PLC Simulation

[codedRed]

Our vendor just offered me a demo of FT Logix Echo and I'm really interested in how you guys apply simulation software. My understanding is I can simulate an MER file and an ACD file on my PC. But if you're in a situation where the machine isn't present or is in design phase - how are simulating the machine actually running with I/O? My first though is that you need to setup your I/O on timers or sequencing - that wouldn't be included in the commissioned program but was created for the purpose of simulation only.. which could be a lot of work.

Just curious how other people use simulation software in their design phase.

 

[parky]

I never use the simulator to do the sim of the I/O (did many years ago on a system called prosis for Siemens but that allowed you to write programs in pascal so really good), What I do is have a block that maps inputs to internals & internals to outputs called I_O_Map, just don't call it until actual I/O is required, then I write simulation blocks in the PLC using timers etc. that write to the mapped bits, this makes it easy to monitor & test, I even do that on a real PLC & of course you do not need the actual I/O.