The AI Assistant for
TIA Portal & Siemens PLC
Stop switching between your AI chat and TIA Portal. T-IA Connect gives any AI model direct access to your PLC project — read code, create blocks, manage tags, compile and deploy — all from a single natural language command. Works with TIA Portal V16, V17, V18, V19, V20 and V21.
What Is an AI Assistant for TIA Portal?
An AI assistant for TIA Portal is an AI model — Claude, ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, or a local LLM like Ollama — that can directly read and modify your Siemens PLC project. Not just answer questions about PLC programming, but actually perform real engineering tasks: creating function blocks in LAD or SCL, generating structured text, managing PLC tags, running compilation, and downloading to S7-1200, S7-1500 or PLCSim.
T-IA Connect acts as the bridge between AI and TIA Portal. It exposes 400+ TIA Portal Openness operations through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), so your AI assistant can work inside your PLC project the same way a human automation engineer would — with full context of your existing code, hardware configuration, and tag structure.
What the AI Assistant Can Do
Real TIA Portal actions, executed by your AI in seconds
Read Project Structure
The AI reads your entire TIA Portal project — devices, programs, function blocks, tags, and data blocks — before writing a single line of code.
Generate SCL Code
Describe what you need and the AI writes complete, production-ready SCL function blocks with proper error handling, comments, and interface definitions.
Manage PLC Tags
Create, update, or bulk-import tags from IO lists. The AI handles naming conventions, data types, and memory addresses automatically.
Create Data Blocks
From simple DB structures to complex UDTs — the AI creates data blocks that match your project's naming and organization standards.
Compile and Download
Run full compilation, check for errors, and download to real or simulated PLC hardware — all triggered through natural language commands.
Document Existing Code
Point the AI at undocumented legacy blocks. It reads the logic, understands the intent, and writes comprehensive block comments and documentation.
How It Works
From install to first AI-generated code in minutes
1. Install T-IA Connect
Download and install on your engineering workstation. It runs locally as an MCP server alongside TIA Portal — no cloud, no VPN, no data leaves your network.
2. Connect Your AI Client
Configure your AI client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, or any MCP-compatible tool) to connect to T-IA Connect. Takes less than 5 minutes.
3. Open TIA Portal and Start
With TIA Portal open, your AI assistant can read your project and start performing tasks. Ask in plain language — the AI handles all TIA Portal API calls.
Works with Any AI Model
Not locked to one vendor — use the AI that fits your workflow
Claude (Anthropic)
Best choice for complex SCL generation and code refactoring. Excellent at understanding safety-critical PLC logic and multi-step automation workflows.
ChatGPT / GPT-4o
Strong for tag management, documentation, and code conversion tasks. Works through Cursor, VS Code, or any OpenAI-compatible client.
Local Models (Ollama)
Full air-gap support. Run Llama 3.1, Qwen 2.5 Coder, or Mistral locally. Zero cloud dependency, complete data sovereignty.
Related Resources
Claude AI with TIA Portal
Step-by-step guide on connecting Claude specifically to TIA Portal for SCL code generation and project automation.
Read moreAI PLC Code Generation
Everything about generating PLC code with AI — capabilities, real-world examples, and what an AI can and cannot do.
Read moreMCP Server for TIA Portal
Technical deep-dive into the Model Context Protocol integration that gives AI assistants direct access to TIA Portal.
Read morevs Siemens Industrial Copilot
How T-IA Connect compares to Siemens' own AI solution — pricing, features, data sovereignty, and offline capabilities.
Read moreFrequently Asked Questions
Does the AI assistant work offline?
T-IA Connect runs 100% locally on your workstation. The MCP server and TIA Portal integration work offline. The AI model itself can be local (Ollama) for full air-gap operation, or cloud-based (Claude, ChatGPT) — your choice.
Which TIA Portal versions are supported?
T-IA Connect supports TIA Portal V16, V17, V18, V19, V20, and V21. It uses the TIA Openness API, which is available from V16 onwards.
Is my PLC code safe? Does it get sent to the cloud?
Your TIA Portal project data stays on your machine. T-IA Connect runs as a local server — it never sends your code anywhere. If you use a cloud AI model, only the specific context needed for each task is sent, and only when you initiate a command.
Can I use T-IA Connect without a paid AI subscription?
Yes. T-IA Connect works with any MCP-compatible AI client. You can use free tiers of Claude or ChatGPT, or run a fully local model with Ollama at zero cost.
Can the AI assistant generate LAD (Ladder) and SCL code for Siemens PLCs?
Yes. T-IA Connect supports generating both LAD (Ladder Diagram) and SCL (Structured Control Language) blocks. The AI can create OBs, FBs, FCs, and DBs with proper interfaces, comments, and IEC 61131-3 compliant code. It can also generate UDTs and manage instance data blocks.
How does T-IA Connect compare to Siemens Industrial Copilot?
Unlike Siemens Industrial Copilot which is cloud-only, limited to specific versions, and tied to a single AI provider, T-IA Connect runs 100% locally, supports TIA Portal V16 through V21, and works with any AI model (Claude, ChatGPT, Ollama, etc.). It also offers 400+ operations vs basic code generation only.
Does it work with S7-1200 and S7-1500 PLCs?
Yes. T-IA Connect works with all Siemens S7-1200 and S7-1500 CPUs supported by TIA Portal. It can also interact with PLCSim and PLCSim Advanced for simulation and virtual commissioning — no physical hardware required to start.
Can I use ChatGPT or GPT-4 as a TIA Portal assistant?
Yes. Any AI model that supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) can be used — including ChatGPT via Cursor or VS Code, Claude Desktop, GitHub Copilot, or even local models via Ollama. T-IA Connect is AI-agnostic: it provides the TIA Portal connection, you choose the AI.
Can AI generate PLC code without manual programming errors?
AI-generated PLC code still requires human review — no tool should be trusted blindly for safety-critical automation. However, T-IA Connect significantly reduces errors by giving the AI full context of your TIA Portal project: existing tags, data types, hardware configuration, and block interfaces. The AI generates IEC 61131-3 compliant SCL with proper type handling, and you can compile and test immediately through the same interface. Most users report 80% fewer manual coding errors compared to writing from scratch.
Can AI generate TIA Portal code from IO lists?
Yes. One of the most popular use cases. You can provide an IO list (CSV, Excel export, or just describe it in natural language) and the AI will create all PLC tags with correct data types, addresses, and comments, then generate the corresponding function blocks with proper input/output mappings. This turns hours of repetitive tag entry into minutes.