S7 PLCSim CPU to real I/O ?

Is there a way to make a 'virtual' S7 CPU - PLCSIM for instance - talk to real I/O via a CP5512 profibus card? Or is there another package other than PLCSIM that can do this?

I need to QC some panels being built by a local panel shop. The testing protocol calls for me to verify every input and output live. I normally do this by taking my laptop and a CPU rack over to the panel shop, building a test configuration in the CPU rack, connect it via profibus to each rack I'm testing, activate every input and watch it turn on in the online hardware view, then force every output and verify that the output actually turns on and gives me a voltage.

I don't need to run any logic; I JUST need to verify that the hardware is 100% okay and wired correctly.

Is there a way to accomplish this same task using just my laptop, a CP5512 profibus card, and whatever software, WITHOUT also having an actual CPU in the loop ?

There is software plc from siemens. Dont know more about it tough.

IBH has got a demo version of their S7 soft-PLC here (I've never used it...)

http://www.ibhsoftec-sps.de/english/Selection_PLC.htm

Kalle

If you have Softnet S7 Profibus, then you can setup a "PC Station" with OPC Server. This will allow you to let the "PC Station" be a Profibus master. Any OPC Client can then address the configured i/o. The "OPC Scout" test client for example can do it.