OPC UA Module for M580 and support for MQTT

[PatrickV]

Hello All:

We now have the in rack OPC UA Module  for the Modicon M580 Platform

https://www.se.com/ca/en/product/BMENUA0100/opc-ua-module-for-m580/

 The BMENUA0100 supports OPC UA server communications and exposes the M580 PLC tags as OPC UA variables.

Any standalone compliant OPC UA client or OPC UA driver as part of a SCADA/Historian package can connect to the BMENUA module to obtain M580 tags as OPC UA variables.

Brings the M580 platform to IIOT and Industry 4.0 Realm !

It would nice if we can also implement MQTT on the BMENUA0100 module as well as MQTT is another enabler protocol for Industry 4.0   It is a lightweight pub-sub communication protocol for IOT

[RoozeeR]

The Harmony IIoT Edge box (HMIBSC....), can be used to support MQTT to any PLC/PAC including M340. It's not embedded in the M580 PAC itself, but at least you can build your system with MQTT connectivity.

[Richard]

You can also use any device that supports Node-RED to read data from the M580 and pass it to the MQTT broker.

[MarkPitout]

There has been talk of an in rack IIoT module that may be coming out sometime in the future, but as far as I am aware this is still just a potential R&D project, not a real product yet.

Essentially this new module, would be capable of hosting Node-RED and thus be capable of using MQTT as a protocol.

The module would potentially also have capacity for other functions such as machine learning.

However, given that the Harmony IIoT core box exists and is fairly cost effective, plus the fact that power supply on the X80 racks can be a limiting factor, I don't think this In Rack IIoT module will become a real product.

[PhilippeMack]

I am quite excited with these new products that will make AI and Advanced Analytics much more easy to integrate at OT level. This has been always a major pain point to integrate our DATAmaestro Advanced Analytics toolbox in industrial environment. As our DATAmaestro platform is compliant with OPC UA and MQTT, this is indeed a real enabler to provide painless AI at the shop floor.

Given the fact that the full DATAmaestro package can be installed on Raspberry PI system, I guess this should be pretty easy to install it on IIoT box which would upgrade this box as a full features Edge Advanced Analytics system. If anyone is interested to make tests, feel free to contact us ! 🙂

Philippe.

PS  : as certified technology partner of SE, we have published our offer for DATAmaestro Analytics on the Exchange shop. https://shop.exchange.se.com/en-US/apps/55571/datamaestro

[MarkPitout]

Hi @PhilippeMack,

The IIoT Core Edge Box has more or less the same chip set as a Raspberry Pi 3B+, but with some enhancements to make it a bit more robust. HOWEVER, this box runs Linux Yocto and not any of the OS versions for Raspberry Pi (like Raspbian).

Our country (South Africa) has gone into COVID-19 lock down today, for at least the next three weeks. I have an IIoT Core Box sitting on my desk at home, so I can potentially test your DATAmaestro package on it, If you are willing to give me some guidance.

Send me a mail at mark.pitout@se.com

[Michael_Chan]

X80 OPC UA module (BME NUA 0100) in future will support Node-Red. Currently, we are now at Step 1 phase.

[Shanoes]

Hello Patrick,

Yes we are well aware of MQTT 😉

We have a project in the works for Modicon PAC that addresses exactly this use case, plus plenty more I4.0 applications. I hope to be able to announce publicly in May, depending on COVID-19 impacts.

Stay tuned!

[Shanoes]

Hello @Michael_Chan,

This roadmap is out of date. We are no longer planning to include Node-RED in the BMENUA, as the focus for this module is more towards high performance 'OT' communications.

Node-RED is planned, however the implementation will via a different platform than the BMENUA. Stay tuned for an announcement soon.

[PatrickV]

OPC UA over MQTT using Pubsub mechanism implemented in the BMENUA would be good 

[Tony_Lane]

I saw your article (and architecture) for connecting M580 to Node-Red using OPC-UA. Since any Node-Red can be an MQTT Broker or Client, doesn't that meet the need?

@PatrickV ?

[Michael_Chan]

Would like to have Node-Red inside OPC UA module but they have removed this features! 😭