An emulation module configured to model a logical behavior of an industrial control device may be stored or embedded in the industrial control device for subsequent downloading and emulation by another device. The industrial control device storing the emulation module may execute firmware for its operation, and the stored emulation module may be used to model the logical behavior of the industrial control device executing the firmware. The industrial control device storing the emulation module may provide the emulation module to another device using an industry standard bi-directional communication interface, such as an EtherNet/IP control network interface. The industrial control device may also store multiple emulation modules with identifiable revisions, and a revision of an emulation module may correspond to a revision of firmware for execution by the industrial control device.

A simulation environment is provided for running a process simulation used to validate an industrial control program. The simulation environment exposes the I/O module configurations defined in the control program and retrieves module configuration information therefrom. This I/O module configuration information is combined with generic, module-specific I/O module profiles to create a pool of available controller I/O points, which can be selectively associated with I/O points in the simulation to create an I/O point mapping. During control program validation, simulated I/O data is exchanged between the process simulation and the I/O module instances in the controller in accordance with the I/O point mapping. A variation of these techniques for use with cloud-based emulations is also described.

A method synchronizes first and second simulation systems, each operating in a free running operation thereby exchanging data to run the simulation systems. The method includes: a) providing the first simulation system (PLCSIM) being enabled to run in cycles at a linear speed determined by repeatably setting a scaling factor (s.sub.n); b) providing the second simulation system (Process Simulate) to run in cycles at different speeds; c) the second simulation system requests at the end of a cycle a virtual time stamp from the first simulation system; d) calculating on the basis of the virtual time stamp a virtual duration time At.sub.nfs and on the basis of the virtual time stamp after completion of the cycle of the second simulation system a virtual duration time At.sub.nss; and e) calculating an update sn+1 for the scaling factor according the most recent scaling factor s.sub.n multiplied by At.sub.nss/At.sub.nfs.

A programmable controller includes a command executing engine unit that performs a user program and performs a computing process and nonvolatile memory that stores the result of the computing process. The command executing engine unit transitions to a temporary stop state in which a new cycle of computing process is not performed and stores the result of a cycle of computing process in the nonvolatile memory when the cycle of computing process of the user program ends, and releases the temporary stop state and transmits the result of the cycle of computing process stored in the nonvolatile memory to a simulation device when a stop release instructing command instructing to release the temporary stop state is received from the simulation device.

A host system which executes an emulation environment for modelling a logical behavior of an industrial control device may execute a clock management module to scale execution time in the emulation environment to more accurately reflect execution time of the industrial control device. The clock management module may operate to receive repeatable ticks based on a real time clock of the host system. The repeatable ticks may be used to measure execution of a portion of an industrial control program in the emulation environment, which measure may be compared to a reference value for executing the same portion on the industrial control device. The host system may then temporarily stall execution in the emulation environment to match execution on the industrial control device.

A simulation environment for running a process simulation used to validate an industrial control program. The simulation environment exposes the I/O module configurations defined in the control program and retrieves module configuration information therefrom. This I/O module configuration information is combined with generic, module-specific I/O module profiles to create a pool of available controller I/O points, which can be selectively associated with I/O points in the simulation to create an I/O point mapping. During control program validation, simulated I/O data is exchanged between the process simulation and the I/O module instances in the controller in accordance with the I/O point mapping.

A method for operating an automated system, the system comprising: a controlled device for performing an action as a function of received control data; a first control device for receiving system data and generating control data for controlling the controlled device as a function of the received system data; and a second control device for receiving input data and generating output data as a function of the input data according to a computer-implemented mapping algorithm; wherein the method comprises: adapting the computer-implemented mapping algorithm such that the second control device, upon receiving the system data as input data generates output data that is similar to the control data generated by the first control device with a predetermined similarity degree, wherein the computer-implemented mapping algorithm includes a neural network algorithm and/or a machine learning algorithm.

Training apparatus and methods are disclosed for teaching practices for operation of machines. The apparatus comprises: a plurality of input selectors; a plurality of status indicators; an alarm; and a programmable controller switchable between programming and operator testing modes. In the programming mode, a sub-set of the control operators is used to select a testing program, and a second sub-set is used to select modifications to the testing program. Each program defines a sequence of input selections and a corresponding sequence of signals from the status indicators. In the testing mode, the controller is configured to receive input selections and to activate the alarm in response to deviation from the sequence of input selections of a selected testing program.

For machine procedure simulation, a method synchronizes a plurality of equipment procedures to a mobile device. The method receives a first equipment reference code for a first equipment instance at the mobile device. The method retrieves a first equipment procedure of the plurality of equipment procedures that is indexed to the first equipment reference code at the mobile device, the first equipment procedure including a machine simulation for the first equipment instance. The method receives a procedure step that includes a lockout decision indicating that the first equipment procedure requires a lockout of the first equipment instance. The procedure step is directed to the machine simulation. The method displays a simulated result for an operator simulation that shows a simulated operator interacting with the machine simulation in response to the procedure step lockout decision.

A host system which executes an emulation environment for modelling a logical behavior of an industrial control device may execute a clock management module to scale execution time in the emulation environment to more accurately reflect execution time of the industrial control device. The clock management module may operate to receive repeatable ticks based on a real time clock of the host system. The repeatable ticks may be used to measure execution of a portion of an industrial control program in the emulation environment, which measure may be compared to a reference value for executing the same portion on the industrial control device. The host system may then temporarily stall execution in the emulation environment to match execution on the industrial control device.