problem in communication in Wincc

Dear colleagues

Actually, I have a problem with the communication in WINCC. we are developing a filling station for the lab for the students. we have a simulation library which is developed by Johnson company this simulation software works through PlcSim and you can simulate the system.

We have a real filling station system which is comprmised from RTX PCS7 box this box is connected to IO bus (ET200) through profibus. so far we don't have any problem with the both simulation system and the real system if both works in the different projects.

but we want to combine both together and in the same WINCC application we want to send command through PlcSim and also the real PLC. I wanted to ask is that possible to have the both system at the same time?

we have already tried but the wincc lose connection of PlcSim when the real PLC is running and vice versa.

What kind of configuration we are missing ?




I've attached 2 screenshots from the wincc and netpro
any helps would be appreciated.
Thanks

I've written a small tool called Nettoplcsim, which is in general for this purpose. The program uses a standard network interface of the PC where Plcsim/Nettoplcsim is running, and transmits the data to the internal Plcsim interface.

But with your constellation it's a little bit complicated, and I'm not sure if this will work to 100%.
When I'm using the Nettoplcsim, I have only simulated PLCs running. But you want to connect to Plcsim and to a real Plc if I understand you correctly.

What should be possible is, to download the programm to the real CPU, then start Plcsim and load the Sim-Program, and then connect the WinCC to the real CPU and to Plcsim via Nettoplsim.
But then you can only program the Plcsim CPU, as the interface is set to Plcsim.

Depends on what features of PCS7 you are using, there may be functions which don't work with Plcsim/Nettoplcsim.

I'd say, just try out if this works for you. You can download the program from:
http://nettoplcsim.sourceforge.net/

Is your WinCC OS running on your ES?

Thomas_v2 said:

I've written a small tool called Nettoplcsim, which is in general for this purpose. The program uses a standard network interface of the PC where Plcsim/Nettoplcsim is running, and transmits the data to the internal Plcsim interface.

But with your constellation it's a little bit complicated, and I'm not sure if this will work to 100%.
When I'm using the Nettoplcsim, I have only simulated PLCs running. But you want to connect to Plcsim and to a real Plc if I understand you correctly.

What should be possible is, to download the programm to the real CPU, then start Plcsim and load the Sim-Program, and then connect the WinCC to the real CPU and to Plcsim via Nettoplsim.
But then you can only program the Plcsim CPU, as the interface is set to Plcsim.

Depends on what features of PCS7 you are using, there may be functions which don't work with Plcsim/Nettoplcsim.

I'd say, just try out if this works for you. You can download the program from:
http://nettoplcsim.sourceforge.net/

Is your WinCC OS running on your ES?

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for your reply yes we have one ES/OS computer and one OS.
actually this application is for our lab the aim of this system is showing students how simulation and the real system is working together. In fact we have a process in our application which some materials come to the mixer and the students do some changes on it then this material comes to the filling station this filling station is the real PLC and has some sequences and then the materials go to the reserver tanks which is again simulation. we have one ES/OS station and one OS on the filling station.

I have a question regarding your software actually I tried to work with it but how should start the procedure?

normally we download the software on the real PLC and then start the PlcSim and download the software on it then start the WINCC but our process is not working together they just work in the different projects and the tags of real PLC are not readable when the simulation is running and vice versa.

Maybe in your case when OS and Plcsim is on the same computer you don't need my program.

From your screenshot I suspect that for your real PLC WinCC uses an ISO connection (Industrial Ethernet) and your simulated PLC uses TCP/IP connection.

Open the WinCC project and open the "System Parameter" of the TCP/IP channel via right click on TCP/IP. Under Unit / Logical device name you select "PLCSIM(TCP/IP)".

When you start PLCSIM, in the drop down list select also "PLCSIM(TCP/IP)".

Then hopefully WinCC can connect to Plcsim and also to your real CPU.

But programming both will be a little bit difficult, as you need to change the PG/PC interface when changing to program a different CPU.

Thomas_v2 said:

Maybe in your case when OS and Plcsim is on the same computer you don't need my program.

From your screenshot I suspect that for your real PLC WinCC uses an ISO connection (Industrial Ethernet) and your simulated PLC uses TCP/IP connection.

Open the WinCC project and open the "System Parameter" of the TCP/IP channel via right click on TCP/IP. Under Unit / Logical device name you select "PLCSIM(TCP/IP)".

When you start PLCSIM, in the drop down list select also "PLCSIM(TCP/IP)".

Then hopefully WinCC can connect to Plcsim and also to your real CPU.

But programming both will be a little bit difficult, as you need to change the PG/PC interface when changing to program a different CPU.

Click to expand...

thanks for your reply I've done that before the thing is both are working seperately without any problem. but when I run plcsim I can not send command through the real plc and when I close plcsim in wincc I can send command through the real plc so the plcsim should be closed in order to send the command through the real plc that's the main problem and we don't want to close the plcsim we want to have the both.

I guess the Simatic Manager disables all other communication channels, when there is a running Plcsim instance detected.
Maybe it's to protect you from accidentially programming a real PLC when you think you are doing your tests only on Plcsim.

I don't believe there is an easy way to get this running only on the one PC. When you have another PC with also Step7 and Plcsim, then maybe you can add Nettoplcsim on this computer and program Plcsim via network. But PCS7 uses some special functions like licensing on the PLC. If you are running Plcsim on the same machine then Step7 knows that there is Plcsim running and disables the licensing functionality. I remember I've done such tests some years ago without success.