I’m Kayla. I write ladder at odd hours and test code on a laptop that smells like shop coffee. I’ve crashed more virtual conveyors than I care to admit. And yeah, that’s how I found what works and what doesn’t.
When the plant floor gets loud, I’ve even leaned on the BlackShark V2 X headset to keep focus while the fans roar.
Here’s the thing: I don’t chase shiny stuff. I care about fast setup, clear I/O, and one truth—does the sim help me catch bugs before I touch a real panel?
Below is my short list, with real jobs, small wins, and a few “ugh” moments.
My Quick Picks (no fluff, just what I reach for)
- Best for Siemens: TIA Portal PLCSIM (and PLCSIM Advanced if you need virtual networks)
- Best for Rockwell: Studio 5000 Logix Emulate / FactoryTalk Logix Echo
- Best low-cost and flexible: CODESYS Control Win (pairs great with Factory I/O)
- Best for Omron: Sysmac Studio Simulator
- Best trainer for students: LogixPro 500
- Easiest freebie to just play: Do-more Designer Simulator
Need the elevator version? Here’s a quick outline you can skim in sixty seconds.
If you’re still unsure, don’t worry. Let me explain what I did with each one.
Siemens TIA Portal PLCSIM — “My weekday workhorse”
I use PLCSIM with S7-1200 and S7-1500 projects. On my Dell laptop (i7, 16 GB RAM, Win 11 Pro), it runs smooth. I set up watch tables, flip bits, and watch the tags move like I/O on a real rack.
Real example:
- I built a sorter routine for a snack plant. Eight photo eyes, two diverters, one cranky timer. My virtual belt kept “double-reading” a bag. I bumped the OB1 cycle to 10 ms and cleaned my edge logic. The ghost double-count went away. Saved me a long night onsite.
Good stuff:
- Clean tag mapping in TIA, fast compile, fast test.
- Easy to pause, force, and trace.
- Works well with S7-Graph and SCL, not just ladder.
Pain points:
- Version match matters. V16 project? Use V16 PLCSIM. No mixing.
- Virtual network setup can feel fussy if you want HMI/SCADA talking to it.
A side note on PLCSIM Advanced:
- I used Advanced for a line sim where we needed multiple virtual PLCs talking over Profinet. It let my WinCC Comfort HMI connect like it was a real plant cell. Setup took a bit, but it paid off.
Rockwell Studio 5000 Logix Emulate / FactoryTalk Logix Echo — “Good, with quirks”
I’ve used Emulate for years on CompactLogix and ControlLogix style projects. It’s solid, though setup can be picky.
Real example:
- Traffic light demo for a city training lab. Three phases, walk buttons, a night mode. Emulate helped me catch a timer reset that only broke on rollover at midnight. Funny how that stuff hides.
What I like:
- Tag forces are clear. Tasks and programs feel like the real deal.
- Great for testing AOIs and fault routines.
What bugged me:
- Getting RSLinx/FactoryTalk Linx paths right can take time.
- Motion? Nah. I bench the logic, then test motion on real hardware.
FactoryTalk Logix Echo:
- I ran Echo on a newer project with PlantPAx objects. It felt faster and more modern than old Emulate. But licensing needed care, and I had to match versions with Studio 5000. Once set, it was nice.
CODESYS Control Win + Factory I/O — “My weekend lab favorite”
CODESYS Control Win turns your PC into a soft PLC. Add Factory I/O, and you get a 3D plant playground. My kids think it’s a game. Honestly, same.
Real example:
- Bottle filler test. Three sensors and a servo stand-in (timed cam). I used rising edges and a simple state machine. Factory I/O showed a botched latch that jammed the capper during slow ramp. I fixed it in ten minutes. On site, that fix would have been sweaty.
Why I keep using it:
- Low cost. Fast to try ideas. Perfect for teaching newer techs.
- Very flexible with PLCopen blocks, SFC, and structured text.
Heads-up:
- OPC and driver setup can be a small puzzle the first time. If you plan to wire it up as a PROFINET controller, the guidance in the official CODESYS documentation on configuring the PROFINET Controller walks you through every checkbox.
- Be mindful of scan times; Factory I/O likes a steady tick.
Omron Sysmac Studio Simulator — “Quiet but strong”
For NJ/NX controllers, the Sysmac simulator is neat. I love the built-in scope. That waveform view saved my bacon more than once.
Real example:
- Pick-and-place cell. My move completed a hair early, and a clamp closed on a part. In sim, the trace showed a sloppy interlock. One extra contact, problem gone. The customer never saw the glitch.
What’s nice:
- Vision and motion logic can be dry-run with real clarity.
- Tag structure stays clean. You don’t fight the tool.
Could be better:
- You’ll want a good CPU and patience while it loads large projects.
Schneider EcoStruxure Control Expert (Unity) Simulator — “Underrated, steady”
This one doesn’t get hype, but it should. I used it on a water skid with an M580. The sim let me prove pump hand/auto logic and a simple PID without touching a VFD.
Real example:
- Level control that liked to overshoot. I tested a bum filter time in the sim and saw the wobble. Quick tune, stable. No wet floors later.
Pros:
- Great for PIDs, alarms, and modes. Tags map well to HMI.
- Goes well with factory FATs when you have lots of interlocks.
Cons:
- The UI feels old. But hey, it works.
LogixPro 500 — “The student whisperer”
When I teach new folks, we start here. It mimics SLC-500 and gives you simple scenes: batch mix, I/O trainer, traffic lights. Nothing fancy, but it sticks.
Real example:
- One junior kept mixing latch and OTL/OTU in weird ways. LogixPro made the mistake obvious. He learned to seal-in a start with style.
Why it’s great:
- Very simple. Real lessons. Low stress.
- You can learn scan order without fear.
Do-more Designer Simulator — “Free and friendly”
I keep this on my laptop for quick tests. It boots in seconds. I try new ladder patterns here before I touch a real panel.
Real example:
- I mocked a shift register trick for case tracking. It ran clean, so I reused the idea in a bigger ControlLogix job. Felt good.
Best parts:
- Free, fast, and fuss-free.
- Good for teaching bits, masks, and math blocks.
Limits:
- It’s not meant to mimic every brand. But that’s fine for quick logic checks.
Mitsubishi GX Works3 + GX Simulator3 — “Solid for the shop folks”
I used this on an FX5 project for a small pack line. The sim helped me prove a jam clear routine without stopping the real belt.
Good:
- Easy watch windows and device comments.
- Relays and timers behave as you expect.
Watch out:
- Some special function blocks don’t love the sim. I test those later on real gear.
A tiny detour: process sims that help a ton
- Factory I/O: 3D scenes, simple to set up. It talks to many PLCs and soft PLCs. Great for training and demos.
- Simumatik: More “engineering” feel. I used it to test a longer conveyor with zones. It’s nice for digital twins when you need more detail.
These aren’t PLCs, but they make your PLC sim feel real.
Who should get what?
- Siemens teams: PLCSIM (Advanced if you need networks)
- Rockwell shops: Emulate or Logix Echo
- Home lab or tight budget: CODESYS Control Win + Factory I/O
- Omron users: Sysmac Studio Simulator
- Students and trainers: LogixPro 500 or Do-more Designer Simulator
- Mitsubishi and Schneider folks: their native sims do the job
Small setup tips I wish someone told me sooner
- Match versions. It saves hours.
- Set scan time on purpose. If your virtual world lags, your logic lies.
- Name your tags like a grownup. Future you will thank you.
- Log with watch tables or a scope. Data beats guesswork.
- Keep a clean laptop image for sim work. No random IT agents killing your comms.
For extra nerd-level tweaks (like choosing the snappiest power profile or taming Hyper-V for better cycle times), dive into the community threads on [TabletPCBuzz