APOGEE PXC.A Overview

APOGEE PXC.A software allows you to install new or existing APOGEE PXC.A devices while maintaining APOGEE functionality. The APOGEE PXC.A devices support BACnet IPv4, BACnet IPv6, and BACnet/SC protocols.

Once the software is installed, you can do the following:

  • Discover devices.
  • Use the Network Wizard to configure APOGEE PXC.A networks.
  • Use the built-in TechOp editor to define login credentials so that you can view and modify objects in your networks without needing to login each time.

APOGEE PXC.A versus APOGEE BACnet Devices   

  • For executing backup and restore operations, the APOGEE PXC.A panels require a user account defined in the panel to have the BACnetBackup&RestoreOperators role assigned to it. Additionally, in the Desigo CC BACnet tab, the Reinitialize password must match that users password that is stored in the APOGEE PXC.A panel.
  • Point Editing and PPCL Editing are done using the PXC.A onboard editor instead of Desigo CC. To facilitate navigation to the onboard PXC.A editors, a link is provided in Related Items which opens the editor in a Desigo CC secondary pane.   Optionally, PXC.A login credentials can be configured for each network hosting PXC.A devices.  
  • When an object, for example an EE object, is initially added to the Apogee PXC.A panel using one of the Desigo CC editors, the object is placed immediately below the device in the Management view hierarchy. To move the object to its correct location in the hierarchy, you must rediscover a panel.
  • Calendars in PXC.A panels are considered global data. Therefore, the Desigo CC editor can only be used to modify calendars in the PXC.A device designated as the data master.
  • PXC.A panels can be discovered but not directly imported from a tools provided file.
  • APOGEE Report Tables are not supported.  Instead, use the Object table.
  • APOGEE PXC.A panels support BACnet/SC as well as BACnet IP. 
  • The PXC.A discovery does not support Logical View.
  • In the Management view the discovered objects under a PXC.A device display in a multilevel hierarchy, rather than a flat list
  • The object models used for PXC.A devices and objects differ from Apogee BACnet object models.  In most cases, the PXC.A models expose additional properties not available in APOGEE BACnet.

APOGEE P1 Support in APOGEE PXC.A Panels – Starting with Desigo CC V6.0

  • When a P1 FLN is discovered, it displays as a folder directly under the APOGEE PXC.A panel.
  • The P1 FLN devices and sub points display under the respective FLN folder.
  • Only TEC sub points modeled in the APOGEE PXC.A device are discovered and accessible.
    This is controlled at the panel by the Application Point Team associated with the TEC controls.

Assigning Functions to TEC devices

The Apogee_BACnet_TEC extension model provides the TEC Function libraries for a P1 FLN connected via the APOGEE PXC.A panel. These libraries are identified by the string “PXCA” in the name library name, for example: TEC_APP_P1_PXCA_EN_1. The functions within these libraries also have “PXCA” in their name, for example “TEC_APPL_PXCA_2020_EN”.

Before discovering an APOGEE PXC.A panel with P1 FLN’s, determine which applications are on the P1 FLNs and import the appropriate libraries. Discovery automatically assigns the associated function. This allows the APOGEE PXC.A panels to access the graphic templates and other functionality provided by the APOGEE_BACnet_TEC extension module.

Because of current limitations in the firmware, initial values cannot be viewed and set from Desigo CC and the FLN Commander is not available for use.

APOGEE P1 Support in APOGEE PXC.A Panels – Starting with Desigo CC V7.0

  • Custom functions will have a function automatically generated upon discovery.

APOGEE PXC.A Workspace

In System Browser, clicking on a BACnet network displays several tabs in the Primary pane, including the APOGEE PXC.A configuration tab. When you select the tab, a Toolbar and the Profiles expander displays. In this tab, you can configure a login credential for the APOGEE PXC.A’s on a network. This allows you to link to the PXC.A embedded editors from related items without the need to login in every time.

The Profiles expander section displays as follows:

Item

Description

Saves any changes to User Groups and User Credentials.

User Groups

Lists all Group Names eligible to log in.

User Credentials

The User Name and Password that allows a single sign on for the user when the link from Related Items is selected.
NOTE: It is recommended that all devices under the APOGEE PXC.A network have the same credentials.

Configure a login credential for the APOGEE PXC.A’s on a network. This allows you to link to the PXC.A embedded editors from the Related Items without having to login in every time.

Copy to all Groups

Copies the User Credentials to all User Groups once Save is clicked.

Apply

Applies the User Credentials to the selected Group Name.

BACnet Driver

By default, a Desigo CC project has no BACnet driver added. You will add one when you run the Network Wizard later in this workflow.

For additional background information, see BACnet Driver, or in the Help system navigate to Engineering Reference > Connectivity > BACnet > BACnet Driver.

BACnet Network

By default, a Desigo CC project has no BACnet network defined. You will add one when you run the Network Wizard later in this workflow.

For additional background information, see BACnet Network, or in the Help system navigate to Engineering Reference > Connectivity > BACnet > BACnet Network.

BACnet Devices

After you run the Network Wizard, you will discover APOGEE PXC.A devices by configuring the Discovery tab.

For additional background information, see BACnet Devices, or in the Help system navigate to Engineering Reference > Connectivity > BACnet > BACnet Devices.