Siemens: New SIMATIC S7-1500 Virtual PLC (vPLC) on Industrial Edge
June 20, 2023
SIMATIC S7-1500V is an entirely virtual PLC based upon the functions and operation of the SIMATIC S7-1500 PLC and is independent of its hardware.
It extends the current S7-1500 PLC offering, which allows for more flexible and modular design of production plants, and is a virtual controller that is completely compatible with TIA Portal.
With this, you can rely on familiar tools and build on projects that are already created in TIA Portal, and use OT solutions you have previously employed in an IT environment and benefit from their advantages without giving up familiar structures. Operate your applications centrally and automate process steps in a data-centric and software-based way. IT mechanisms allow you to optimize workflows and reduce costs with the SIMATIC S7-1500V PLC.
Administration — The process of applying software updates to a PLC is streamlined because all software updates can be managed centrally with the Industrial Edge Management system. Different scenarios and configurations can also be tested virtually first before deploying changes. This eases administration measures and decreases maintenance efforts.
Hardware independent — The virtual PLC software can be easily downloaded and integrated directly into an IT environment. This ease-of-use gives operators the possibility of decoupling hardware and software requirements completely. The software will run on computers with Industrial Edge Run Time in the factory while the hardware remains directly on the shop floor.
IT-OT Convergence — Virtual PLCs can also play an important role in IT-OT integration. IT-OT convergence is increasing every year across industries. The close coupling of IT and OT helps plants to make better data-driven decisions on performance, productivity, flexibility and sustainability while maintaining more robust plant security.
The virtual PLC is no longer bound to hardware. You can access the controller and all functions of the SIMATIC S7-1500 PLC via a mobile device – flexibly, from anywhere.
