Simulator cart

A method for testing a plant control system having a controller, a sensor input port, an actuator output port, a series of communication segments communicatively coupling the sensor input port to the controller such that an input signal applied to the sensor input results in one or more signals traveling along each of the communication segments so as to notify the controller of the applied input signal, and a series of communication segments communicatively coupling the controller to the actuator output port such that a control signal generated by the controller results in an output signal being applied to the actuator output port, the method comprising:

• providing a simulator and coupling the simulator to the control system at at least three points, wherein a first point is the sensor input port, a second point is a point from which data relating to the internal state of the controller are obtained, and a third point is the actuator output port;
• causing the simulator to apply a signal to the first point and to subsequently obtain data on the internal state of the controller from the second point and to monitor the actuator output port using the third point for any applied signals;
• and
• wherein the plant control system is at least in part disconnected from a plant that is to be controlled by the control system during testing the plant control system.