Your runtime platform is capable of communicating with external devices using a number of different protocols and hardware connections. For each configuration, Matrox Design Assistant has a series of steps that control the information flow. See the communication methods and steps from the table below for more information.
Communication method |
Steps |
Description |
The IO steps allow you to send a signal to or receive a signal from an external hardware device, respectively, by using user-defined pins on your runtime platform's input and output connector. Platforms that have a Matrox Advanced I/O Engine have additional I/O capabilities. |
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ModbusReader step, ModbusWriter step |
The Modbus steps allow you to communicate information, using the Modbus communication protocol, between your runtime platform and other Modbus devices, such as a programmable logic controller, sensor, or robot controller. |
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EthernetIPReader step, EthernetIPWriter step |
The EtherNet/IP steps allow you to transmit data between assemblies located on your runtime platform and another device (scanner) using the EtherNet/IP protocol. A scanner is typically a programmable logic controller (PLC). The Quick Comm feature provides a predefined event-driven handshake protocol. |
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ProfinetReader step, ProfinetWriter step |
The PROFINET steps allow you to transmit data between your runtime platform and a controller using the PROFINET protocol. The Quick Comm feature provides a predefined event-driven handshake protocol. To use the PROFINET industrial communication protocol, you must be using a Matrox runtime platform (for example, Matrox Iris GTR or Matrox 4Sight GPm) or your runtime platform must have a hardware component with a Matrox PROFINET Engine (for example, Matrox Indio). |
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NetworkConnection step, NetworkReader step, NetworkWriter step |
The Network steps allow you to establish, validate, and terminate a connection with, as well as send data to and receive data from, another network client (such as a computer or network-aware device) on your network. There are 2 available networking protocols: UDP (User Datagram Protocol) and TCP (Transfer Control Protocol). |
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SerialPortSetup step, SerialPortReader step, SerialPortWriter step |
The Serial Port steps allow your runtime platform to exchange information with external devices, such as motion or light controllers, that are connected via a serial port (if available on your runtime platform). |
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RobotWriter step, RobotWait step, RobotParameters step |
The Robot steps allow your runtime platform to communicate with connected robot controllers, typically to send position data to the robot controller. |