Virtual Commissioning in Plant

Simulation utilizing the new

SIMATIC S7-PLCSIM Advanced
Interface and OPC UA
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Plant Simulation and Siemens Automation

Closed Loop and Tool Coverage

TIA Portal
Engineering

Plant TIA Portal

Simulation Monitoring

TIA
PLCSIM
WinCC HMI
Advanced

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Seite 2 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany
PLCSIM Advanced
as basis for Software in the Loop

Real world Virtual world

S7-1500 hardware controller PLCSIM Advanced

virtual S7-1500 controller PLCSIM
Controller

Advanced
as basis for
“Software
in the Loop”

 Extensive functional
API
simulation without
adaptions of the STEP 7
program
Process

Co-Simulation
 Interface to easily connect
to different co-simulations
via an API

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PLCSIM Advanced
supported controllers: S7-1500 CPU incl. C/F/T and ET200SP CPU incl. F

virtual
S7-1500 controller
S7-1500C

S7-1500T(F)

ET 200SP(F)
reflection of the real CPU
S7-1500F controller

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Seite 4 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany
PLCSIM Advanced
Multiple and distributed instances

Support of different set-ups:

 Support of multiple instances PC1 S7-1500 S7-1500
Instance 1 Instance 2
WinCC Panel
 to simulate several controllers
PC
clock
 Support of distributed instances
 for load distribution
 communication via TCP/IP
 Connecting real devices (HMIs / controllers) PC2 S7-1500 STEP 7
possible Instance 3

PC
 Connection of real I/Os not possible clock

 PROFINET IO communication is not

supported Virtual Time

Slow Mode Virtual Time Fast Mode

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PLCSIM Advanced
Multiple instances in combination with a Co-Simulation

Support of different set-ups:

PC1 S7-1500 S7-1500
 Support of multiple instances in combination Instance 1 Instance 2
with a Co-Simulation software
PC
clock in the
 coupling of the PLCSIM Advanced instance loop
with the Co-Simulation through the virtual time
 PLC instances can be distributed on several
PC
PC2 Co-Simulation STEP 7
Our recommendation:
  start with “all-in-one” configuration,
at least Plant Simulation and PLC Intances on
the same PC
Virtual Time

Slow Mode Virtual Time Fast Mode

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Seite 6 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany
PLCSIM Advanced
Coupling with a Co-Simulation

Engineering Result Test in virtual environment

Automation STEP 7 program PLCSIM Advanced

with TIA Portal virtual controller

software
signal coupling through API in the
Hardware loop
configuration Co-Simulation
(incl. signal list)
• Machines and Buffer
Layout modelling with • Conveyor Lines
Plant Simulation • System Control Logic
or Layout Model • Simulation of
Line Designer Material Flow
• Definition of Sensors
and Actuators

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Virtual Commissioning Show Case and Proof Point:

EOM Saganer Straße, Siemens Nürnberg

 The EOM control is implemented as PLC control, based

on the Siemens PLC template library EMS400S

 The control is running on a S7-1516F PLC

 TIA Portal is used to build the specific EOM control logic

 30 EOM track segments

 n EOM vehicle with local control and behavior

 Realized are several drive and control logics

in the EOM ring

 User interface implemented with standard HMI devices

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Seite 9 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany
Tecnomatix Plant Simulation
Virtual EOM + Virtual PLC Control as Digital Twin
Embedded in a Laser Scan Point Cloud
 Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Model

 The simulation model can be connected to

 a real or a S7-1516F PLC
 a virtual S7-1516F PLCSIM Advanced PLC

 EOM vehicle communicate with the PLC and get their

driving information from the PLC

 User interface is done through standard HMI

(Part of the TIA-Portal engineering project)
 Automatic mode
 Manual mode
 Lift height settings
 Speed
 …

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Virtual Commissioning Overhead Monorail

Test Scenarios for System Logic

The PLC program defines the EOM control logic and the Test Scenarios
conditions for coordinating the EOM vehicles that are driving
on the rails.  Only one vehicle is allowed in a curve segment.

 When a vehicle leaves a curve segment, the first

The correctness and completeness of the PLC control
waiting vehicle in front of the curve needs to be
program can be tested when using it together with a digital started.
model of the EOM system.
 Vehicles with variable load lift height can get a new lift
height when entering a new EOM rail section.
Is the lift height ion all sections correct?

 Are settings for switches done early enough and

correct?

 …

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Seite 11 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany
Virtual Commissioning Overhead Monorail
Use Cases through HMI Dialog

The PLC program defines the EOM control logic and the
 Are all system states displayed in the HMI correct and
conditions for coordinating the EOM vehicles that are driving
consistent?
on the rails.
 Position and ID of EOM vehicles
Correctness and ease-of-use of HMI dialogs can be tested
upfront together with a digital model  State and attributes of vehicles
 …

 Are commands given through the HMI correct

executed?
 Start/Stop of the system
 Settings for operating modes (manual/automatic)
 Changes of e.g. speed and lift height
 Group building and synchronous drive
Vehicle:
ID and position

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PLC Control:
Signal Definition PLC to Track Segments in Siemens TIA Portal
Data Block: PSB_Output_Send

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Seite 13 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany
PLC Control:
Signal Definition Track Segments to PLC in Siemens TIA Portal
Data Block: PSB_Input_Receive

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Seite 14 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

PLCSIM Interface in Plant Simulation

Signal Mapping to Plant Simulation Object Attributes

PLC Variable or I/O Signal

Simulation Object Attribute

(or SimTalk Method)

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Seite 15 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany
PLCSIM Advanced Interface

 The PLCSIM Advanced interface object connects

Plant Simulation models with a PLC program running in a virtual
PLCSIM Advanced
 PLC-Out signals are copied to Plant Simulation variables and
simulation object attributes
 Plant Simulation writes PLC-In signals that are send to and
used by the PLC program running in PLCSIM Advanced

 Time synchronization between PLCSIM Advanced and Plant

Simulation supports aligned time progress on both sides.
 Real time mode and time scaling with factors between
0.01 and 100 are supported (not always possible/achievable)

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PLCSIM Advanced Interface

Item Tables and Live View

 The Import Button imports data items that are defined through
the PLC program to Plant Simulation
 More convenient signal grouping in the item table of the
interface dialog is possible by creating new groups and copying
items between the groups
 A live view table of the configured items shows the current data
item values in case a connection to a running virtual PLC is
active

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Seite 17 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany
PLCSIM Advanced Interface
Importing PLC Items / Tags

After Importing PLC tags from PLCSIM Advanced to the PLCSIM

Interface object you get 4 groups added to the items table. The
group names are
• I : PLC input, data and signals that are sent from Plant
Simulation attributes to the virtual PLC
• O : PLC output, data and signals that are sent from the virtual
PLC to Plant Simulation variables, attributes or methods
• M : Merker variables in the virtual PLC, reading and writing is
supported
• DB : Data in PLC data blocks, reading and writing is supported
In the column Interval [ms] you can define a time interval for the
data exchange between Plant Simulation and PLCSIM Advanced.
For 0 or no setting the data exchange is done after each PLC cycle

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PLCSIM Advanced Interface

PLC Out: Using PLC Items in Plant Simulation

 You can map a simulation object attribute, a variable or checkbox object in the column Simulation
Model Attribute:
The Interface object copies the PLC data value into the assigned attribute
 You can insert a SimTalk method into the same column. Plant Simulation executes the callback
method when a new data value arrives. The new value is passed as parameter to the method.
 You can always read a PLC Item value directly out of SimTalk, using the Alias for addressing the
relevant item:

myVariable := PLCSIM.setOnBeltActive

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Seite 19 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany
PLCSIM Advanced Interface
PLC In: Sending Plant Simulation data to PLCSIM Advanced

 You can map a simulation object attribute, a variable or checkbox object in the column
Simulation Model Attribute:
The Interface object propagates the addressed simulation data value to the PLC item/variable
addressed in the first column Identifier of the items table.
 Alternatively you can directly assign a value out of SimTalk, using the corresponding Alias for
addressing the relevant item:

PLCSIM.BufferAlias := true

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PLCSIM Advanced Interface

Getting Started…
Create PLC program and
load to PLC Instance

Start Siemens PLCSIM Advanced

Control Panel

Type in PLC Instance Name

and start the instance

Status LED of running Instances

Type in PLC Instance Name

Type in IP address and port
for Control Panel
on remote PC

Data exchange interval

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Seite 21 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany
PLCSIM Advanced Interface
Getting Started…

Import PLC Items

Adjust Item Groups and

eliminate irrelevant items

Define settings for

larger timing/interval Assign simulation
object attributes, …

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Seite 22 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

EOM + VC Live Demo

Siemens Showroom Nürnberg,
Saganer Straße

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany
 Few Notes on
OPC UA Interface

OPC UA
Similarities and Settings…

OPC UA server address is

Prefix + IP address + :port number:
opc.tcp://144.244.344.60:4840

OPC UA Server provides namespaces,

these are logical groups.
For Siemens PLC: Namespace 3 gives
access to the PLC program data

Read and write interval settings define the

time slice for data exchange between
Plant Simulation and OPC UA server

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Seite 25 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany
OPC UA
Similarities and Settings…

OPC UA items identifier can be of type

string, numeric or GUID (==> online help)

OPC UA item name,

typically the name/path of PLC variables

Simulation Variable, checkbox,…

or SimTalk callback method

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Contact:

Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Product Manager Plant Simulation

Siemens Industry Software GmbH
Weissacher Str. 11
70499 Stuttgart
E-Mail: [email protected]

www.siemens.com/plm/plantsimulation

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Seite 27 June 22nd 2017 Dr. Georg Piepenbrock

Siemens PLM Software

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation Worldwide User Conference
June 20-22 2017 Stuttgart, Germany