Centralized rights management and reduced attack surface on thin clients enhance overall plant security. Lifecycle Services
Intralogistics projects, which often have tight deadlines, are a prime candidate for virtual commissioning. Intelligent Distributed Controls (IDC) partnered with Siemens to create a digital twin of a retail distribution center, allowing them to accurately simulate a high-speed sortation machine and its critical logic, completing much of the work remotely and ultimately reducing commissioning time by three weeks.
The "Siemens virtual client" is a strategic enabler for the factories of the future, representing a multifaceted evolution. It allows industries to move control logic from dedicated hardware to flexible software, centralize operations, and integrate advanced digital technologies. By adopting these solutions, companies can build more efficient, resilient, and intelligent factories, ready to meet the demands of Industry 4.0.
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The Siemens Virtual Client is a complete, pre-configured software solution. It virtualizes operator stations, engineering stations, and OS clients in an industrial network. Instead of running software on separate physical PCs next to machinery, the applications run on a centralized server in a secure data room. siemens virtual client
They find bugs in the code months early, reducing physical rework by 40-50% and cutting the final setup time by up to 70% . 3. Healthcare: Syngo Virtual Cockpit
This strategy is used in the automotive industry for testing and validating assembly processes prior to physical installation. For instance, machine builder Heinrich Georg used SINUMERIK ONE virtual commissioning to develop and validate a new controller configuration before the real hardware was available, building a digital prototype in just five days.
Modern industrial plants face a tough challenge. They must maintain strict security while keeping operational costs low. Traditional desktop PCs on the factory floor often cause issues. They fail due to harsh environments, require constant software updates, and create security vulnerabilities.
In large industrial plants (like those using SIMATIC PCS 7 ), engineers used to need separate physical computers for every "Operator Station" (client). Centralized rights management and reduced attack surface on
The Siemens virtual client approach is a foundational element in modernizing industrial automation. By combining pre-tested, high-performance virtualization server hardware with advanced software, Siemens helps organizations build robust, efficient, and flexible infrastructures that are prepared for the future of Industry 4.0. Ready to Optimize Your Industrial Environment?
A dedicated, high-speed, and secure industrial Ethernet network transmits screen visuals and peripheral inputs between the server and the factory floor.
Industrial environments are harsh—vibration, dust, high temperatures, and humidity destroy standard PCs. The Siemens Virtual Client hardware is designed with no moving parts (no fans or HDDs). While a standard PC might fail every 3-4 years, SVC endpoints can last 7-10 years, drastically reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
: Siemens experts provide remote monitoring and management for the entire life cycle of the IT/OT infrastructure. The "Siemens virtual client" is a strategic enabler
The SVC architecture shifts hardware management from decentralized endpoints to a centralized, virtualized platform. It relies on standard hypervisor technology, usually VMware vSphere ESXi, to create multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) on a single physical host server.
In the virtual commissioning and virtual PLC market, Siemens operates alongside a strong group of competitors, including Rockwell Automation, ABB, Beckhoff Automation, Dassault Systèmes, and MathWorks. As of 2025, the virtual commissioning market for intelligent manufacturing was estimated at USD 1.2 billion and is projected to reach USD 3.8 billion by 2033.
The "virtual client" concept in Siemens' portfolio has its origins in the evolution of classic Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems like SIMATIC WinCC. Traditionally, an operator station required a dedicated, powerful industrial PC (IPC) running the full client software. Virtualization introduced the ability to run multiple as software instances on a single, centralized server infrastructure.
Here is a look at the most likely interpretations and the stories behind them: 1. The Modern Factory: Virtualizing the OS Client
Beyond general automation, Siemens offers specialized virtual environments: