OPC is a software interface standard that allows Windows programs to

communicate with industrial hardware devices. OPC is implemented in

server/client pairs. The OPC server is a software program that converts the
hardware communication protocol used by a PLC into the OPC protocol.
OLE for Process Control (OPC) is a series of standards and specifications for
industrial telecommunication. An industrial automation industry task force
developed the original standard in 1996 under the name OLE for Process Control
(Object Linking and Embedding for process control). OPC specifies the
communication of real-time plant data between control devices from different
manufacturers.
OLE (Object Linking and Embedding)

the OPC DataHub can connect any OPC server or client to other
applications as well, such as Excel, a web browser, or any ODBC database. And it
can also be used to get OPC data into Linux .

OPC actually comprises several standards, the first and most important of
which is OPC Data Access (OPC DA). There are also standards for alarms & events,
historical data, batch data, and XML.
OPC = OLE for Process Control
OPC [1] is a software interface standard [2] that allows Windows programs to communicate with
industrial hardware devices.

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 OPC
A widely used method to integrate multiple vendors’ automation
controllers is OPC (OLE for process control). OPC is a Windows based standard for
accessing industrial devices. Through the OPC client/server architecture, LabVIEW
can integrate with a range of PLCs and PACs from a laptop or IPC. The OPC server
manages the various industrial communications and provides a common bus for
controllers, sensors, and actuators without physically wiring them together. You
can use communication gateways as needed to extend to more specialized
protocols.

Modbus TCP and Modbus Serial

Modbus TCP and Modbus Serial are two of the more commonly used
industrial protocols. Through multiple levels of functionality, LabVIEW supports
Modbus TCP and Modbus Serial on any Ethernet or serial port on PCs or PACs.
Through its graphical configuration assistant, you can create a Modbus TCP or
Modbus Serial I/O server. LabVIEW can act as a Modbus master or slave and
specify the different registers to read and write. In addition to the I/O server
functions, there is a direct API to the Serial or TCP/IP versions of Modbus for
flexibility and performance. That API can query or write to registers, coils, and
discrete I/O. It can also check for exceptions.

PROFIBUS
PROFIBUS is an industrial field bus originally developed in Europe. With
more than 30 million installed nodes, it is the communication standard for
Siemens Automation PLCs, smart sensors, actuators, and I/O. NI supports the
more commonly used version of PROFIBUS, DP (Distributed Peripherals).

Our PROFIBUS PCI, PXI, and CompactRIO one-port interfaces function as

masters or slaves, connecting to PC-based controllers. The interfaces include a
stand-alone configurator and a LabVIEW driver for human machine interface

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(HMI) and SCADA applications. You can perform PROFIBUS device control or
automated test using these interfaces.

EtherCAT
Published as part of the IEC 61158 specification, Ethernet for Control
Automation Technology (EtherCAT) implements a master-and-slave architecture
over standard Ethernet cabling, typically in a line topology. As a control bus, it
focuses on deterministic, high-speed I/O for single-point applications such as
machine control and motion.

Both master and slave devices are available for use with EtherCAT. For the
master controller, real-time PACs with dual Ethernet ports on the CompactRIO,
PXI, and industrial controller platforms are available. There is also an EtherCAT
slave with field-programmable gate array (FPGA) intelligence, the 8-slot NI 9144
chassis for C Series I/O modules.

EtherNet/IP
EtherNet/IP is also a real-time Ethernet protocol, managed by the Open
DeviceNet Vendors Association (ODVA) and commonly found in Rockwell
Automation (Allen-Bradley) PLCs. It communicates over standard Ethernet using
TCP/IP and UDP/IP using a master (scanner) and slave (adapter) network
architecture.

The EtherNet/IP Drive for Industrial Communication handles explicit

messaging and adapter communication on this network. LabVIEW can use explicit
messaging to read from and write to tags on a PLC supported by RSLogix 5000 and
RSLogix 500. The adapter communication lets LabVIEW function as a slave
(adapter), providing implicit I/O data to a remote PLC.

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 DeviceNet

DeviceNet is another industrial protocol managed by ODVA and commonly

found in Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley) PLCs. Unlike Ethernet/IP, which is
based on the Ethernet physical layer, DeviceNet is based on the CAN physical
layer and increases strength and interconnectivity by specifying various
parameters, such as the required cable length, connectors, and baud rates.

The DeviceNet for Control PCI and PXI master (scanner) interfaces manage
and control a network of DeviceNet slaves. Included with these interfaces is the
NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software, which offers a high-level
API that supports drag-and-drop I/O variables and explicit messaging function
blocks. DeviceNet for Test interfaces for PCI, PXI, and PCMCIA have master
(scanner) and slave (adapter) support, best used for testing DeviceNet products.
The included test software consists of a configurator, analyzer, and the NI-DNET
driver, which provides low-level functions.

CANopen
CANopen is a higher-level protocol based on the CAN physical layer and
was developed as a standard embedded network with highly flexible
configuration capabilities. Originally designed for motion control applications, it is
common in many industry segments including medical equipment, off-road
vehicles, public transportation, and building automation.

For CANopen master function, the CANopen LabVIEW Library has high-
level, easy-to-use functions to create CANopen master applications. These
functions cover the spectrum of CANopen master applications, including
transmitting and receiving service data objects (SDOs) and process data objects
(PDOs), network management, heartbeat and node guarding, emergencies, and
synchronization objects. Because the CANopen functions work on top of NI-CAN

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driver software, all PCI, PXI, and PCMCIA high-speed NI Series 2 CAN devices can
operate as fully functional CANopen master interfaces.

DNP3
DNP3 (Distributed Network Protocol) was developed by GE Harris to create
a standard protocol specification for vendors of power grid SCADA (Supervisory
Control and Data Acquisition) components. Since 1993, this open and public
protocol has been managed by the DNP3 Users Group. DNP3 is commonly used in
North American electric and water utilities for communication between SCADA
masters and outstations like Remote Terminal Units (RTUs).

The Industrial Communications for DNP3 software driver programs

LabVIEW targets DNP3 outstation devices with such functions as power quality
monitoring, phasor measurements, and other smart grid-related analysis. Because
DNP3 is built on standard Ethernet, the NI implementation of DNP3 is portable
across multiple LabVIEW supported platforms, including Industrial PCs, PXI, and
CompactRIO. The DNP3 software driver supports Ethernet communication, file
transfer, and time synchronization between master and outstation. Also, multiple
communication channels per outstation and multiple sessions (logical devices) per
channel may be used.
FOUNDATION Fieldbus
FOUNDATION Fieldbus is a bi-directional serial communication protocol
commonly used in process automation. It uses a system of distributed control
with intelligent devices, where the control schedule can be downloaded onto the
devices instead of a central control system. Of its two versions, NI interfaces
support H1.

The USB-8486, PCI-FBUS, and PCMCIA-FBUS series interfaces connect these

fieldbus’s devices to standard desktop, industrial, and notebook PCs. With the
PCI-FBUS, an IPC can act as the host within this protocol system. Use the USB-

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8486 and PCMCIA-FBUS for portable data logging and in-the-field configuration
and maintenance of devices and networks.
Web and Enterprise connectivity
Enterprise connectivity is also playing a larger role in deployed systems so
that off-site users can view the real-time data and change system parameters on
the fly. LabVIEW graphical tools provide functions for Web-published software
interfaces, Web services, common gateway interface programming, short
message service (SMS), and e-mail messaging. In combination with HTTP and FTP
servers on CompactRIO, these functions can be used for remote monitoring and
control, phone or e-mail alerts, and file transfers of logged data. Leveraging NI
third-party partners, you can share data via global cellular networks or
synchronize global processes via GPS in LabVIEW.

Connect LabVIEW to Any PLC With Modbus

NI LabVIEW software can communicate with a programmable logic
controller (PLC) in a variety of ways. Modbus is a serial communication protocol
published by Modicon in 1979 to communicate with PLC, and was then extended
to the TCP protocol. Modbus became one of the de facto standard
communications protocols in the industry because its availability. In this tutorial,
learn how to use LabVIEW to communicate with a networked PLC using Modbus.
The LabVIEW Datalogging and Supervisory Control (DSC) Module is used in
this tutorial. This module includes tools for logging data to a networked historical
database, real-time and historical trending, managing alarms and events,
networking LabVIEW Real-Time targets and Modbus devices into one complete
system, and adding security to user interfaces. With these features, LabVIEW
becomes a powerful HMI/SCADA package for industrial control applications.
Requirements
Windows 7/Vista/XP/Server 2003 R2/Server 2008 R2
NI LabVIEW Full Development System and LabVIEW DSC

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