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).
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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 (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 masterand-slave architecture over standard Ethernet cabling, typically in
a line topology. As a control bus, it focuses on deterministic, highspeed 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 fieldprogrammable 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.

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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.

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
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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 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
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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 fieldbuss 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-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

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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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