PLC virtual machine

Hello. I was just curious. Are there virtual machines that I can run/use? Basically, I'd like to have an IDE and then have graphical on and off switches that model the logic that I'm developing in the IDE. Eventually, I'd like to move this to hardware (the logic) and run it this way.

you have simulators.

There is only 1 which is Simulink from MathWorks but only works with structured text.

As other posters said there are simulators and some applications that will generate plc code from electrical drawings like eplan and other modeling packages that will simulate real plant equipment. Like Siemens PLM and Autodesk plant design suite for examples.

If you want to do 'C' I have used this in a couple projects and they work pretty well. http://www.prosoft-technology.com/content/download/708/6504/version/4/file/MVI56_ADM_Datasheet.pdf

Nothing like VSE or NetBeans,etc though.

I'm curious. Have you guys ever tried something like Raspberry PI to solve the same problems?

Do you mean to run industrial equipment like a PLC does? Then no as a Pi is not rated for that or intended for that.

try codesys.com you can make visualisations with buttons and movement virtual

ysg said:

I'm curious. Have you guys ever tried something like Raspberry PI to solve the same problems?

Click to expand...

As was already mentioned, although it may be tempting to use a nice small powerful device like that to run a machine, it's not hardened and field tested like a PLC or other industrial control equipment.

People tend to use things that have been proven and that they are comfortable with. You'll generally find most applications that require some level of control have a PLC driving it. If you want to use something relatively unknown, you'll more than likely take the risk of it not working or developing problems later on.

Also, future support is a big issue. Most maintenance peole are familiar with PLC's and many can connect to them for basic troubleshooting, some can write code. The percentage that would be able to troubleshoot code in a Rasberry Pi would be extremely small.

The Pi can do this, however i would go for arduino, as they have a simpler interface, and are easier programmable.

I simulate my programs by means of a PLC simulator. For Siemens S7 it is called PLCSIM.
In the PLC code, there is special simulation code the simulates the inputs based on what the outputs does. It is good enough to test the HMI thoroughly, and also if the PLC code works at least 75% OK. You cannot get to 100% because of the complexity of simulating the real world, and also if the problem is your own misconception of how the hardware works, your simulation code will only reflect the misconception.
This simulation definitely cuts down on the time to commision the plant in real life. It is definitely worth the effort.

Further to what Jesper says in his post above (spot on as usual). There is also a utility program called Nettoplcsim that I have used for testing and developing non-siemens scada/hmi systems.

Nettoplcsim provides an ethernet interface to the PLC Simulator application so you can have the PLC code (including your simulation of I/0) running on one PC while you develope your SCADA/HMI on another. I believe that you can have both on the same PC in separate virtual machines but I haven't tried it.

http://nettoplcsim.sourceforge.net/

The more testing you can do in the office, the less time you will spend on site.

Nick