Team Growth 

Our San Diego team has grown to 12 talented engineers with deep expertise in manufacturing automation and test and measurement automation. Each team member brings unique skills and perspectives that elevate our work and ensure we’re ready to tackle complex engineering challenges across industries. 

We’re also thrilled to announce that two additional engineers will be joining us in early 2026. This expansion reflects our commitment to investing in a strong, collaborative team and strengthens our ability to deliver exceptional solutions and support for our clients. 

Expanding Client Base 

With this growing team, we’ve seen a significant increase in client partnerships throughout the Southwest region, including California, Arizona, and Nevada. From automation projects to custom solutions, our team is proud to help businesses achieve their goals with cutting-edge technology and expertise. 

Whether we’re supporting clients in biotech, electric vehicles, energy, battery, or other industries, our team is dedicated to helping businesses achieve measurable results. We’re grateful for the trust our clients place in us and look forward to building on these relationships. 

New Service Offerings 

In addition to our core automation services, we’re excited to introduce DMC test and measurement services to the San Diego office. Our team also supports embedded development, application development, and digital workplace solutions projects. This expansion allows us to provide a broader range of solutions, ensuring we meet diverse client needs with precision and innovation. 

Building Partnerships 

Collaboration remains central to our mission. Over the past year, we have continued to strengthen relationships with industry partners, enabling us to deliver integrated solutions and stay ahead of emerging technologies. We work closely with automation partners including Siemens, Rockwell, Beckhoff, Inductive Automation, and more. For test and measurement projects, our partners include NI, Pickering, and UEI. 

These partnerships help us deliver fully integrated solutions and ensure our clients benefit from the latest tools, platforms, and industry best practices. As the technological landscape evolves, we remain committed to continuous learning and strategic collaboration—allowing us to stay ahead of emerging trends and deliver exceptional value to our customers.

Looking Ahead 

With our growing team, expanding services, and increasing project work, we are now exploring larger office spaces in the San Diego area. This step reflects our long-term commitment to the region and our confidence in the opportunities ahead. We’re excited for what the future holds and grateful to our clients, partners, and team members who make our success possible. 

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We joined the conference as a Siemens Solution Partner and joined Siemens at their booth – which displayed Siemens’ multi-discipline/multi-step demo and showed off a variety of different technologies, including their metal 3D printing, an additive manufacturing process to generate a lighter, stronger component of an electronic vehicle. We also brought one of our major California Siemens clients, Anaergia, to join in the conference and experience.

Our engineers arrived in Germany on Sunday and joined Siemens as they hosted a dinner at the Governor’s Mansion with great food. Throughout the trip, we joined Siemens for meals, excursions, and experiences.

The conference began Monday, May 30 and finished Friday, June 3. On Monday and Tuesday, we had a full day checking out the expansive Siemens booth and exploring the enormous conference.

Wednesday, we drove to Heidelberg, where we stayed for the second half of the trip. Along the way, we stopped at the Porsche museum (foreshadowing!) getting a chance to check out a slice of Porsche history. Following the day of travel, we joined Siemens for the White Ship Fleet Dinner Cruise.

Thursday, we started our day by visiting the Heidelberg castle via a tour of the old city.

Also on our busy Thursday, we did a tour of the Stuttgart facility where they make the Taycan, the first all-electric Porsche. We had a chance to participate in the Porsche Driving Experience, where they put us on a track and let us test the cars out ourselves. We started by putting the Taycan electric vehicles through a stunt course which included drifting and slaloming. For the finale, we got into 9-11s and got to do a Grand Prix (safely!) around the track.

After a week at the HANNOVER MESSE, we want to thank Siemens for hosting us and our clients. The event was insightful, and it was a pleasure joining them as a Siemens Solutions Partner. We look forward to joining them for this event and others in the future.

Learn more about DMC’s Siemens Partnership and Siemens S7 PLC Programming expertise, and contact us today for your next project!  

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After trying different methods to solve this problem, I eventually realized that the simplest way was to set up an NTP server on the Beckhoff controller. When setting up the NTP server, I realized that this blog is fully transferable to setting up an NTP server on any PC/IPC, because the IPC is running a full version of Windows.

Below, I have laid out this process in Windows 10. Note: this should only be marginally different in older versions of Windows.

How to Set up an NTP Server

1. Unblock UDP port 123 bidirectionally
   1. Why port 123?
      1. NTP implementations send/receive timestamps using port 123
   2. Remote into PC/IPC
      1. Typically, if you are networked to the PC/IPC, the easiest way to do this is to RDP into the PC/IPC. Alternatively, you can hook up a monitor and mouse to your PC/IPC.
   3. Navigate to Windows Firewall
   4. Click Inbound Rules
      1. 
   5. Click New Rule
   6. Click Port
      1. ​
   7. Click Next
   8. Select UDP
   9. In Specific Local Ports: type 123
      1. 
   10. Click Next
   11. Select Allow the Connection
       1. 
   12. Click Next
   13. Set up when the rule applies. For example, if you do not want the IPC to act as an NTP server when on a public network, you can deselect “Public.”
       1. 
   14. Add a name and finish
       1. 
2. Note: it is important that we do the same thing for an outbound rule. Jump back to step C above and click Outbound Rules > New Rule
3. Registry key change
   1. Update NTP service (W32Time) to be Automatic
      1. Hit the Windows key and type in “services” in the bottom left search bar
         1. 
      2. Navigate to the Windows Time service and change the startup type to Automatic
         1. 
      3. Click OK and exit the application
   2. Check the registry to verify the service is enabled
      1. Navigate to the Registry Editor
         1. 
      2. Navigate to: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer
      3. Go to Enabled
         1. Change Value data to "1"
            1. 
   3. Command line update
      1. Open the command prompt as administrator and run w32tm /config /update
         1. 
            1. Note: if the service has not been started, be sure to start the Windows Time service
      2. To verify this is working, open command prompt as administrator and run w32tm /query /configuration 
         1. 

Done! Now you can point your other devices at the PC/IPC IP address which will function as an NTP server.

Learn more about DMC’s expertise in Beckhoff programming and contact us today for your next project.

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DMC uses SIMATIC Automation Tool to support clients remotely nationwide.

SIMATIC Automation Tool V3.1

Denver Engineer Jay LaFave wrote a great blog detailing how to get started with SIMATIC Automation Tool. Start there if you’re new to using it!

SIMATIC Automation Tool V3.1 brings many new features to an already useful tool. Below, you’ll see how you can use the tool to download safety programs and HMIs. 

• UI Updates: the tab has changed to "program update" in order to pick a program.
  
• Safety Download Features:
  • The program is now highlighted in yellow to signify safety.
    
  • Notifies the user if the safety program is getting downloaded for the first time.
    
  • Replace the safety program with a standard program.
    
  • One thing to be aware of is that if you have an existing safety program with a password, and download the new safety program without a password, you will not be required to enter the old program password prior to downloading. If you want to make sure you have a password on the project, make sure there is a password on the new program.
  • Access protection forces you to put your password in CPU.
    
• DB Reinitialization: for those of you that have critical real-time data stored in DB (and not set as retentive), be aware that you will not be warned about datablock initialization. 
• HMI Updates: Once a backup is created, the HMI can also be downloaded from SIMATIC Automation Tool.
  
  • To create a backup file, right-click on HMI, click HMI Maintenance, and click "Pack & Go".
    
• Additional notes from Siemens from the SIMATIC Automation Tool User Guide:
  

Overall, SIMATIC Automation Tool is a great method that we’ve used to support our clients remotely. Clients and end-users often do not have the development software, and this allows them to download changes without needing a programmer onsite.

Learn more about how we support all of our clients remotely and about our Siemens expertise.

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How Did We Do This Before?

• Before downloading to the PLC, upload the latest code from the PLC.
  • Main issues: uploading can pull your blocks out of your folder structure. More importantly, if someone forgets to upload, someone’s code can be overwritten.
• Work off a single shared project.
  • Main issues: it can be very difficult to develop quickly and efficiently if everyone needs to work off the same project file.

Using Multiuser Commissioning

How do I turn it on?

Open the Multiuser Server Administration application from your desktop. You will then select the specific project needed.

To learn more about the whole process of setting up a multiuser project, read this blog for more information or this blog for more information the Multiuser server local host set up. 

Note: this button in the project will not turn on multiuser commissioning. However, it leads nicely into the next section. 

How do I know that it’s on?

Remember the Multiuser Commissioning button from before? You’ll see the multiuser commissioning symbol highlighted orange when multiuser commissioning is enabled, as shown below. 

What is the back-end download process?

1. The local session makes changes to the server project.
2. The server will compile.
   • If the compile fails, the server project will open.
3. If the compilation is successful, the server project will download it to the device.
4. If the download is successful, the server project is saved.
5. If changes are saved to the server, your local copy will be refreshed with the latest program from the server project. 

What does this mean?

After downloading, your server copy will always match your actual device copy.

What are the major benefits?

• Works well when multiple people are working on the same PLC, as all tags and blocks will be synchronized without uploading from PLC
• Improves consistency across the project
• Decreases commissioning time
• Improves accessibility for new engineers
• No more uploading!
• No more single projects!

Should I use it?

Definitely!

Overall, we’ve used multiuser commissioning to vastly improve our onsite commissioning process. Its quick setup and shared codebase have taken many of the pain points out of multi-person commissioning. 

Learn more about our PLC Programming Services and our Siemens Expertise. 

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Below are a couple tips and tricks I’ve used to get started with PLCSIM Advanced.

Tip One: Downloading To PLCSIM Advanced

Downloading to PLCSIM Advanced is a little different for a developer accustomed to using PLCSIM. In the standard PLCSIM, you can simulate using the icon in Portal, while in PLCSIM Adv, you have to follow a few more steps I’ve laid out the process step-by-step below.

1. Start a simulation via the tray icon
   
   
    

   

2. Assign Name, IP Address, Subnet Mask, and start the PLC
   
   
    

   

3. Download from Portal as if you were downloading to regular PLC. Make sure to use the network adapter you selected in the above step (PLCSIM or PLCSIM Virtual Ethernet Adapter)

Tip Two: Simulation Selection

Make sure you are simulating an S7-1500 PLC or an ET200SP. As of V14, PLCSIM Advanced does not support any other PLC’s or distributed IO.

Tip Three: PLC Firmware Version 

Make sure your PLC firmware is a version before 2.1. Currently, if you have a PLC with version 2.1, you will receive an error code of “0020 0 2 0”. To fix this error, change your device firmware to 2.0 or older.

Tip Four: Use The PLCSIM Virtual Ethernet Adapter

If you are testing OPC communication or web server simulation, make sure to use the PLCSIM Virtual Ethernet Adapter. This is a requirement for simulating an OPC server. Refer to the graphic below for more details on the different communication interfaces.

Tip Five: Select The Right Settings

To download to PLCSIM Advanced, you will need to check the box to “support simulation during compilation.” To use library blocks, you must check this box and compile before adding the block to the library.

To do this, right click on the project (in the example below, RFID Test), select properties, and then navigate to protection.

Conclusion

That’s it! I hope these quick tips will help you get started using PLCSIM Advanced. Find out more about DMC’s PLC programming services or contact us to get started on a project today.

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Pre/Post Instructions

Pre and post-instructions run cyclically, before and after the main sequence. As the name suggests, pre-instructions run before the sequencer and post-instruction run after the sequencer. I often use these for variables that need to be continuously monitored, regardless of the step that I am in.

Pre and post-instructions can be programmed in ladder, which allows some flexibility if you are trying to program something like integer comparisons.

Integer comparisons can get a little messy in the Graph environment. I recommend setting up a comparator in ladder and utilizing the output from a pre/post instruction.
 
Figure 1: Pre-Instructions

Desync Button

If you’ve spent a bit of time in Graph, you may have noticed that the whole environment shifts when you click on a Graph block. But what if you want to see your pre-instructions on the left, and the graph block on the right?

The desync button located to the right of the zoom in/out buttons allows for the desynchronization of the left and right windows to allow you to view different information in the left and right windows.   

Figure 2: Desynchronization

Changing Between Interface Types

Another trick for Graph is changing between interface types.  This can be accomplished by having the sequencer open, clicking “Edit” in the top toolbar, and then “Interface Parameters”.

It is important to note that changing the interface parameters will reset the “accessible from HMI” checkbox. To make the variables accessible again, go to Edit > Internal parameters visible/accessible from HMI.

Changing Steps

Externally changing steps in Graph can be a bit tricky if you haven’t done it before. To change steps, you’ll want to follow this procedure:

1. Select the step to which you want to change (S_SEL)
    
2. Change the sequencer to manual mode (SW_MAN = TRUE, SW_AUTO = FALSE)
    
3. Display all steps (DISP_SALL = TRUE)
   • This will allow you to jump to any step (as opposed to just the current one).
      
4. Clear active step (DISP_SACT = FALSE)
   • This allows the sequencer to output the current step. This needs to be false so you can jump to any step.
      
5. Write the requested step to step number (S_SELOK = TRUE)
    
6. Activate the step (S_ON)
    
7. Display the current step (DISP_SALL = FALSE, DISP_ACT = TRUE)
    
8. Change the sequencer to auto mode (SW_AUTO = TRUE, SW_MAN = FALSE)

Since pseudocode only gets you so far, see this example to view the finished “change step” block.

(In this example, I have added a requirement that you can only jump steps if you are paused first. Make sure to trigger the pause before you attempt to switch steps!)

Learn more about DMC’s Siemens expertise.

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Definitions

• UID – Unique Identifier, tied to an individual card

• SOAP – Simple Object Access Protocol, Protocol specification for exchanging structured information in the implementation of web services

HMI Panel/Project Setup

Install PM-LOGON Basic Runtime for Panels

1. Install PM-LOGON software on an engineering computer.

   • This installs the option "PM-LOGON Basic Runtime for Panels V1.1" into SIMATIC ProSave.


2. On engineering computer, open SIMATIC ProSave. 
   

   



3. In the general tab, configure IP address of panel.
   

   



4. Go to Options, select PM-LOGON Basic Runtime for Panels V1.1.
   

   



5. Press the right arrow to begin the transfer to the HMI.


6. After this happens, the panel will be restarted.

Configure PM-LOGON

1. Open PM-LOGON Basic Runtime on the panel and select Configuration.
   

   



2.  
3. In the configuration, configure settings as desired.

Key settings

• Log off current user when the card leaves reader – This will log off the user as soon as the card is removed. If the card will remain at the reader, this can be checked, otherwise, this should remain unchecked.
• SOAP URI for tag access – Leave this as the default value.
• SOAP Username/Password – Select this and write it down, as you will need it for the next step. For simplicity, I recommend using PMLogon for the username and password.
• Write UID to Tag – This determines the tag in the HMI that the UID will be written to. This is necessary if you are running any scripts based on the tag.
• Hide UIDs in the log – This option will determine if the card UID's will be displayed in the log (see 2b above). Check this if you want to hide the UID.

TIA Portal – Enable SOAP, Log In With Password Only

1. HMI > Runtime Settings > Services > Check "Web service SOAP"
   1. This allows for the auto-login functionality that will be discussed later.
      

      

2. Logon with password only (HMI > Runtime Settings > User Administration > Check "Logon only with password").
   

   

4. Panel Settings – Enable Web Service for Auto-Login (Page 19 Card Reader PDF)

1. Navigate to Start Center > Settings.
   

   

2. Select WinCC Internet Settings.
   

   

3. Navigate to Web Server > User Administration.
   

   

4. Add a new user.
   

   

5. Add user and password (use Username/Password from 3d above). Apply settings.
   

   

6. Add SOAP user authorization for the newly created user.
   

   

7. Exit using the OK button.
8. Start Web Server.
   

   

Setting Up New Users

At this point, all basic setup has been completed. Based on what has been set up, the tag PMLOGON_UID in the HMI (once it is created) will be automatically populated by the card reader as soon as the card hits the card reader. Before that, however, it’s important to review how to set up new users with the RFID card reader.
 

1. In the HMI project, add a user view to a screen to customize user administration. 
   

   

2. In Runtime, navigate to this screen, and click the box under the user.
3. Add a username for the desired user (the username needs to be added, even though it won’t be used during logins).
   

   

4. Click the associated password box for the user.
5. Touch your card to the RFID card reader – this should populate the password field.
   

   

6. Add any other user information (group, log off time) as necessary.

Auto-Login

Now that setup is complete, and users have been added, the HMI is prepped for auto-login. Below is what is needed for auto-login. An extra tag has also been added (GroupNumber), which can be useful for displaying user access levels on the HMI.
 

1. Add HMI tags for GroupNumber, PMLOGON_UID, and UserName.
   

   

2. Create a scheduled task to get the UserName and GroupNumber – this will update the UserName and GroupNumber when the user changes.
   

   

3. Create a script that checks when PMLOGON_UID changes, and logs in the new user.
   

   

4. In the PMLOGON_UID tag, trigger the script you just created on value change.
   

   

That's it! From here, users can be added using the RFID card reader (in a user view), and auto-login can be performed by just tapping the card reader with your card.

Learn more about DMC's Siemens expertise.

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1. SafeAND – Use A Standard Bool

As you develop your safety program, you’ll notice that most of your inputs will be required to safety bool input. However, when using a SafeAND block, your first input (and only your first input), can be a standard bool input. This allows you to integrate logic from your PLC or HMI into your safety program.

2. Link Outputs to Inputs

While you’re zoomed out setting up your safety program, you will most likely find yourself trying to connect some outputs and inputs. If you find they can’t be connected, try zooming in. When zoomed out, TwinSAFE has a tough time picking up where you’re trying to click.

3. Copy/Paste

This one is quick – you can’t copy and paste any safety blocks in the TwinSAFE program. If you need an additional block, navigate to the toolbox ( ) and bring in the proper block.

4. Create Variables

To create a variable in TwinSAFE, simply start typing at an input or output of a block. That variable will get placed into your variable mapping table, where you can associate the proper alias port to it.

5.Variable Mapping – Delete Variables

Anytime you delete a variable (or the block to which it’s connected), the variable mapping for that variable will be deleted. This feature makes sure that you don’t accidentally leave a variable linked to an output with which you no longer wish to link. If you forget to re-link a variable, your compile of the safety program will fail. To fix this, simply map the variable to an alias port.

6. Variable Mapping – Link Multiple Output Variables

If necessary, you can link a single output variable in your safety program to multiple alias ports in your safety mapping. When selecting your alias port mapping, simply CTRL + click to select multiple alias ports. This can be useful, for example, if you want a single error acknowledge button that will acknowledge errors on multiple drives.

7. Download the Safety Program

When downloading the safety program, you’ll be prompted for the username, serial number, and password. If the programmer has not changed them, the default username is “Administrator”, and the default password is “TwinSAFE”. To find the serial number, go to the target system tab, and find the serial number section.

Learn more about DMC's Beckhoff PLC solutions.

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Why Convert?

There are several good reasons to convert your project from ProTool to WinCC Flex. 

1. Many current Siemens HMI panels do not support ProTool. When configuring the HMI project for the newer panel, you may find ProTool is unable to be configured to support the panel.


2. Siemens no longer supports ProTool. ProTool was phased out in 2004, with support ending in 2010.


3. WinCC Flex/Portal support a huge number of new features. These features can greatly reduce the time it takes to program your HMI, as well as open up opportunities to use a number of new features. 

Be aware that when you begin the conversion process (with WinCC Flex), you will need WinCC Flex SP2 or earlier. In WinCC Flex SP3, the option is no longer available to convert a ProTool project.

Converting the Program

1. Open WinCC Flex (SP2 or earlier). If you’re not sure, in WinCC Flex, select Help > About, and check the version number.

   

   
    

2. Select “Open a ProTool project”. If you do not see this option, the version of WinCC Flex you have is SP3 or newer.

   

   
    

3. On the left browser bar, select “STEP 7”. This will allow you to select a project you’ve previously opened in Simatic Manager. You can also browse to the project (via My Documents) if you know the project path.

   

   
    

4. Browse to the correct project, and select the ProTool project you wish to convert.


5. Success! This will open the project in WinCC Flex. Make sure to perform a rebuild all and fix any errors that may have occurred during the conversion process.

Bonus Tip

If you need to convert an old project because you’ve upgraded your HMI, you don’t need to recreate the whole project. Simply upgrade with the old project, then right click on the panel in WinCC Flex, and select “Change Device Type”.

 
Learn more about DMC's Siemens HMI expertise.

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