Pi Software Suite C-990.cd1 Official
The PI Software Suite C-990.CD1 is not a consumer application or a typical business productivity tool. Instead, it is the essential engineering toolkit for professionals working with PROFINET, the leading industrial Ethernet standard for automation.
Published by PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI), this software suite serves as the definitive utility for device manufacturers, system integrators, and automation engineers. Its primary purpose is to facilitate the creation, editing, and management of GSD files (Generic Station Description), which are the "drivers" that allow PLCs to communicate with field devices.
Here is an informative review of the suite based on its utility, interface, and performance in an industrial context.
PI has embraced Python in recent years, and the C-990.CD1 suite includes the pipython package (often installed via wheel files on the CD or pip).
The code is clean and Pythonic: pi software suite c-990.cd1
from pipython import GCSDevice
# C-990.CD1 allows generic device instantiation
pidevice = GCSDevice()
pidevice.InterfaceSetupDlg() # Opens a dialog to select USB/TCP device
pidevice.MOV(1, 50.0) # Move Axis 1 to 50.0
print(pidevice.qPOS(1)) # Query position
The suite handles the heavy lifting of the C-type DLL calls under the hood, making Python automation surprisingly fast.
The suite ships with programming samples in:
If you cannot get the PI Software Suite C-990.CD1 to function, consider these modern replacements: The PI Software Suite C-990
In the world of precision motion control and nanopositioning, the name Physik Instrumente (PI) is synonymous with innovation. For engineers and researchers working with hexapods, piezo drives, and linear stages, software is just as critical as hardware. At the heart of PI's legacy control ecosystem lies a specific, often-searched reference: the PI Software Suite C-990.CD1.
This article provides an exhaustive breakdown of what the C-990.CD1 software suite is, its core components, installation nuances, compatibility, and why it remains a vital tool for automation engineers dealing with legacy PI controllers.
Let’s talk about the negatives. Because C-990.CD1 is a "Suite," it is heavy. PI has embraced Python in recent years, and the C-990
The Bloat Factor: When you install the suite, you are installing drivers for every PI device made in the last 15 years. It places DLLs in System32 (or SysWOW64) and Program Files.
The "CD" Misnomer: While the product code is C-990.CD1, implying a physical disc, modern versions are distributed as ISO images or large ZIP archives via the PI website or FTP. Do not try to run the install from a slow USB 2.0 stick; the thousands of small files will make the installation take hours. Copy it to the desktop first.
Fix: Legacy PI controllers used FTDI chips with old PID/VID. On Windows 11, you must disable driver signature enforcement temporarily and install the old .inf file from the CD1’s Drivers\USB subfolder.
The original PI Software Suite C-990.CD1 was authored between 1998 and 2005. It expects a 32-bit operating system and relies on setup.exe installers that may fail on 64-bit Windows 10/11.