A Python Framework for Model-Based Design, Commission and Monitor the Thermal Process

This paper proposes a combination available Python packages and Siemens' TIA portal to model-based design, implement and monitor the industrial thermal process. This combination allows us to identify the plant model, perform the simulation, Hardware-in-the-Loop testing, on-site/remote commission and monitor the control-loop which cannot realize with only Siemens' TIA portal framework. A real thermal process experiment based on Siemens S7-1200 PLC and TIA Portal, is built to demonstrate our proof-of concept. The Siemens PLCs and software suites are chosen since they are available in our Laboratory and the given Python framework can be also applied to other PLCs and microcontrollers tool-chains.