Systems and methods of i/o device emulation for industrial systems

A method for providing automated input/output (I/O) device emulation for an industrial system, the method comprising:

• determining, with one or more electronic processors, whether a first industrial device is compatible with a second industrial device represented by a node of a scan list for the industrial system;
• responsive to determining an incompatibility between the first industrial device and the second industrial device, reconciling, with the one or more electronic processors, the incompatibility between the first industrial device and the second industrial device to set an emulation mode for the first industrial device;
• and
• controlling the first industrial device in accordance with the emulation mode such that the first industrial device emulates the second industrial device, wherein the second industrial device is a pre-existing industrial device included in the industrial system.

A system for providing automated I/O device emulation within an industrial system, the system comprising:

• one or more electronic processors configured to:
• detect a presence of an industrial device on a network associated with the industrial system;
• responsive to an incompatibility between the industrial device and a scan list for the industrial system,
• transmit, to the industrial device, a message requesting device data for the industrial device, the device data including a device type of the industrial device;
• receive, from the industrial device, a response to the message, the response including the device data;
• generate a scan list entry for the industrial device using the device data;
• and
• update the scan list to include the scan list entry for the industrial device.