Siemens TDC IBA PDA Channel Configuration: Step-by-Step Guide

Siemens TDC IBA PDA Channel Configuration: Step-by-Step Guide

Field engineers integrating Siemens TDC (Technology and Drives Controller) racks with IBA PDA data acquisition frequently hit the 32-signal-per-channel limit and need to add additional channels. Adding a second channel is not a trivial I/O Manager click: the TDC side must also be reconfigured, compiled, downloaded, and matched to a unique CPU short name on the SER04A / SER04B function blocks. This reference consolidates the documented iba procedure, the TDC block-side requirements, and a troubleshooting matrix built from real commissioning cases where the new channel disabled the old one or where autodetect wiped a working configuration.

1. System Overview

Siemens TDC is a multi-CPU rack used in high-speed drive and process control (rolling mills, paper machines, marine propulsion). Each TDC rack contains up to 20 CPU modules (CPU550, CPU551, CPU555) coupled through the GDM (Global Data Memory) fiber-optic backplane. iba PDA is a PC-based high-speed data recorder that reads process signals for long-term archiving, quality reporting, and post-event analysis.

The TDC-ibaPDA link is a request/response protocol over fiber optics, not a standard fieldbus. The PC side uses an ibaFOB-TDC plug-in card (PCI/PCIe) that terminates the TDC GDM fiber link; the rack side uses a CP1616 board (or equivalent) that brings the TDC rack GDM fiber out of the rack. The PC card and the rack card are joined with a duplex LC fiber patch cord.

Because every channel occupies a portion of the TDC GDM bandwidth and the PC dongle license, both ends must be coordinated: too few channels starve acquisition, too many overload the FO link or exceed the license.

2. Hardware Requirements and Topology

Minimum hardware for a stable TDC-ibaPDA link:

For redundant acquisition (recommended in rolling mills) install two ibaFOB-TDC cards and split channels evenly between the two FO links. This avoids losing the entire acquisition on a single fiber break.

3. Signal and Channel Limits

Each ibaPDA channel over the TDC request interface is limited to 32 signals by the request frame size of the TDC-Request protocol. To acquire more than 32 signals you must add additional channels; each new channel uses a fresh pair of TDC short names on the SER04A / SER04B blocks.

The total number of signals is bounded by the iba dongle license (typical installations run 512 to 4096 signals). Verify the available interface licenses before adding channels, otherwise the new channel will fail to start even if TDC compiles cleanly.

4. TDC Software Block Configuration

The TDC request interface is implemented with the SER04A (Sender Request) and SER04B (Receiver Acknowledge / Data) block pair. Each channel uses a unique short name triple:

• PDAnnCMD – command short name (where nn is the channel number, e.g., PDA01CMD for channel 1, PDA02CMD for channel 2)
• nnPDAACK – acknowledge short name
• nnPDADAT – data short name

These names are entered at the AT (Acknowledge Tag) and AR (Acknowledge Return / Address) inputs of the SER04A / SER04B blocks. The same short names must appear in the ibaPDA I/O Manager channel configuration, otherwise the request frame has no matching response and the channel stays in Not Connected.

4.1 Block Parameter Settings

Typical parameters for one channel on CPU551.01 (slot 02):

After modifying the CFC chart, perform a full Compile → Download cycle in STEP 7 / CFC. A partial download that does not reload the symbol table leaves the old short names in the GDM map and the new channel will never connect.

5. IBA PDA Channel Configuration Procedure

Reference: ibaPDA-Request-SD-TDC v4.4, chapter 5. Always use the manual that matches your installed ibaPDA version; the v4.x interface differs from the v3.x dialog layout.

1. Open ibaPDA Client → I/O Manager.
2. Right-click the existing TDC node and select Add Channel (not Add Signals).
3. Select the interface Request-SD-TDC (or Request-FM458-TDC for FM458-based racks).
4. Set the FO card index matching the physical ibaFOB-TDC slot.
5. Enter the rack CPU number and the three short names (PDA02CMD / 02PDAACK / 02PDADAT) exactly as configured on the TDC SER04A/B blocks.
6. Add the 32 signals from the TDC data block; the signal addresses must reference the same DB that the SER04B block reads.
7. Click Apply, then Autodetect processors if the manual instructs (chapter 5.3 of v4.4). This polls the rack for available CPUs that match the request name.
8. Verify the channel state changes from Not Connected to Acquiring within 10 seconds.

6. Cable and Interface Verification

Before adding channels, confirm the physical layer is sound. A marginal fiber link will appear to work for one channel and then fail when a second channel doubles the request rate.

6.1 Check the Dongle and Server

Run ibaDongleViewer on the ibaPC to list the active interface licenses. Look for entries such as:

Request-SD-TDC v4.4   : 2 channels available
Request-SD-TDC v4.4   : 1 channel in use
Signals               : 312 / 4096

Run ibaServer Status (right-click the system tray icon) to see which interfaces are bound and which are in error. A red status on the FO link indicates either a missing card driver, a broken fiber, or a license mismatch.

6.2 Identify the PC Card

Open Device Manager and confirm the ibaFOB-TDC card is recognized without a yellow bang. If a CP1616 card appears in the ibaPC inventory it is the wrong card – CP1616 has no FO ports and is a PROFINET/Industrial Ethernet card. The TDC link requires an ibaFOB-TDC (FO) or ibaCOM-L2B (Profibus L2) for older installations.

6.3 Fiber Cable Inspection

Inspect LC connectors under a fiber scope. Contamination on the end-face is the single most common cause of intermittent FO errors. Clean with a one-click cleaner rated for LC/UPC multimode connectors and re-test.

7. License and Dongle Verification

The TDC request interface license is sold per channel. For a 4096-signal license you typically receive a fixed number of channel slots (commonly 8 to 32). Exceeding the channel count returns error E-7201: No more TDC channels available in the iba log. The signal count is independent; a 4096-signal dongle can run 32 channels × 32 signals = 1024 signals if only 32 channels are licensed.

8. Step-by-Step Commissioning

1. Backup the existing iba configuration via File → Export Configuration. Save the TDC program source from STEP 7 / CFC and export the symbol table.
2. Schedule a maintenance window. Mill shutdown is recommended; the procedure briefly disrupts the live acquisition.
3. Verify the FO link and licenses per section 6 and 7.
4. Add SER04A / SER04B block pair in the CFC chart of the target CPU. Use a unique short-name triple.
5. Compile and download the TDC program in full (not incremental). Confirm the symbol table includes the new short names.
6. Add the new channel in ibaPDA I/O Manager. Do not run Autodetect on the first attempt – configure the short names manually to avoid the autodetect-disables-old-channel problem.
7. Activate the channel and watch the iba log for 30 seconds. Expected: state transitions from Initializing → Connecting → Acquiring.
8. Distribute channels evenly across the two FO links (e.g., 4 channels per link instead of 6 + 2).
9. Verify with a known signal: force a value on a TDC tag, confirm it appears in the iba online view and in the file archive.

9. Troubleshooting Matrix

10. Edge Cases and Field-Proven Caveats

• CPU hot-swap during commissioning: changing the CPU slot in the rack requires a new TDC download; the GDM symbol map is per-rack, not per-slot.
• Mixing FM458 and TDC racks: the I/O Manager channel must select the matching interface (Request-FM458-TDC vs Request-SD-TDC). Selecting the wrong one causes the iba service to stop when the channel is activated.
• Antivirus on the ibaPC: aggressive endpoint protection has been reported to block the ibaFOB-TDC driver service after a Windows update. Add the iba install directory to the AV exclusion list.
• Time synchronization: TDC and ibaPC must share a time base for cross-correlation. Use ibaTimeSync or an external NTP/PTP source feeding both racks.
• License migration: when moving the dongle to a new PC, the channel count license travels with the dongle. Plan license transfer during the same maintenance window as the new channel commissioning.
• Partial vs full download: SER04A / SER04B changes to the GDM short-name table require a full download. A delta download updates the user program but leaves the old symbol map in the GDM interface, and the new short names are invisible to iba.
• Local iba support: if the integration blocks at a step the field engineer cannot resolve (e.g., GDM fiber map editing, dongle rehosting), open a support ticket with the local iba office rather than guessing.

11. Verification Checklist

• ✓ All 32 signals per channel visible in iba online view
• ✓ Channel state Acquiring with green status indicator
• ✓ Redundant channel on the second FO link also Acquiring
• ✓ No E-72xx errors in the iba log for 30 minutes
• ✓ TDC symbol table contains all new short names
• ✓ Forced value on a test tag appears in the iba file archive within the configured cycle time
• ✓ Backup of the new configuration stored off-line

FAQ