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How do you validate control logic before your machine is built? 🛠️ With iPhysics by our partner machineering GmbH & Co. KG , users can simulate mechatronic systems in real time and connect their PLCnext Control directly to the simulation. This allows control programs to be tested on the digital model early in the development process. What makes this setup useful? 🔍 Better system understanding: Visualize machine behavior before hardware is available 🧪 Risk reduction: Identify and fix logic errors before commissioning 👥 Cross-disciplinary collaboration: Mechanical and automation engineers work on one model 🔁 Efficient iteration: Adjust control strategies and immediately see the impact This setup helps teams reduce errors, shorten development cycles and improve system understanding – especially in complex automation projects. #plcnext #iamplcnext #PLCnextCommunity #simulation #software #machineering #partner

Why a Digital Twin is Non-Negotiable for Commissioning That moment of truth when control logic meets physical equipment is fraught with risk. Unexpected bugs, safety shutdowns, costly delays. But what if you could run the entire commissioning process—debugging, tuning, training—months before power-on? The answer: A Digital Twin. It's not just a 3D model. It's a dynamic virtual replica of your system (machine, line, or plant) connected to your actual PLC/DCS code. A high-fidelity sandbox for your control logic. Why is it essential pre-commissioning? ✅ Eliminate Risk & Downtime: A sequencing error causes a virtual tank to overflow on a screen, not on your factory floor. Fix it in minutes, not days. ✅ Compress Schedules: While mechanics install hardware, automation engineers test and debug the entire system in simulation. Slash weeks off your critical path. ✅ Perfect Control Loops: Aggressively tune PIDs for a furnace or reactor without impacting production, quality, or safety. Achieve optimal performance before startup. ✅ Train Operators Safely: Practice startups, shutdowns, and emergencies like pump failures in a consequence-free environment. Build confidence and muscle memory. The Bottom Line: A Digital Twin isn't a luxury. It's the key to transforming commissioning from a high-stakes gamble into a predictable, efficient, and safe process. It's not about doing things faster; it's about doing them right the first time. What's been your experience with Digital Twins? Share below. Oktay ÖZTOP I&C Suprvisor #DigitalTwin #IndustrialAutomation #ProcessAutomation #Commissioning #Simulation #IIoT #Industry40 #Engineering #RiskManagement

Mechatronic solutions for machine building bring efficiency and flexibility to motion control with standardised applications for SIMATIC and SINAMICS. They help engineers: ⚙️ Balance loads ⚙️ Suppress vibrations ⚙️ Optimise drives With open, industry-proven modules, you can adapt solutions to your plant while reducing engineering time and complexity. 🔗 Discover practical application examples from our partner Siemens Industry:👉https://ow.ly/T3Mh50WLUFX Discuss further with our dedicated Mechatronics experts: Jason van der Merwe / Joshua Swain Doug Benton George Mackey Andy Dyer Damian Paton Sarah Black-Smith Adam Anders-Holmes Ian Connor Mark Deakin Stuart Woodall Darren O'Donnell Steve Roberts #Automation #drivetechnology #automationtechnology #automationsystems #plc #S71500 #simulation #vibration #machinedynamics

🚀 Hands-on Practice with Siemens Process Simulate (PS) & Virtual Commissioning🚀 I recently deep-dived into Process Simulate software and practiced end-to-end workflows that bridge virtual studies, PLC logic, and HMI simulation. 🔹 Key Focus Areas Covered: 1️⃣ Opening and managing studies – selecting libraries, working with different operating modes. 2️⃣ Graphics manipulation – customizing keyboard, mouse, ribbon, navigation cube, and viewer tools. 3️⃣ Exploring tabs – File, Home, View, Modeling, Robot, and Control – and their practical use. 4️⃣ Object modeling & logic blocks – creating logic from poses, setting device scope. 5️⃣ Signal engineering – creating, filtering, mapping, and exporting signals. 6️⃣ Tag management – importing PLC tags, linking them to PS logic blocks, and mapping via Excel. 7️⃣ Simulation panel – monitoring, forcing signals, and testing tool behavior. 🔹 Integration Practice (Optional Add-ons): * Studio 5000 & TIA portal PLC code creation with hardware I/O mapping and tag logic. * HMI screen development for manual clamp/pin operations. * FT Logix Echo setup – adding chassis/controller, downloading PLC backup, and going online. * PLC Sim Adv- downloading PLC backup, and going online. 🔹 Final Simulation Exercise: Created a Virtual Commissioning environment to test clamp/pin, Robot Weld, Tip dress movements, Turntable manual operations by linking: ✔ PLC code ✔ HMI interface ✔ PS study with logic blocks & signals ✔ Studio 5000, FT view ME & PS using FT Logix Echo controller connection ✔ TIA portal using PLC SIM Adv connection This practice gave me a clear understanding of how Digital Twin and VC workflows come together, from study setup → signal mapping → PLC/HMI integration → full simulation testing. Excited to keep building on this foundation and apply it to real-world projects! ✨ #Siemens #ProcessSimulate #VirtualCommissioning #DigitalTwin #RockwellAutomation #FTLogixEcho #Studio5000 #TIAPortal #PLCSIMADV #FTView #Industry4.0 #Automation #Robotics

⚙️ Did you know that in TIA Portal you can simulate technology objects, such as TO Axis? Technology Objects (TO) are predefined functional units for motion control – for example, an axis, a spindle, or a synchronous axis. They eliminate the need for complex low-level programming, while parameters such as speed, acceleration, deceleration, jerk, or position limits can be set directly at the object level. 👉 In simulation mode, a TO Axis does not require any physical drive or encoder: ▪️ the actual position and speed are generated software-based from the setpoint values, ▪️ hardware sensor signals (reference switches, limit switches) are replaced by internal simulated states, ▪️ motion profiles (S-curves, ramps) are preserved, making it possible to test realistic axis behavior. Integration with NX MCD allows you to visualize and analyze the movements in a realistic 3D environment. This is particularly important when coordinating multiple axes – the simulation can detect potential collision scenarios early and optimize motion timing. There are several ways to integrate the simulation: ▪️PLCSIM Advanced for full PLC emulation and coupling with NX MCD or SIMIT, ▪️or connecting a real PLC via OPC UA, if a combination of a virtual model with actual control hardware is required. With these options, you can perform virtual commissioning – testing and tuning complete logic and motion profiles before deploying to a real machine. This shortens commissioning time, minimizes collision risks, and increases confidence in the real-world setup. 🚀 🎥 Check out the demo in the video. #plc #plcprogramming #servo #axis #automation

Continuing my journey through “Introduction to Industrial Automation” by George Nikolakopoulos! 🔗 From mastering PID control (Chapter 9) … to putting everything into practice (Chapter 10). 🚀 Continuing the Series: Chapter 10 – Industrial Applications We’ve explored the hardware, programming, and control principles—now it’s time to put it all together. 🏭 Chapter 10 of "Introduction to Industrial Automation" is the capstone, showcasing how theory translates into real-world factory applications. This chapter challenges engineers to design complete automation solutions by analyzing requirements, selecting devices, and writing the control program. Some example projects include: 🔹 Traffic Lights – Timer-based sequential control with multiple operating modes. 🔹 Conveyor Sorting & Packaging – Using sensors, counters, and logic to track and separate objects. 🔹 Process Control Systems – Applications like barrel filling, painting, or food processing that combine timers, sequencing, and analog regulation. 🔹 Motion Control & Robotics – Pick-and-place arms, stacking machines, and encoder-based cutting systems. The engineer’s task is to: ✅ Analyze the process flow. ✅ Select sensors, actuators, and I/O devices. ✅ Design the PLC I/O map. ✅ Write structured programs using timers, counters, sequential and analog control. 👉 Chapter 10 bridges the gap between knowledge and practice, transforming all the principles learned into practical, industry-ready automation solutions. It’s both a test for students and a toolbox of case studies for professionals. #IndustrialAutomation #AutomationProjects #PLC #ControlSystems #CaseStudy #Engineering #Manufacturing #ProblemSolving

GEMMA-GRAFCET : A Visual Methodology for Structuring PLC Automation 1. Context and Professional Journey In 2022, I took Tesla’s technical exam for the Senior Automation & Controls Engineer position in Fremont, California. My proposed solution wasn’t selected, and later, Tesla offered me a role in Toronto with the possibility of transferring to the United States. At that time, my professional priorities were already focused on opportunities directly in the U.S. This experience made me realize how often the GEMMA standard—the true conductor of automation sequences—remains underutilized or misunderstood in many industrial projects. 2. My Methodology: GEMMA → GRAFCET → HMI/SCADA Based on years of experience, I developed a visual and structured approach: Translate GEMMA into GRAFCET (SFC), then integrate it directly into the HMI/SCADA layer for real-time visualization and debugging. Key Benefits Clear visualization of machine states: production, stop, fault, manual/auto modes Explicit transitions for easier debugging and commissioning Enhanced collaboration between engineers, technicians, and supervisors The diagram below illustrates a simple sequence: Start → Production → Fault → Return to Home. 3. Standards and Technical References This methodology is grounded in recognized standards and best practices: GRAFCET is standardized by IEC 60848:2013, the international standard for sequential function charts (SFC). The GEMMA-GRAFCET methodology (GG-Methodology) is widely referenced in academic and industrial research for improving automation code quality and maintainability. Modern tools like GG-Generator can even generate PLCopen XML code automatically from GEMMA-GRAFCET specifications. 4. Sharing Knowledge with the Community I’m currently preparing a short video demonstrating this approach: GEMMA → GRAFCET translation step-by-step HMI/SCADA integration for real-time monitoring Practical examples for commissioning and troubleshooting I’m also attaching my additional explanations of original Tesla challenge response along and the visual diagram for those interested in reviewing the complete solution. 5. Conclusion This method bridges the gap between theoretical standards and practical implementation. It empowers automation teams to build robust, visual, and maintainable control systems while reducing commissioning time and improving collaboration across disciplines. #IndustrialAutomation #PLCProgramming #GEMMA #GRAFCET #HMIScada #ControlSystems #AutomationEngineering #DigitalTransformation #ManufacturingInnovation #PLC #AutomationBestPractices #TeslaEngineering #EngineeringLeadership #Tesla

🚀 From Design to Reality – Simulate Smarter with Mitsubishi Electric Before the first cable is connected or the first robot is moved, every detail can already be tested, optimized, and validated. With the Mitsubishi Electric software ecosystem, you can bring your automation projects to life virtually – saving time, reducing risks, and boosting efficiency: ✅ iQ Works2 – integrated engineering suite for PLC, motion, HMI and network configuration. ✅ RT Toolbox3 – advanced robot simulation, programming and optimization tool. ! Including simplified Visual Programming for industrial robots. ✅ MELSOFT Gemini – 3D digital twin for production lines, machines and complete cells. Together, they create a seamless environment where: 🔹 Mechanical, electrical, and control teams collaborate on the same digital model. 🔹 Robot trajectories and machine cycles are optimized before installation. 🔹 Bottlenecks are identified early – not during production. 🔹 Operators and engineers can be trained virtually. 💡 The result? Faster commissioning, lower costs, and higher quality from day one. At Mitsubishi Electric, we believe simulation isn’t just an add-on – it’s the foundation of smarter engineering. #DigitalTwin #Simulation #Automation #Robotics #MitsubishiElectric

📈 Improving traceability, automation, and verification This video series demonstrates the tools and knowledge needed to navigate global certification standards and enhance design reliability. 🔗 https://spr.ly/6044APrEY #AerospaceCompliance #ModelBasedDesign #DO178C #DO254

Improving traceability, automation, and verification This video series demonstrates the tools and knowledge needed to navigate global certification standards and enhance design reliability. https://spr.ly/6043AzbJL #AerospaceCompliance #ModelBasedDesign #DO178C #DO254