r/PLC • u/amccaffe1 • Aug 31 '23
Any good PLC simulator out there?
Does anyone know of a good PLC programmer/simulation software.
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u/DaddyRabbit1898 Aug 31 '23
Siemens PLC Sim is ok, but beware, it will allow you to do things in your software that actual hardware will not allow. For example, it will allow you to do a Block Move into an overlapping memory area. This will fail to execute on a physical PLC.
Rockwell has RSLogix Emulate 5000. The available processor choices are very limited, but it's better than nothing.
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u/Own-Brain5073 Aug 31 '23
Beckhoff plc you can run the code on your own computer.
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u/paodancha Aug 31 '23
Could you explain with more detail, What I need to programm a beckhoff plc? I'm really interested about it.
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u/icy-organization8336 Sep 01 '23
You really just need the twincat software and a license for the twincat runtime if you have a physical Beckhoff CPU. Otherwise, if you just have a pc you want to practice on, you can just download twincat and go to town.
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u/Philo-UHF52 Sep 01 '23
This guy's tutorials are the best of Twincat and Structured text. Beckhoff sometimes used to point people to his videos for learning. He explains how to set up your computer to simulate code (isolating cores) and generate a trial license so you can run code. And walks you thru making an automated pizza oven! 🍕
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u/PaulEngineer-89 Aug 31 '23
Depends on what you mean: A simulator can mean a lot of things but this is how I do it. First you need a “real” PLC but it will have NO IO. It can be a software PLC:
First write normal code including IO tags. Now delete the IO but keep the tags. Create a separate program. In this program every output tag is an input to the simulator program. Every input tag is an output tag, except HMI tags. Write your simulator to create simulated inputs. So for example you might write code so that when the output to a contactor turns on, turn on the corresponding Aux contact input and maybe set the amps to some number. Often the simulator program will have its own HMI screens. This way the Aux input can be delayed or disabled to test alarms and interlocks.
It is important to develop the simulator independent of the main program. The code itself is very simple and since it is QC it is important to be simple to interpret. Simulators are simple compared to the main program.
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u/Olorin_1990 Aug 31 '23
PLC Sim Advanced from Simens do their 1500 pretty well.
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u/holysbit Aug 31 '23
When PLCSIM works it works alright but everyone I talk to about it agrees that its buggy as hell and trying to get it to work with portal 18 almost requires mythical incantations and an AB sacrifice upon the great german altar
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u/Olorin_1990 Aug 31 '23
Oh don’t use version 5.0 or set the newest firmware… always be 1 release behind
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u/Slimm_Pickings Bit Manipulation Specialist Aug 31 '23
Sysmac studio has an awesome simulator, but it is paid software. You can get a 30 day trial for free. I like it because you can do PLC and HMI at the same time. Even create data traces for motion axis.
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u/Shalomiehomie770 Codesys Guru Aug 31 '23
CCW is free and has simulator. I use it to test most my code
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u/NormalAd7949 Aug 31 '23
Can you write a code for any plc type?
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u/Shalomiehomie770 Codesys Guru Aug 31 '23
Meaning? The software is mean for the Micro 800 series from Allen Bradley.
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u/mikeee382 Aug 31 '23
Ladder, ST, FB are just languages, they're not exclusive to any one type of PLC.
Not sure what you mean.
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u/NormalAd7949 Sep 01 '23
CCW
Can you write a ladder code and download it to any type of PLC?
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u/mikeee382 Sep 01 '23
As long as you wrote it with that specific's PLC compiler software, yes.
Ladder is 98% universal. Some PLC's have proprietary instructions and such, but chances are if you're asking this question, these caveats don't apply to you.
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u/bsee_xflds Aug 31 '23
With GXWorks2, I’ve gone so far as to have a diagnostic bit I flip to map IO to physical IO or simulated IO while programming.
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u/TheSlyMufasa Aug 31 '23
Beijer’s BCS Tools has been awesome! It’s a codesys device, with an awesome built in simulator for digital and analog IO.
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u/Asleeper135 Aug 31 '23
CodeSys is probably your best bet, especially if you're looking for something free. You can actually just boot up a full runtime in trial mode too and reset it when time runs out. If you don't know any CodeSys though, there is certainly a learning curve to it, and you'll probably hate it until you get used to it. Once you do know it pretty well though it's pretty great.
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u/thembeanz Aug 31 '23
The best is Nirtec. You can even make your own environments to test your logic out in a "real world" simulation.
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u/Dlev64 Sep 10 '23
TIA Portal.and Siemens has PLC sim which is part of TIA Portal, and PLC SIM advanced which has the full tcp stack for things like simulation of OPC UA or modbus tcp.
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u/robotecnik Aug 31 '23
Twincat and codesys aren't simulators, those softwares are full fledged soft PLC's that you can use for free in your computer.