S7-1500F v17 and S7-PLCSIM Advanced

[doomsword]

I'm trying to download a project for Siemens S7-1517F safety PLC to S7-PLCSIM Advanced 3.0 simulator and I'm getting incompatible firmware issue.
Before I spend my time downloading 4.0 version, is the issue that 3.0 is older and doesn't support v17 or PLCSIM Advanced can't be used for simulating safety PLCs? Reason I need Advanced PLCSIM is because I also plan to run VM with Intouch to connect and test HMI.
Also any tips&tricks would be appreciated, normally I use real PLC for developing&testing, but this time I can't.

 

[mk42]

I've never tried mixing versions, to be honest. It could be that. If you go v4 make sure your licensing will still handle it.



99% sure PLCSIM Adv runs safety PLCs.

 

[JesperMP]

PLCSIM Advanced V3.0 says in the manual that it is compatible with firmware 2.8 or earlier.
You can possibly change firmware in the TIA project to 2.8, but let it remain 2.9 in the real PLC.

 

[Pandiani]

is the issue that 3.0 is older and doesn't support v17 or PLCSIM Advanced can't be used for simulating safety PLCs?

PLCSimAdv supports Safety PLCs that is for sure.
When you mention v17, I guess you mean STEP 7 TIA version. According to the compatibility matrix, v17 is compatible with PLCSIMAdv 4.0.
Please have a look at the attached files.

But you can also try to archive current project, then use "Change firmware option" as shown in the sceond attached file. If this is only firmware version issue, you should download CPU with new version successfully.
This change can be made in TIA protal/Device View, then properties of the CPU.

Good Luck!

 

[doomsword]

Yes, I meant latest CPU firmware that was introduced with TIA v17, I didn't check before I made this thread. I was afraid issue might be that safety PLCs aren't supported, but it was about firmware v2.9 not being supported on 3.0 Simulator. With 4.0 there is no issue and seems license is OK, no need for additional licensing when upgrading simulator.


Only issue I'm having is that TIA is disconnecting from simulator, like in real situation when you disconnect the Ethernet cable from PC or some other reason. Anyone seen this before and has idea what's happening?

 

[Pandiani]

With 4.0 there is no issue and seems license is OK, no need for additional licensing when upgrading simulator.

Ok, so you confirm that PLCSIM Advanced v4.0 can be used with existing license from version 3.0? Cool, good to know.

Regarding your connection issue, I guess a bit more information is needed, although intermittent communication issues are very hard to troubleshoot.
How is your PLCSIM Adv configured? If you use PLCSIM (Softbus) try switch to Virtual adapter and vice versa.

Please have a look in the knowledge base here.

 

[doomsword]

I did manage to connect my Intouch 2020 application to PLCSIM Advanced, but last night something went wrong and I'm unable to communicate with simulator ever since. Restarting didn't help.


Seems I caused the issue by changing the name of alarm provider (name of computer that is 'alarm master' for actual alarms, we connect all HMIs to same alarm database on one of HMIs, so when operator acknowledges on one HMI it acknowledges for all), I wanted provider to be localhost by inputing my VM name (also because there are some scripts based on computer names that weren't executing since my VM wasn't on of HMIs which I wanted to check). This seems to break something, that wasn't being resolved by restoring the original name.
So I restarted app using my VM name as only alarm master and now it works.


OI SIDIR driver was behaving erratic, becoming grayed out in SMC or not showing is running, restarting the SIDIR service also didn't help.
So my guess this is some kind of a bug on InTouch side, which is another reason for me to add even more hate for InTouch, this thing always acts strange the longer you look at it.

 

[mk42]

I've often seen changing computer names to break SCADA apps :/