SEW SimInterface
Interface to SEW Controllers
Last updated
Interface to SEW Controllers
Last updated
The SEWSimInterface is used to communicate with SEW MOVI-C Controller. As a basis communication protocol MQTT is used.
The SEW SimInterface component is responsible for managing communication between realvirtual.io and an external SEW controller via MQTT. It connects to a broker and receives signals (e.g. Drive Positions, Inputs and Outputs) from the SEW Controller.
Active: Controls when the SEW interface is active.
Broker: The IP address or hostname of the MQTT broker.
Example: 127.0.0.1
Port: The MQTT broker’s port number. This is typically 1883 for standard non-secure MQTT communication.
Example: 1883
Use W String: A checkbox indicating whether to use a "W" string format when parsing incoming data. This option should be usually turned on.
Receive Topic PLC Outputs: The MQTT topic that the SEW SimInterface will subscribe to in order to receive data from the SEW controller (PLC outputs).
Example: SEW/SimOUT
Send Topic PLC Inputs: The MQTT topic that the SEW SimInterface will publish to, sending data to the SEW controller (PLC inputs).
Example: SEW/SimIN
Debug Mode: A checkbox enabling detailed logging for debugging purposes. This is useful for development and troubleshooting MQTT connections and data exchange.
Symbol Table: The path to the symbol table file that maps SEW controller variables to Unity-readable variables. This is essential for interpreting the data coming from the SEW system and mapping it to corresponding actions or values in Unity.
Example: E:/realvirtual-release/game4automation/realvirtual/Assets/realvirtual/
Split Char: Defines the character used to split incoming data fields. This is usually set based on the data format from the SEW system.
Example: ; (semicolon)
Num Inputs: Displays the number of inputs being managed by the SEW SimInterface, corresponding to the number of PLC inputs from the SEW controller.
Num Outputs: Displays the number of outputs being managed by the SEW SimInterface, corresponding to the number of PLC outputs to the SEW controller.
Thread Status: The status of the communication thread managing data exchange. This will indicate whether the connection to the SEW system is active, and whether data exchange is functioning correctly.
The symbol table used in the SEW SimInterface component is a CSV file that defines the mapping between signals from the SEW controller and realvirtual Inputs and Outputs. Each row in the table corresponds to a signal, specifying its name, data type, and direction (whether the signal is an input to or output from Unity).
The CSV can be generated automatically via the SEW MKC SimInterface in the IEC-Editor
To import a symbol table:
Select the symbol table file using the "Select Symbol Table" button.
After selecting, click on "Import Symbol Table" to load and apply the mappings.
The CSV file has the following columns:
Name: The name of the signal in the SEW system, which is used in Unity to identify the signal.
Type: The data type of the signal, which can be one of the following:
REAL: For real or float values (used for PLC inputs and outputs).
BOOL: For boolean signals (true/false).
INT: For integer signals.
TEXT, STRING, WSTRING: For text signals.
Direction: Specifies whether the signal is an input to Unity or an output from Unity.
PLC_IN: Input signal (data received from the SEW system).
PLC_OUT: Output signal (data sent to the SEW system).
Below is an example of a symbol table that could be used in the SEW SimInterface:
