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Setting up WinPLC-Engine

Requirements

  • MHJ Edition or Ultimate Edition
  • WinPLC-Engine
  • STEP 7 5.x or TIA Portal V11/12/13/14

WinPLC-Engine does not require any configuration to be used with Factory I/O. The following steps describe how to setup WinPLC-Engine to be used with STEP 7.

WinPLC-Engine must already be running before you start TIA Portal.

  1. Start WinPLC-Engine, click on Extras > Properties of the Software PLC.

    open winplc properties

  2. On the Settings tag select Net-Interface and click on WinPLC-Engine TPC/IP Settings...

    winplc properties

  3. Choose a network interface from the list. Take notice of the IP Address, you will need it when setting up STEP7 or TIA Portal. Click on OK.

    winplc network

  4. Press Mask > Change to Cyclic to switch WinPLC-Engine to cyclic mode. Either STEP 7 5.x or TIA Portal can now be used with WinPLC-Engine.

    enable cyclic mode

Configuring STEP 7 5.x

  1. Start STEP 7, Click on Options > Set PG/PC Interface...

    open step7 interface

  2. Select WinPLC-Engine from the interface list and click on Properties...

    set interface winplc engine

  3. Enter the previously selected WinPLC-Engine IP address into the dialog. Click on OK.

    interface properties

  4. To test the connection to WinPLC-Engine click on PLC > Accessible nodes. If the entry MPI = 2 is visible, it indicates a successful connection between WinPLC-Engine and STEP 7.

    accessible nodes

Configuring TIA Portal

  1. Create a new project in TIA Portal.

    new project

  2. Select Configure a device.

    configure device

  3. Click on Add new device. From the controllers' tree expand SIMATIC S7-300 > CPU > CPU 315-2 PN/DP, select the CPU under it and click on Add.

    add device

  4. On the General tab of the Properties page expand PROFINET interface and select Ethernet addresses. Enter the previously selected WinPLC-Engine IP address.

    assign ip address

  5. Press Go online.

    go online

  6. Choose PN/IE as the type of PG/PC interface and on PG/PC interface select the network adapter. When scanning completes, select the PLC from the list of compatible devices and press Go online.

    go online