Integrating Virtual and Real System Platforms Based on IIoT Technology - A Case Study of PLC and Automation Studio

This study aims to build an integrated virtual and real system platform through the use of a professional industrial control simulation software, Automation Studio®, and a physical programmable logic controller (PLC)-based automatic control platform, and to facilitate data interaction and communication between the software and hardware. The goal is to verify the interaction and response of data and signals between the virtual and real worlds and achieve fault detection and testing. Within the Automation Studio® software platform, not only can real-world application scenarios be built, but also corresponding control loops can be designed, and parameters of various devices can be adjusted. By utilizing the simulation function, possible system scenarios that may occur in the real world can be verified. The hardware part of the platform uses Mitsubishi FX5U PLC as the control center of the real-world system, a stepper motor combined with a screw slide as the linear motion platform, and a two-axis robotic arm on the slide to form a three-axis motion control system as the external load. This micro-system can serve as a microcosm of the production process. Then, OPC UA Server is used to communicate between Automation Studio® and PLC, allowing for mutual data viewing, communication, and real-time application, achieving the effect of virtual-real synchronization. The final experimental results indicate that, through the interconnection of the two systems via OPC UA, signals can be effectively transmitted between the two systems. This enables the system’s operational devices to successfully acquire corresponding signal statuses, respond in real-time to the requirements of the system’s operational state, and achieve the integration of the virtual and real systems.