Factory IO - A Virtual Factory for Learning PLC Programming

What is Factory IO?

Factory IO is a three-dimensional virtual factory simulator. It is described as a “3D factory simulation for learning automation technologies” - a program that allows you to quickly build a virtual factory using typical industrial components. Its libraries include ready-made scenes inspired by real industrial applications, which means beginners can practice on simple conveyor lines, while advanced users can work with more complex processes.

The platform was created for education and training purposes - most often it is used as a PLC training kit, but it can also be connected to microcontrollers, soft-PLCs, or devices communicating via Modbus.

The producer’s marketing emphasizes several key advantages:

• Turning an ordinary computer into a PLC training kit - without the risk of injury or equipment damage.
• Compatibility with any PLC controller and popular communication technologies, such as PLC simulators, Modbus, or OPC.
• A large library of components and scenarios, which allows you to create your own exercises and adjust the level of difficulty.

Why use Factory IO to learn PLC?

Learning in a safe environment
Programming PLCs in a real factory is challenging: mistakes can lead to costly downtime or pose safety risks to workers. Factory IO separates the programming layer from the physical equipment, so students can make mistakes without the risk of damaging machines. Thanks to 3D visualization, the effects of control are immediately visible - conveyors move, boxes get sorted, and sensor signals change color just like in a real factory.

Integration with real hardware
Factory IO is not just a simulator - it can communicate with real controllers. In the I/O Drivers menu, you’ll find a list of interfaces for the most popular PLC families: Allen-Bradley (Logix5000, Micro800, MicroLogix, SLC 5/05), Siemens (LOGO!, S7-200/300/400, S7-1200/1500, and S7-PLCSIM), as well as controllers from other vendors and communication protocols such as Modbus TCP/IP, OPC DA/UA, or Control I/O. This allows students to practice linking simulation with a physical PLC and later transfer the code into a real installation.

Allen-Bradley hardware used in our materials (Micro800 controllers, HMI panels and accessories) is supplied by our technology partner Elmark Automatyka, an authorized Rockwell Automation distributor.

Ability to build your own scenes
The simulator is equipped with a library of elements: conveyors, sensors, feeders, robots, warehouses, etc. You can use them to design your own production lines and modify existing scenes. The built-in scenarios range from simple tasks (e.g., transporting a box to a sensor) to complex sorting or storage systems.

Source: https://docs.factoryio.com/

Siemens PLCs - especially S7-1200

In our training offer, we focus on Siemens S7-1200 controllers because they are popular in European industry, reasonably priced, and easy for beginners to use. Factory IO has a dedicated S7-1200/1500 driver. It enables Ethernet communication with S7-1200 and S7-1500 controllers and exports scene tag mapping as an XML file compatible with TIA Portal.

The configuration allows you to specify the controller model, IP address, select the appropriate network interface, and decide whether analog values should be encoded as WORD or DWORD. This flexibility makes it possible to reflect real I/O modules in the controller and better understand how PLCs process data.

S7-PLCSIM - PLC simulator

If you don’t have a physical controller, you can use S7-PLCSIM, software that simulates Siemens PLCs. Factory IO can communicate with it over Ethernet - an ideal solution if you want to practice programming without buying hardware.

Support for other controllers and technologies

Although our courses are based on Siemens, Factory IO is technically neutral. The I/O Drivers include connections to Allen-Bradley PLCs, Schneider Electric controllers via Modbus, soft-PLCs, and OPC. There are also dedicated editions of the program:

• Siemens Edition - supports Siemens controllers and S7-PLCSIM.
• Modbus & OPC Edition - communication via Modbus TCP and OPC DA/UA.
• Allen-Bradley Edition - support for ControlLogix, CompactLogix, SoftLogix, and other Rockwell PLCs.

Modbus TCP - Factory IO also offers both client and server drivers for Modbus TCP/IP. This allows it to act as either a master or a slave device, enabling various communication scenarios to be tested.

Examples of simple training scenarios

• From A to B - transport a box to a sensor.

• Height sorting - using analog sensors and logical conditions.

• Color-based sorting - a task requiring sensors and scanners.

• Palletizer - a more advanced exercise using a robot or manipulator.

How to start learning?

1. Install Factory IO - a free trial version with full functionality is available for 30 days.
2. Choose a controller - preferably Siemens S7-1200, but you can also use the PLCSIM simulator or Modbus communication.
3. Run a scene and program the PLC - start with simple exercises.
4. Test and improve your code - observe the program’s effects in real time.
5. Use courses - learning with an instructor helps you master configuration and programming faster.

Factory IO Tutorial: Your First Scene Step by Step

If you are a beginner, this short Factory IO tutorial shows the workflow you will repeat in every exercise:

• Download and install Factory IO from the official website (it runs on Windows) and start the trial.
• Open a pre-built scene, for example From A to B. Each scene has a conveyor, sensors and actuators ready to use.
• Select a driver in File - Drivers: S7-PLCSIM, a real S7-1200/1500, Allen-Bradley, Modbus TCP, OPC or Control I/O.
• Map the tags. Drag sensors to PLC inputs and actuators (motors, conveyors, lamps) to PLC outputs. The driver shows a green icon when the connection works.
• Write the PLC program, start the scene and simulate. Press Play in Factory IO and watch how your logic controls the virtual factory in real time.

A detailed, screen-by-screen guide for Siemens is available in our article How to Connect Factory IO with Siemens S7-1200 and PLCSIM, where we describe the TIA Portal template project and the PLCSIM settings.

Control I/O - Programming Without Any PLC

Factory IO also includes Control I/O, a simple soft PLC programmed with function block diagrams. It runs on the same PC, so you can control a scene without TIA Portal, Studio 5000 or any other engineering software. Control I/O is a good choice for a first contact with logic gates, timers and counters, or in a classroom where not every student has access to PLC software. When you are ready, move the same logic to a real PLC programming environment.

Factory IO with CODESYS and Other Soft PLCs

Thanks to the Modbus TCP drivers, Factory IO works with almost any controller that can communicate over Modbus, including soft PLCs. A popular setup is CODESYS Control Win on the same computer: CODESYS acts as a Modbus TCP client and Factory IO as the server (or the other way round). This lets you practice IEC 61131-3 Structured Text with 3D feedback. Scenes can also be connected through OPC UA, which is a good way to learn industrial communication.

What You Can Practice in Factory IO

Factory IO scenes cover most of the topics a PLC programmer meets in industrial automation:

• motor control and conveyor sequences with start/stop, interlocks and emergency stop handling,
• digital and analog sensors - diffuse and retroreflective sensors, height and weight measurement,
• counters, timers and edge detection, for example counting boxes on a conveyor,
• process control - level control in a tank with an analog valve and a PID controller,
• sorting, pick and place and palletizing stations with robots and manipulators.

Because the scenes are driven by a physics engine, boxes fall, collide and jam like on a real line. This hands-on, immersive learning experience shows the effects of your program in a way a static I/O table never will. Some engineers also use Factory IO as a simple digital twin to test logic before commissioning a real machine.

Factory IO - FAQ

Is Factory IO free?

Factory IO offers a free 30-day trial with full functionality. After that you need a paid license; there are several editions (for example Siemens, Allen-Bradley or Modbus/OPC), so choose the one that matches the controllers you want to use. Check the current licensing options on the official Factory IO website.

Is Factory IO a game?

No. Factory IO is developed by Real Games and looks like a 3D game, but it is a simulation software for PLC training. Its purpose is to let you program and test automation systems safely.

What do I need to get started with Factory IO and Siemens?

A Windows computer with Factory IO and TIA Portal with S7-PLCSIM, or a real S7-1200/S7-1500 PLC connected over Ethernet. Our Siemens TIA Portal LAD/FBD course uses Factory IO scenes to teach ladder logic and FBD from the basics.

Summary

Factory IO is a tool that brings the world of automation into virtual reality in an accessible way. It enables realistic PLC programming training without risks to people or machines, while allowing the use of Siemens, Allen-Bradley, or Schneider controllers.

If you want to start learning PLC programming in a virtual factory - check out our Premium Siemens PLC Programming Training in LAD and FBD.