Tia portal ladder program testing

mandzhalas

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Join Date
Feb 2017
Location
Carlow
Posts
13
Hi. I'm a college student and I'm currently working on my Siemens 1200 based palletizer machine project. It took me very long time to build and wire up the machine, so i have nearly run out of the time for actual ladder logic programming. Most of the programming will have to be done in my house.
The program itself will be fairly large as I approximately have 15 inputs and 20 outputs. I am confident that i can write a program in the time allocated. Testing full ladder code would be disastrous and result in breaking machine, as some with code will be definitely wrong. I don't have enough experience under my belt to get it right in first time.

Ideally i would love to test small piece of code on machine at one time. This way i will be more in control and it will take less time for me to figure out what is wrong with my code. If the code is ok - proceed to next piece of code.

I am programming using TIA Portal V14. I am splitting my code in small chunks of code by placing it in Networks. For example Network 1 is energising the machine, Network 2 is audible and visual warnings before machine starts, Network 3 is Cylinders positions checks.
I want to write program fully from start to finish, but first test network 1 only, then networks 1+2, then 1+2+3.
Is there a method to do this in Tia Portal when my laptop is hooked to my project?

And before you ask- i can't get PLCSim to work on my PC.

What are general outside written code testing procedures?

Many thanks
 
Hi. I'm a college student and I'm currently working on my Siemens 1200 based palletizer machine project. It took me very long time to build and wire up the machine, so i have nearly run out of the time for actual ladder logic programming. Most of the programming will have to be done in my house.
The program itself will be fairly large as I approximately have 15 inputs and 20 outputs. I am confident that i can write a program in the time allocated. Testing full ladder code would be disastrous and result in breaking machine, as some with code will be definitely wrong. I don't have enough experience under my belt to get it right in first time.

Ideally i would love to test small piece of code on machine at one time. This way i will be more in control and it will take less time for me to figure out what is wrong with my code. If the code is ok - proceed to next piece of code.

I am programming using TIA Portal V14. I am splitting my code in small chunks of code by placing it in Networks. For example Network 1 is energising the machine, Network 2 is audible and visual warnings before machine starts, Network 3 is Cylinders positions checks.
I want to write program fully from start to finish, but first test network 1 only, then networks 1+2, then 1+2+3.
Is there a method to do this in Tia Portal when my laptop is hooked to my project?

And before you ask- i can't get PLCSim to work on my PC.

What are general outside written code testing procedures?

Many thanks

How much time do you have?

Testing one network at a time is a waste of time and I'm confident you will find it unnecessary after you start writing a bit of code.

PLCSIM is the way to go to test most simple logic and my advice is to focus on getting it to work. It shouldn't be a problem even you have to download a trial version to do your project.

What is your PC operating system?
Which version of TIA?
Which version of PLCSIM?
Which version of s7-1200 and what is the firmware? (You can only simulate V4.0 and above of the 1200 series.)
Which expansion modules?
Are you using HMI?

Kal
 
If I'm unsure of the logic I'm commissioning, I place debug bits in front of the outputs that I can manually toggle on-off. Allows you step through your logic.
 
How much time do you have?

Testing one network at a time is a waste of time and I'm confident you will find it unnecessary after you start writing a bit of code.

PLCSIM is the way to go to test most simple logic and my advice is to focus on getting it to work. It shouldn't be a problem even you have to download a trial version to do your project.

What is your PC operating system?
Which version of TIA?
Which version of PLCSIM?
Which version of s7-1200 and what is the firmware? (You can only simulate V4.0 and above of the 1200 series.)
Which expansion modules?
Are you using HMI?

Kal

In total, i have about two weeks left. Time I can spend at the machine is once a week for 5 hours so that is 10 hours total. To some of you, that may seem a lot but i am worried that it might not be enough.

I am using latest windows 10 version?
PlCsim is version 15.0
My PlC is 6ES7 212-1AE40-0XB0 it has firmware 4.2
My input/output module is 6ES7 223-1BL30-0XB0


So what happens is that i have reinstalled PLCsim multiple times, but it fails to pen simulation. I can open PLCSIm program separately itself no problem.
When i create new project i add my CPU as device. I write simple program I0.0 -Q0.0. I click simulate project on top of menu ribbon of tia portal.
After 30 seconds table pops up "Simulation failed to start". Few seconds later when PLCsim closes another one pops up stating "PlcSim project cannot be created".

Maybe I am missing some settings i have to activate or something, as this happens in my desktop and the laptop
 
Last edited:
No disrespect to the OP but he can't start PLCSim, would you rely on the eStop?

Yup

The RS5K pkg we bought doesn't have sim, and I don't always have the PLC in hand to dry run. I have written enough to have a pretty good idea, but as the OP said, Its never perfect the first time.

So, just in case, when you start it for the first time, sit next to the e-stop.
 
In total, i have about two weeks left. Time I can spend at the machine is once a week for 5 hours so that is 10 hours total. To some of you, that may seem a lot but i am worried that it might not be enough.

I am using latest windows 10 version?
PlCsim is version 15.0
My PlC is 6ES7 212-1AE40-0XB0 it has firmware 4.2
My input/output module is 6ES7 223-1BL30-0XB0


So what happens is that i have reinstalled PLCsim multiple times, but it fails to pen simulation. I can open PLCSIm program separately itself no problem.
When i create new project i add my CPU as device. I write simple program I0.0 -Q0.0. I click simulate project on top of menu ribbon of tia portal.
After 30 seconds table pops up "Simulation failed to start". Few seconds later when PLCsim closes another one pops up stating "PlcSim project cannot be created".

Maybe I am missing some settings i have to activate or something, as this happens in my desktop and the laptop

This hasn't happened to me on the PLC's, but I've had issues getting the HMI's to run because the firmware version isn't the correct one.

Just for ***** and giggles, can you create a new project with a S7-1500 (let's say the 1518), and see if the simulation starts?
Also, how did you set up your communications? Did you choose the Simulator or PLCSim?

Have you tried, starting the simulator by itself? Then just try a download as you would on a PLC (with the simulation driver) and see if a PLC pops up on the discoverable nodes?

Lastly, the latest simulator makes you choose the CPU type (1200 or 1500), confirm it is the right one.
 
In total, i have about two weeks left. Time I can spend at the machine is once a week for 5 hours so that is 10 hours total. To some of you, that may seem a lot but i am worried that it might not be enough.


That's not enough time to program and deal with software issue like the one you're having. Download a free trial copy from siemens and get cracking.

TIA 15
PLCSIM is on the bottom of the same page.
 
Only 10 hours to comission your first plc project? You better have tested that thing and expect it to work first go!

Get plcsim working or get a spare s7-1212 from anywhere. Call Siemens or your local Siemens automation distributor and get them to sort you out with your software issues.

That or just go and test on the machine, don't get it working, and then write in your report how much a valuable lesson it was in the importance of factory acceptance testing.
 

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