Simulating "real world" applications with a Siemens PLC

[Borte]

But doesn't this add extra code for the plc to run?
And wouldn't make it harder for an unexperienced maintenance worker to troubleshoot it?

Cheers
Borte

 

[S7Guy]

Well, we are only talking about a few extra instructions to copy the real IO to virtual IO. And since the data bits are named exactly the same as the IO bits, any maintenance person should be able to follow it. In fact, I refuse to use real world IO in my code because the IO can change from project to project, which would make the code specific for each project. At least if the transfer is done in one place, I can make the IO addresses a configurable item and my code remains generic.

 

[ninga]

You can try those too
http://www.**********.com/applications.htm
like s7trainer but more easier

Thanks RMA I wasn't aware of that, I'll give it a shot and see if it works for my application.

Otherwise I was thinking about using something like the Runmode S7Trainer (http://www.runmode.com/s7trainer.htm).

Cheers
Borte

 

[parky]

It makes sense to map the I/O to internal bits in a program block so by disabling the call to this block you can simulate the I/O in a simulator, or on a real plc with a simulator like pics pro, there was a purpose built simulator for S5 called prosis, this was developed by a german guy who apparently used to work for siemens, this was a program on a pc + a card that fitted in the S5 rack, it could simulate the real I/O so no need to mod program there was two types of configuration, 1 internally in the prosis software i.e. A I 0.0 T 5 secs = or set Q 1.0
or for some real clever stuff you wrote a program in pascal wrapper that was called 18.5 times a second (pc clock int).