > Navigator.
  3. Mark a function in the device navigator and select the Place functional > With symbol graphic popup menu items.

    The special symbol defined in the project settings hangs on the cursor. When creating a text-based functional diagram, only the property texts of the function are displayed. When creating a symbol-based functional diagram, the symbol of the function is displayed in addition.
  4. Or select the subsequent menu item With macro graphic if you want to place the graphic of a part macro in the functional diagram when creating symbol-based functional diagrams. If no part macro is stored for the selected device, you can, after a corresponding query, open the macro selection and select a macro.
  5. Place the graphic on the project page. The insertion point of this symbol should be positioned in the top left corner of a table row in the diagram.

    The property texts are placed in the diagram. In the case of symbol-based functional diagrams, the symbol graphic of the function is also placed.
  6. Or place the macro in the functional diagram.

    The grouped graphic of the macro and the property texts of the main function are placed at the selected position on the page.
  7. Repeat the above steps for the other devices that you want to place in the operational sequence sheet.

Tip:

During placing, you can use the [Tab] key to "leaf through" the variants of the symbol/macro. Using the [SHIFT] + [Tab] shortcut key, you can "leaf through" the representation types while placing macros.

You use graphical elements (e.g., polylines) to draw process sequences. Eplan provides support to enable you to insert some typical elements of functional diagrams faster. Arrows, signal points, AND and OR operations can be drawn in the respective functional diagram by means of the corresponding commands. (To this purpose you first have to Customize the ribbon and then assign the desired command to a user-defined command group.)

  1. If you want to draw a polyline, select the following commands: Tab Insert > Command group Graphic > Button (Polyline). (You can draw rectangles, circles, etc. using the other buttons.)
  2. Specify the points of the polyline consecutively, and click with the left mouse button each of the points to place them.
  3. Exit the action using the [Space bar] or the Complete polyline popup menu item.
  4. If you want to insert an arrow, select the Arrow command. (To this purpose you first have to Customize the ribbon and then assign the desired command to a user-defined command group.) In the same way you can insert other elements for operational sequence sheets using the commands Signal point, AND condition, and OR condition.

    The arrow is hanging on the cursor.
  5. Select the desired variant of the arrow by pressing the [Tab] key several times.
  6. Place the arrow in the functional diagram.

Tip:

You can insert special elements for operational sequence sheets (e.g., a forward slash, miscellaneous signaling elements, etc.) as window macros from the macro directory OS_ESS.

See also

Procedure for Creating Operational Sequence Sheets