The system configurator is the vendor-independent IEC 61850 engineering tool that brings the IEDs of a substation together in a single SCD file: communications, datasets, reports and GOOSE and SV subscriptions. The IED configurator, specific to each brand, configures the inside of each device and generates its download file. IEC 61850-6 defines both roles.
The problem it solves
In an IEC 61850 substation each IED needs to know more than its own configuration. A relay that publishes a GOOSE must know which address to send it to; the controller that receives it must know who it comes from, which dataset it carries and in what order. The HMI must know which reports to reserve in each device. If each one were configured separately, with its own brand’s software, nobody would guarantee that the pieces fit.
The IEC 61850 solution is a single file that describes the complete system, the SCD, and a tool that builds it: the system configurator (system configuration tool).
System configurator versus IED configurator
IEC 61850-6 distinguishes three tool roles:
| Tool | What it does | Who owns it |
|---|---|---|
| Specification tool | Describes the substation (single-line, functions, logical nodes) without choosing devices: produces the SSD | The integrator or the owner |
| System configurator | Imports the IEDs, defines the network, datasets, reports and GOOSE and SV subscriptions, and produces the SCD | Vendor-independent |
| IED configurator | Configures the inside of each device (logic, settings, data assignment) and generates the file loaded into it | Specific to each manufacturer |
The boundary matters because it defines who owns what. The integrator owns the SCD; each manufacturer owns the internal configuration of its IED. When a manufacturer’s tool changes something that affects the system, a dataset for example, the change must go back to the system configurator as an IID file so the SCD does not become outdated. Edition 2 formalized those exchanges and the engineering rights of each tool.
What it does with each file
SCL files are explained in IEC 61850 SCL files. Their path through the system configurator is this:
- 01Imports the SSDSingle-line and functions of the substation, if the project is top-down
- 02Imports the ICD or IID filesCapability or configuration of each IED, from each manufacturer
- 03Defines communicationSubnetworks, IP addresses, VLAN, APPID and multicast addresses
- 04Builds datasets and control blocksReports for the HMI and the gateway, GOOSE and SV between IEDs
- 05Assigns subscriptionsWhich IED receives each stream and which input it connects to
- 06Exports the SCDEach IED configurator reads it and generates the file loaded into its device
Whether the project starts from the SSD or from IEDs already chosen is the difference between top-down and bottom-up engineering, explained in top-down and bottom-up IEC 61850 engineering.
Which tools exist
Names change with versions; this list is for reference only and is not meant to be complete.
| Manufacturer or developer | System configurator | Brand IED configurator |
|---|---|---|
| Hitachi Energy (formerly ABB) | IET600 | PCM600 for Relion relays |
| Siemens | IEC 61850 System Configurator | DIGSI 5 and DIGSI 4 |
| SEL | IEC 61850 engineering with acSELerator Architect | acSELerator QuickSet |
| GE Vernova | Depends on the device family | EnerVista |
| Schneider Electric | Depends on the device family | Easergy Studio |
| Helinks (distributed by Triangle MicroWorks) | Helinks STS, vendor-independent, with SSD and SCD | Not applicable |
Siemens describes its System Configurator as a vendor-independent tool that integrates third-party devices, and Helinks STS is presented as a tool for creating SSD and SCD files regardless of the IED brand. In multi-vendor projects the integrator commonly uses the system configurator of the predominant brand or a neutral one, and each manufacturer delivers its IID files. Each brand’s configuration software is described in relay configuration software by brand.
How to choose the system configurator
The choice is rarely free: it is shaped by the brand of most IEDs, the tool the owner already uses in other substations and the integrator’s experience. Even so, check:
- That it reads and writes the files of every brand in the project, in the IEC 61850 edition each one uses, without rewriting what belongs to other manufacturers.
- That it handles SSD if the project is specified top-down, and SED if the system must exchange parts with another substation or with the control center.
- That it validates the SCD before exporting it and shows the inconsistencies.
- That it can compare SCD versions, to know what changed between one delivery and the next.
- Who will hold the license when the project ends. An SCD that only the original contractor can open leaves the owner without control of its own system.
What fails most in practice
- An SCD that does not match what is loaded. Someone changed an IED with its tool and did not send back the IID. The GOOSE stops arriving because the configuration revision no longer matches. Cross-vendor cases are in GOOSE between relays of different brands.
- ICD files with errors. The interoperability tests organized by the UCA International Users Group have repeatedly found that most multi-vendor integration problems lie in the SCL files, not in the hardware.
- Mixed editions. A configurator in Edition 2 with an IED that only understands Edition 1 forces an export in the compatible format.
- Tools that rewrite what is not theirs, for example names or addresses of other manufacturers.
- No version control. Nobody knows which SCD is current after commissioning. IED and SCD configuration management solves that point.
Before loading anything, open the SCD and review its IEDs, subnetworks, GOOSE and subscriptions. You can do it with our free IEC 61850 SCL viewer, which reads the file in the browser.
What to require in a project
- The name and version of the system configurator to be used, and who will hold its license at the end.
- The final SCD as a deliverable, consistent with each IED, with its revision number.
- The project files of each IED configurator.
- The rule for how changes are incorporated after the FAT and during commissioning.
- The tools that will be used to test GOOSE and reports against the SCD; see IEC 61850 test tools.
We help you with your IEC 61850 engineering
At Tiza Group we do multi-vendor IEC 61850 engineering: we build and review the SCD, configure each IED and test GOOSE and reports during commissioning. If you need to adjust one or a few relays, remote relay configuration is the fastest path. For the complete system, see IEC 61850 configuration, in Colombia, or elsewhere on request.
Related guides
- IEC 61850 SCL files: ICD, IID, SSD, SCD, CID and SED
- Top-down and bottom-up IEC 61850 engineering
- IED and SCD configuration management
- IEC 61850 Edition 1, 2 and 2.1
- Hitachi Energy and ABB PCM600 software
- Siemens DIGSI software
- Substation automation system (SAS): functions and levels
- SEL acSELerator QuickSet, Architect and Grid software
- GE EnerVista UR Setup, 8 Series Setup and Launchpad software
- Schneider Easergy Studio, Easergy Pro and SFT2841 software
References
- IEC 61850-6:2009 + Amd 1:2018 + Amd 2:2024, Configuration description language for communication in electrical substations related to IEDs.
- IEC 61850-4, System and project management.
- Siemens, IEC 61850 System Configurator product page (siemens.com).
- Triangle MicroWorks, Helinks STS: IEC 61850 System Configuration Tool (trianglemicroworks.com).
- UCA International Users Group, IEC 61850 interoperability test (IOP) reports.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do an IEC 61850 project with the relay manufacturer's software alone?
If all the IEDs are from the same brand, usually yes: many manufacturers include a system configurator in their suite or offer it as a separate tool. With devices from several brands you need a system configurator that reads the files of all of them and produces an SCD every IED tool accepts.
Which file is handed over to the owner at the end of the project?
The final SCD, consistent with what is loaded in each IED, together with the ICD or IID of each device and the project files of each tool. Without that SCD, any future extension starts by rebuilding the system.
Are there free system configurators?
There are free or open-source SCL viewers and editors, useful for reviewing and validating files. For a multi-vendor project, the usual choice is a commercial tool with vendor support. To review an SCD without installing anything you can use our free SCL viewer.