INTRODUCING A SIMULATED GATEWAY FOR VALIDATION OF INDUSTRIAL COMMUNICATION IN PLC SYSTEMS

Given the need for efficiency in the development of new devices and protocols for communication and industrial automation, simulation has become a great ally in this area. In addition, the application of tests on these new products is extremely important to avoid failures during their operation in industrial plants or substations of end customers. However, the tools and methods for applying Unit Tests to Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) programs are currently scarce, making it difficult to validate them before they are inserted into the plant, opening the door to inconveniences. This article presents a study on the state of the art of Unit Tests and their application in PLCs, as well as the validation of a simulated application-layer gateway that could be used for the development and testing of proprietary protocols to be used in PLCs in the future. The results show that the simulated gateway meets the expectations of the development and is able to function in the same way as a physical industrial gateway, opening doors for the development of new industrial and substation communication technologies. The authors hope that research into the state of the art of Unit Tests in their industrial applications will help other authors who are looking to learn more about this subject, aiding the continued development of technologies in this area.