November/December 2019

n PLCs, HMIs AND SOFTWARE Virtual commissioning can deliver real paybacks V irtual commissioning is a valuable technology commonly used on large projects – typically, those involving automotive manufacturers, where systems containing hundreds of robots, PLCs and complex devices can be tested, validated and commissioned in a virtual environment. The benefits to these customers, who are usually working to tight project timescales, are clear and significant. It is not unusual for the use of virtual commissioning to result in valuable savings on project timescales. Most automation systems are still commissioned following the traditional route. The system will be designed, individual components parts will then be outsourced or manufactured in-house, and software, PLC and robot programmes will be created. Once the system build process is almost complete, initial commissioning will begin. Although this is a clear, structured and well- understood process, it is also time-consuming and, at the point where true commissioning begins, the project timescales are already likely to be compressed, with the target completion date looming. As smaller automation projects become more complex – especially where multiple technologies have to be integrated – the justification for, and the potential benefits of, using virtual commissioning are becoming clearer. In today’s fast-paced, high-pressure environment, simulation and virtual commissioning are likely to become an essential part of many automation projects. Not only do these processes help to mitigate risk, but they can also reduce precious set-up time on site significantly. Virtual commissioning is the process of validating the operation of control system software against a model of the mechanism, machine or system. The model can be a 2D or 3D CAD“digital twin”of the actual facility. In the context of industrial automation, virtual commissioning is used to test the operation of PLCs, robotic controls and other system software by connecting virtual or real controllers to the inputs and outputs of components and mechanisms that exist within a 2D or 3D virtual machine A virtual commissioning model or digital twin of the system is created, and the inputs and outputs of its components and mechanisms are connected to the PLC that is running the control code. The software is tested and validated through the virtual commissioning model. Test scripts can be designed up-front as part of the FDS (functional design specification), including user interfaces, status and error messaging, and fault diagnosis and recovery. Once the software had been tested and validated in the virtual commissioning environment, the PLC software and new mechanical equipment can be installed on site. Using simulation and virtual commissioning technologies at the design stage of automation projects can help to reduce risks, costs and timescales, and deliver peace of mind ahead of the actual installation. Engineers can use advanced software to explore and analyse a whole host of“what if?” scenarios, allowing the performance of each element to be optimised. Once the software for the particular program has been written, a virtual model is created to demonstrate exactly how it will work. The virtual commissioning process also makes it possible to create production and maintenance scenarios that would otherwise be impossible or dangerous to implement in real life. As well as cutting costs, simulation and virtual commissioning also minimise the risk of damage to machinery and overcome potential safety-related issues that could affect project schedules. n Virtual commissioning can bring tangible benefits even to smaller automated systems, and is likely to become the standard approach for all automation projects, predicts Tim Bednall, sales and marketing manager for Wood Automated Systems UK. Simulation and virtual commissioning can help to reduce risks and save time in automation projects of any size