Before reading the rest of this post, please click HERE for AWC’s post on how to install general station description (GSD) files into TIA Portal, which will allow for configuration and commissioning of third-party field devices as part of a Siemens automation system.
Once the Festo CPX modules have been added to the TIA Portal hardware catalog via GSD file and networked to the corresponding Siemens hardware, the process to parameterize the Festo components is straightforward. Festo’s CPX-FMT (Festo Maintenance Tool) can be used in tandem to configure, commission, and diagnose CPX valve technology. After highlighting Festo as part of AWC’s Digital Transformation Lab, AWC’s application engineering team wanted to share several discoveries to help customers successfully integrate Festo into their own Siemens automation applications.
- One of the default system settings found on Festo I/O modules is to startup with saved parameters; however, with that value set, restarting the unit will cause all parameters to revert to factory settings. To prevent this from happening anytime the system restarts or loses power, ensure that the same parameters are set in BOTH the Festo Maintenance Tool and the properties of the CPX GSD file within TIA Portal.
- In the Festo Maintenance Tool, navigate to the CPX System Settings -> System start and set the corresponding value to “Saved parameters”. Take note of the other parameters and values found under this tab.

- In the CPX module properties in TIA Portal, ensure that all parameters are set to the same values as those in the Festo Maintenance Tool.

- In addition, make sure that the “Analogue data format” parameter is set to the value “Motorola format” in both software interfaces. Since Siemens PLCs are big-endian (the most significant byte in a word is stored at the smaller memory address within the PLC), the Motorola format will eliminate the need to program additional byte swapping within the PLC.
Additional Contributions
- Julyann Tu – AWC, Inc.