Locating and Deploying Verified SIMIT Example Projects for STEP 7 and PCS 7 Simulation

In SIMATIC automation, acquiring matching example projects that combine a fully configured controller program (in STEP 7, PCS 7, or TIA Portal) with a corresponding simulation model in SIMIT Simulation Platform is achieved through official Siemens Industry Online Support (SIOS) Application Examples. Standard software installations provide either controller demo projects or isolated SIMIT templates, lacking cross-software coupling. Siemens provides pre-engineered, co-validated project bundles—such as the PCS 7 Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Chemical Stirred Tank Reactor, and the S7-1500 Virtual Commissioning Sorting Line—pairing complete PLC programs with matching SIMIT virtual models, behavioral charts, and PLCSIM Advanced couplings.

SIMIT Simulation Architecture and Co-Simulation Concepts

The SIMIT Simulation Platform (6ES7910-0AA00-0YA0) bridges the gap between automation software engineering and physical process behavior. Virtual commissioning requires two coordinated software entities:

The Automation Controller Project: The actual technological control logic authored in STEP 7 / PCS 7 (CFC, SFC, APL blocks) or TIA Portal (LAD, FBD, SCL). The project runs inside physical S7-400/S7-1500 controllers or software emulators (S7-PLCSIM, S7-PLCSIM Advanced, or SIMIT Virtual Controller).
The SIMIT Simulation Project: The behavioral process model constructed in SIMIT. It contains mathematical models of physical equipment (valves, pumps, heat exchangers, material conveyor belts) and coordinates bidirectional signal couplings to emulate field sensor feedback and actuator responses in real time.

Why Default Software Examples Lack Cross-Platform Couplings

Engineers exploring simulation frequently install STEP 7 and SIMIT and search in vain for a turnkey project that opens and runs out-of-the-box:

Independent Product Packaging: SIMIT and STEP 7 / PCS 7 are independent commercial software packages with distinct release cadences. Standard installation media includes isolated demos (e.g., SIMIT includes generic tank models; STEP 7 includes basic ZDt01_01_Steps projects) that share no common tag names, hardware addresses, or scaling factors.
Coupling Address Misalignment: Building a coupling manually requires synchronizing hundreds of memory addresses. Without a pre-configured coupling file, the virtual controller and SIMIT cannot exchange data.
SIOS Centralized Repository: To solve this, Siemens maintains a specialized digital repository of Pre-Engineered Application Examples on the Siemens Industry Online Support (SIOS) portal, pairing specific STEP 7 / PCS 7 versions with verified SIMIT simulation projects.

Siemens Official Matching Example Projects Portfolio Matrix

The following table summarizes verified turnkey example projects pairing controller software with SIMIT models:

Application NameTarget Controller PlatformSIMIT PlatformKey Process Operations SimulatedSIOS Entry IDPCS 7 Water & Wastewater PlantPCS 7 V8.2 / V9.0 (S7-410)SIMIT V9.1 / V10.0Flocculation, sedimentation, aeration basins109758838Chemical Reactor Unit TemplatePCS 7 V8.1 / V9.0 (S7-400)SIMIT V9.0 / V10.0Exothermic batch stirred reactor & dosing109746429S7-1500 Sorting Plant DemoTIA Portal V15.1 / V16SIMIT V10.0+Conveyor sorting, pneumatic pushers, drives109758838SIMIT S7-1500 Getting StartedTIA Portal V14 / V15SIMIT V9.1 / V10.0Bottle filling station & level regulation109746429Drive Virtual CommissioningTIA Portal / SINAMICS S120SIMIT V10.1+Mechanical kinematic simulation (NX-MCD)109758838

Step-by-Step Procedure to Deploy a SIMIT and PCS 7 Demo Bundle

To deploy and run an official Siemens paired demo project:

Download the Verified Project Bundle from SIOS:
- Access the Siemens Industry Online Support portal and search for SIOS Entry ID 109758838 (or 109746429).
- Download both archive files:
- The Automation Project (e.g., PCS7_WWT_Demo.zip)
- The Simulation Project (e.g., SIMIT_WWT_Model.simarchive)
Restore and Open the Automation Project:
- In SIMATIC Manager, select File -> Retrieve.
- Select PCS7_WWT_Demo.zip and extract to your local project directory.
- Open the retrieved Multiproject; verify that the S7 program, CFC charts, and OS pictures load cleanly.
Restore and Open the SIMIT Simulation Project:
- Launch SIMIT Simulation Platform.
- Select Retrieve Project; select SIMIT_WWT_Model.simarchive.
- Open the retrieved SIMIT project; in the navigation tree, inspect Couplings (configured for S7-PLCSIM or SIMIT Virtual Controller).
Start Virtual Controller and Execute Co-Simulation:
- In SIMATIC Manager, launch S7-PLCSIM (or start the SIMIT Virtual Controller from within SIMIT).
- Download the hardware configuration and CFC program from SIMATIC Manager into the virtual controller.
- In SIMIT, click the yellow Start Simulation button in the top toolbar.
- SIMIT initiates real-time calculation; observe that virtual tank levels rise when the controller opens simulated inlet valves.

Verification

Verify co-simulation synchronization:
1. In SIMIT, navigate to the process diagram; observe real-time dynamic animation of water levels and pump rotations.
2. In SIMATIC Manager, open a technological CFC chart online; verify that analog input driver blocks read simulated sensor signals matching SIMIT gauges.
3. In SIMIT, introduce an error: manually trigger a pipe blockage or sensor failure; confirm that the PCS 7 controller immediately detects the fault and dispatches an alarm to WinCC.
4. Launch WinCC Runtime; verify that operator faceplates reflect the simulated plant behavior.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Version Alignment Strictness: Application example bundles are compiled for specific software versions. Deploying a V9.0 SIMIT demo on SIMIT V8.1 will fail to decompress.
Virtual Controller Licensing: Running the SIMIT Virtual Controller (VC) requires an active SIMIT VC license in Automation License Manager (6ES7910-...).
Commercial Accuracy Notice: Ensure that SIMIT Simulation Platform licensing tiers (S, M, L, or XL) provide adequate I/O tag capacity for the downloaded example.

Engineer FAQ

Where do I download paired example projects for SIMIT and STEP 7?

Download them from Siemens Industry Online Support (SIOS) under Application Examples for SIMIT (Entry IDs 109758838 and 109746429).

Can SIMIT simulate without physical PLC hardware?

Yes. SIMIT connects directly to S7-PLCSIM (classic), S7-PLCSIM Advanced, or its native SIMIT Virtual Controller (VC), enabling 100% software-based testing.