The ME97 series — commercially known as PAC Machine Edition (PME) — is Emerson's integrated engineering environment for the full PACSystems automation portfolio. Rather than deploying separate tools for PLC programming, HMI screen development, and motion drive configuration — each with its own project database and communication settings — PME consolidates all three disciplines into a single Windows-based IDE with a shared tag database. One project file covers the controller logic, the operator panel screens, and the servo/VFD parameterization.

What does the shared tag database actually change?

In a traditional multi-tool workflow, the controls engineer creates tags in the PLC programming software, exports a tag list, and imports it into the HMI development tool. Every tag addition, rename, or deletion requires repeating this export-import cycle — and a mismatch between the two databases is the single most common cause of commissioning delays. In PME, the tag database is shared at the application level: a variable defined in the controller's variable list is immediately available for binding to an HMI object, a motion function block, or a diagnostic screen. Rename a tag in one place, and all references update. This single-database architecture is the defining productivity feature — it eliminates the integration tax that multi-tool workflows impose on every project change.

Multi-controller and multi-discipline support

PME targets the full span of Emerson PACSystems hardware. On the PLC side: RX3i and RX7i modular controllers, RSTi-EP slice I/O with embedded controller, VersaMax distributed I/O, and legacy Series 90 PLCs — all programmed from the same IDE using IEC 61131-3 languages (Ladder Diagram, Structured Text, Function Block Diagram). On the HMI side: QuickPanel and QuickPanel+ operator panels, with screen development, animation, and script editing built into the same project. On the motion side: PACMotion servo drives (IC830DP series) and VFDs (IC866 series) are configured and commissioned from within PME, using standard motion function blocks for electronic camming, gearing, and coordinated multi-axis control. The built-in process control function block library provides advanced PID, cascade, and ratio control for continuous process applications. Multi-session support allows a single PC to run multiple PME instances, each connected to a different controller — useful for commissioning scenarios where a laptop must simultaneously monitor a running process while editing the next machine's logic offline.