The MCP Server That Connects AI
to Siemens TIA Portal
T-IA Connect implements a full Model Context Protocol server that gives any AI assistant — Claude, GPT, Llama — direct access to your TIA Portal projects. 60+ tools for reading, writing, compiling, and deploying PLC code.
What is MCP?
The open standard that lets AI interact with real-world tools
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard created by Anthropic that defines how AI models communicate with external tools and data sources. Instead of copying and pasting between a chat window and your engineering software, MCP lets the AI directly interact with your tools.
T-IA Connect implements an MCP server that wraps Siemens TIA Portal's Openness API. This means any MCP-compatible AI client can read your PLC project, create blocks, manage tags, compile code, and download to the PLC — all through a standardized, open protocol.
Think of it as a universal adapter between AI and TIA Portal. The AI speaks MCP, T-IA Connect translates to TIA Openness API calls. No proprietary plugins, no vendor lock-in.
60+ MCP Tools for TIA Portal
Everything the AI needs to work with your PLC project
Project Management
Open, save, and navigate TIA Portal projects. List PLCs, HMIs, and network configuration.
open_project, save_project, list_devices, get_project_info, list_subnets, get_device_config
Block Operations
Create, read, modify, and delete program blocks (OB, FB, FC, DB). Full SCL source access.
create_block, read_block_source, write_block_source, delete_block, list_blocks, get_block_info
Tag Management
Create PLC tags, tag tables, import from CSV. Manage addresses, types, and comments.
create_tag, list_tags, create_tag_table, import_tags_csv, get_tag_info, delete_tag
Data Types
Create and modify User-Defined Types. Full UDT source code access for context-aware generation.
create_udt, list_udts, get_udt_source, modify_udt, delete_udt
Compile & Download
Compile PLC software, download to hardware or PLCSim. Read compile results and errors.
compile_plc, download_to_plc, go_online, go_offline, get_compile_errors
Simulation
Manage PLCSim instances for virtual commissioning. Read/write process values for testing.
start_plcsim, stop_plcsim, list_plcsim_instances, read_plcsim_value, write_plcsim_value
Compatible MCP Clients
Use T-IA Connect with your preferred AI development environment
Cursor
The AI-first code editor. Add T-IA Connect as an MCP server and use Claude or GPT to work with TIA Portal projects directly from Cursor.
VS Code + Continue
Use the Continue extension in VS Code to connect to T-IA Connect's MCP server. Works with any AI model provider.
Claude Code (CLI)
Anthropic's official CLI for Claude. Native MCP support — add T-IA Connect and interact with TIA Portal from your terminal.
Windsurf
Codeium's AI IDE with MCP support. Connect T-IA Connect for TIA Portal operations alongside your code editing workflow.
Claude Desktop
Anthropic's desktop app. Configure T-IA Connect as an MCP server for a conversational TIA Portal experience.
Custom Integration
Build your own MCP client using the open specification. Automate TIA Portal operations from CI/CD pipelines, scripts, or custom tools.
Architecture: How MCP Connects AI to TIA Portal
A local, secure bridge between any AI and your engineering environment
AI Client Layer
Your AI assistant (Claude, GPT, Llama) in any MCP-compatible client (Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code)
MCP Protocol Layer
Standardized JSON-RPC communication over stdio or SSE. Tool calls, resource access, and prompts.
T-IA Connect Server
Local MCP server translating tool calls into TIA Portal Openness API operations. Runs on your workstation.
TIA Portal Layer
Siemens TIA Portal with Openness API enabled. Your PLC projects, devices, and configuration.
Security: On-Premise by Design
Your PLC code never leaves your network unless you choose a cloud AI provider
Local MCP Server
T-IA Connect runs on your engineering workstation. No cloud server, no external dependencies. The MCP server communicates only with the local TIA Portal instance.
Your AI, Your Choice
Route AI requests to Claude/GPT API (data goes to their servers) or to a local model via Ollama (zero cloud exposure). The choice is yours per session.
No Data Collection
T-IA Connect does not collect, store, or transmit your project data. It's a transparent bridge — data flows between your AI client and TIA Portal, nothing is retained.
NIS2 & IEC 62443 Compatible
On-premise deployment with local models meets the strictest industrial cybersecurity requirements. No external data processing, no cloud dependencies.
Get Started in 3 Minutes
From download to your first AI-generated PLC block
Install T-IA Connect
Download the installer, run it on your engineering workstation. T-IA Connect detects your TIA Portal installation automatically.
Configure Your MCP Client
Add T-IA Connect as an MCP server in your AI client (Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code). One JSON config line is all you need.
Open a TIA Portal Project
Start TIA Portal and open your project. T-IA Connect connects via Openness API and exposes all 60+ tools to your AI.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Model Context Protocol (MCP)?
MCP is an open standard by Anthropic that defines how AI models interact with external tools. It specifies a JSON-RPC protocol for tool discovery, invocation, and result handling. Think of it as a USB port for AI — any AI model can use any MCP-compatible tool. T-IA Connect implements this protocol for TIA Portal.
Does T-IA Connect work with TIA Portal Openness?
Yes. T-IA Connect wraps the official Siemens TIA Portal Openness API (.NET/COM) and exposes it as MCP tools. This means you need TIA Portal Professional or higher (which includes Openness) and the Openness package installed on your workstation.
Can I use the MCP server without AI, for automation scripts?
Yes. While T-IA Connect is designed for AI interaction, the MCP protocol works with any client. You can build custom scripts that call T-IA Connect's tools to automate TIA Portal operations — batch block creation, tag import, automated compilation, etc.
Which TIA Portal versions support MCP via T-IA Connect?
T-IA Connect supports TIA Portal V17, V18, V19, V20, and V21. All versions with Openness API support are compatible. The MCP tool set is the same across versions, though some features (like PLCSim Advanced) require specific TIA Portal editions.