Codesys Ros2
The worlds of industrial automation and advanced robotics have historically operated on separate planes. Industrial automation relies on Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) running deterministic, real-time operating systems to handle high-speed, safety-critical tasks. Conversely, advanced robotics relies on the Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2), a flexible, open-source framework favored by researchers and developers for complex tasks like computer vision, autonomous navigation, and machine learning.
Integrating CODESYS with ROS2 allows engineers to combine industrial reliability with cutting-edge algorithmic intelligence. This architecture solves several modern automation challenges:
Point the ROS node to the shared memory path created by CODESYS. Run Bridge: Launch the bridge node ( ros2 run robin ... ). Phase 3: Data Exchange
The most effective way to communicate between a CODESYS soft PLC (e.g., running on IPC) and a ROS2 node (e.g., running on Linux) is through a . The Robin Project (ROS-CODESYS Bridge) codesys ros2
For less time-critical tasks, CODESYS can connect to a rosbridge_suite websocket, allowing the PLC to interact with ROS topics and services via JSON messaging. 3. Step-by-Step: Setting Up a CODESYS to ROS 2 Bridge
PLCs and ROS 2 systems may handle byte ordering differently. Always verify endianness when sending raw byte streams over UDP/TCP.
The integration of CoDeSys and ROS 2 offers several benefits, including: The worlds of industrial automation and advanced robotics
Lightweight, incredibly fast, easy to implement for basic data exchange.
For applications requiring 200 Hz - 1000 Hz loop times, shared memory is critical for low-latency, deterministic control.
Non-time-critical data, such as sending telemetry to a dashboard or receiving high-level mission commands (e.g., "Go to Station A"). 2. The CODESYS "ROS 2 Driver" (Micro-ROS) For deeper integration, some developers use Integrating CODESYS with ROS2 allows engineers to combine
The convergence of traditional industrial automation and modern robotics is reshaping manufacturing, logistics, and countless other sectors. At the forefront of this integration are two powerful platforms: , the leading IEC 61131-3 development environment for programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and ROS 2 (Robot Operating System 2) , the open‑source framework that has become the de facto standard for robotics research and development. Bringing these two worlds together unlocks a new level of capability, where the deterministic, real‑time control of a PLC meets the flexibility and intelligence of ROS 2. This article provides a comprehensive guide to CODESYS‑ROS2 integration, exploring why it matters, how it works, and the tools that make it possible.
On your Linux machine running ROS2, create a custom workspace and package. This example outlines a Python-based ROS2 node that connects to the CODESYS server.
CODESYS allows easy integration of EtherCAT/CANopen devices, which ROS2 can manage through a bridge.
CODESYS includes a native OPC UA Server. A ROS 2 Python or C++ node can act as an OPC UA client to subscribe to topics or write to PLC tags. This is ideal for status monitoring and parameter configuration. C. ROS Bridge / WebSocket
: Use tools like rqt_graph or the MATLAB Message Viewer to confirm your CODESYS data is successfully streaming across topics.