Beckhoff TwinCAT controllers
Read and write the PLC variables of Beckhoff Embedded PCs, Industrial PCs and Bus Terminal Controllers by name and use them in OPC UA, SCADA and reports, without TwinCAT on the PC.
PLCGateway connects Beckhoff controllers with TwinCAT 3 or TwinCAT 2 – CX Embedded PCs, C60xx Industrial PCs and TwinCAT/BSD systems – over ADS. PLC variables are read by their names, structure members and arrays included, and the symbol browser lists them straight from the controller.
The device form finds the TwinCAT systems on the network and adds the ADS route with one click. Older Bus Terminal Controllers (BC/BX) are read by direct address. Together the Beckhoff installed base can be published over OPC UA and MQTT.
- Families and models
- TwinCAT 3 · TwinCAT 2 · Bus Terminal Controllers
- Protocols
- Beckhoff TwinCAT ADS
OPC UA client
Families and models
| Family | Models (examples) | Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| TwinCAT 3 | CX7000 · CX8200, CX52x0 · CX53x0, CX20x0 · CX20x3, C60xx · C69xx Industrial PCs, TwinCAT/BSD Over ADS with PLC symbols; one device per PLC runtime (AMS port 851, 852 ...). | Beckhoff TwinCAT ADS OPC UA client |
| TwinCAT 2 | CX9020, CX50x0, CX8000 series, Industrial PCs with TwinCAT 2 Over ADS with PLC symbols on AMS ports 801 to 831; global variables start with a dot. | Beckhoff TwinCAT ADS |
| Bus Terminal Controllers | BC9050, BC9120, BC9191, BX9000 Over ADS by direct address (%MW, %IX, %QX ...), as these controllers keep no symbols. | Beckhoff TwinCAT ADS |
Notes for commissioning
- Use Find TwinCAT systems: the AMS NetId of a controller is often not its IP address + .1.1.
- Use the symbol browser instead of typing names; structure members and array elements are listed in the tree.
- Put all variables of one PLC runtime into one device: they are read together with ADS sum commands.
- If TwinCAT is installed on the PLCGateway PC as well, give PLCGateway its own AMS NetId, for example the IP address + .1.2.
Questions and answers
Do I need TwinCAT on the PLCGateway computer?
No. TwinCAT is only needed on the controller; PLCGateway talks ADS to it directly.
What happens when the PLC program changes?
After a download, or an online change that adds or changes variables, PLCGateway notices it and resolves the variables again within seconds.
Is TwinCAT/BSD supported?
Yes. TwinCAT 3 on TwinCAT/BSD is reached like on Windows; the driver was tested with TwinCAT 3.1.4026 on TwinCAT/BSD.
Connect your machines
Tell us which controllers you run; we show you PLCGateway with your own addresses.
Product and model names are trademarks of their owners. They are named only to show which equipment the drivers communicate with; PLCGateway is not affiliated with these companies.