What I have already seen in Bosch plants and at suppliers:
Some plants and business areas are providing a MES test server. Either a real computer at the supplier or via router in the cloud. Bosch AE is very exemplary and provides all suppliers access to a test server.
If no test server is available:
- If you have MES via Public Interface (OPC UA) it is quite easy: The DataSetManager can switch between local data or MES data.
Alternatively/Additionally you can use the PublicInterfaceTester to simulate MES.
- For MES via OpconXml: Testing could be done with the CommTester. But this tool is not available publicly. And the usage of the tool is not very convenient.
- Last option that is probably the default option with OpconXml nowadays:
Put the MES type data temporarily into a local DAT file and use local data management (DataSetManager+DataSetAccess or DatAccess). When MES is available switch back from local data to MES data. This solutions causes the most additional effort and I guess this is the reason for your question 😀
Target is that DataSetManager supports OpconXml as well, but priorization is not yet high enough to implement it (and some technical basics would have to be improved in the platform). Feel free to contribute to a higher priorization.