Historically, PLCs handled simple I/O and motion control, while a separate PC handled "smart" tasks like SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). Integrating them directly offers several advantages:
is arguably the most robust, open-source solution. Developed in an academic context and applied in industrial projects, ROBIN is an open-source middleware designed specifically for the purpose.
For microcontrollers or lightweight PLCs, run a micro-ROS node directly on the target hardware to communicate with the ROS 2 Global Data Space. 🛠️ Strategic Setup: Why use both? codesys ros2
handles low-level hardware communication (like EtherCAT or CANopen) to ensure reliable, real-time machine safety and motion.
: Using Modbus or OPC UA as an intermediary layer. For example, a Python script in the ROS2 workspace can act as a bridge, reading data from CODESYS via Modbus and publishing it to a ROS2 topic. Historically, PLCs handled simple I/O and motion control,
The marriage of CODESYS and ROS 2 isn't just a trend—it’s the future of Software-Defined Automation
Developers can map IEC variables to MQTT or other standard protocols, which can then be ingested by a ROS2 node. This abstracts away the complex socket programming, allowing the PLC engineer to "tag" a variable in the development environment and have it instantly available to the network. For microcontrollers or lightweight PLCs, run a micro-ROS
Create structured data types in CODESYS that match the ROS2 message structures ( msg ). Step 2: Configure the ROS2 Nodes
For a team with both PLC programming and ROS 2 skills, here is a step‑by‑step guide to implementing a basic integration: