Virtual PLC Testing Without
Physical Hardware
T-IA Connect gives you full programmatic control over Siemens PLCSim Advanced V8.0. Create instances, manage power states, read and write tags, configure networks, and run complete simulation workflows - all from your CI/CD pipeline or AI agent.
How T-IA Connect Connects to PLCSim Advanced
T-IA Connect acts as a bridge between your automation scripts, AI agents, and the PLCSim Advanced runtime - exposing over 40 MCP tools for complete simulation control.
Your Script or AI Agent
A CI pipeline, Claude agent, or custom script calls T-IA Connect tools via MCP or REST API.
T-IA Connect MCP Server
T-IA Connect translates your requests into PLCSim Advanced API calls using the Siemens PLCSIM Advanced V8 SDK.
PLCSim Advanced Runtime
A virtual S7-1500 instance runs on your PC. Tags are read and written at PLC cycle speed. No physical hardware required.
Full Simulation Control in 6 Categories
Everything you need to automate virtual PLC testing - from instance lifecycle to tag-level access
Instance Management
Create, delete, list, and inspect PLCSim Advanced instances. Query instance state and configuration. Support for multiple concurrent virtual PLCs on the same machine.
Power Control
Power on and off virtual PLCs. Switch between RUN and STOP operating states. Perform memory resets to return the instance to a clean state between test runs.
Tag Read / Write
Connect to a running instance, list all available tags, read single or multiple tags in one call, and write values for test stimulus. Batch operations keep test cycles fast.
Network Configuration
Set IP address, subnet mask, and gateway for each virtual PLC instance. Enables realistic network topology simulation and HMI connection testing without physical switches.
Simulation Widgets
Interact with simulation widgets: toggle buttons to simulate digital inputs, adjust sliders for analog signals. Write test stimuli to the virtual PLC without direct tag access.
Profile Management
Save a fully configured instance as a named profile. Load, update, and delete profiles. Restore a known-good simulation state in seconds at the start of each test suite.
Typical DevOps Simulation Workflow
From a clean state to a validated PLC program - fully automated
Create Instance
Provision a new PLCSim Advanced virtual PLC with the required CPU type. The instance starts powered off and ready for configuration.
Power On and Configure Network
Power on the instance, switch to STOP state, then set the IP address and subnet for the test environment.
Compile and Download
Use T-IA Connect to compile the TIA Portal project and download the program to the virtual PLC - just like downloading to real hardware.
Switch to RUN and Test
Put the PLC in RUN mode. Write input tag values via batch write calls, wait one or more scan cycles, then read output tags and assert expected values.
Power Off and Clean Up
Power off the instance at the end of the test run. Delete it or save it as a profile for reuse. The machine is ready for the next pipeline execution.
Compatibility Notes
Important requirements and known behaviors to configure PLCSim Advanced correctly
V1 Article Numbers Required
PLCSim Advanced V8.0 requires V1 article numbers for CPU modules (e.g., 6ES7 511-1AK02-0AB0). Standard V2+ article numbers used in TIA Portal hardware configuration are not compatible with the simulation SDK. Always verify the article number before creating an instance.
Software Scope for Download
When downloading a program to a PLCSim Advanced instance, TIA Portal must be configured to download in Software scope (not Hardware and software). A full hardware download will fail because the virtual hardware does not match the physical module catalog.
Subnet Mask Resets After Restart
The subnet mask configured via the network API is not persisted across PLCSim Advanced instance restarts. If your workflow includes a power cycle or memory reset, re-apply the subnet mask configuration before the next download or connection attempt.
MCP Tools Reference
Over 40 tools organized by category - all callable from Claude, VS Code, or any MCP-compatible client
Runtime & Startup
plcsim_status, plcsim_get_runtime_config, plcsim_set_runtime_config, plcsim_set_runtime_port, plcsim_start_runtime, plcsim_start_simulation, plcsim_stop_simulation
Instance Lifecycle
plcsim_create_instance, plcsim_delete_instance, plcsim_list_instances, plcsim_get_instance_state, plcsim_get_instance_config, plcsim_set_instance_config
Power and Operating State
plcsim_power_on, plcsim_power_off, plcsim_run, plcsim_stop, plcsim_memory_reset
Network
plcsim_get_network, plcsim_set_network
Tags
plcsim_connect, plcsim_disconnect, plcsim_list_tags, plcsim_refresh_tags, plcsim_read_tag, plcsim_write_tag, plcsim_batch_read, plcsim_batch_write
Simulation Widgets
plcsim_get_simulation_state, plcsim_set_widget_value, plcsim_batch_set_widgets
Profiles
plcsim_list_profiles, plcsim_save_profile, plcsim_load_profile, plcsim_update_profile, plcsim_delete_profile