+-----------------------------------------------------------+ | ROS 2 NETWORK | | [Nav2 / MoveIt] <---> [ROS 2 Node] <---> [DDS / UDP] | +-----------------------------------------------------------+ | (Communication Bridge) | +-----------------------------------------------------------+ | CODESYS RUNTIME | | [Fieldbus Master] <---> [IEC 61131-3 Logic] <---> [IO] | +-----------------------------------------------------------+ 1. Shared Memory (Ultra-High Speed, Co-located)
The integration of CODESYS and ROS 2 represents a major step forward for industrial automation. It eliminates the traditional boundary between rigid industrial control and flexible robotic intelligence. By assigning high-level perception and planning to ROS 2, and deterministic execution and safety to CODESYS, engineers can build smarter, safer, and highly adaptable automated systems ready for the demands of tomorrow.
In the world of automation, we often see a "Great Divide." On one side, you have the Industrial PLC
No standard solution exists for bidirectional, low-latency communication between a CODESYS PLC and a ROS2 system.
ROS2 MoveIt provides path planning, and the command is sent over the bridge to CODESYS for real-time EtherCAT execution. 5. Summary and Future Outlook codesys ros2
Install the robin package on your Linux machine (Ubuntu/ROS 2).
return 0;
In your ROS 2 workspace, create a new package (e.g., codesys_ros2_bridge ). Below is a conceptual example of a ROS 2 Python node acting as an OPC UA client to bridge data:
Create global variables (GVLs) that map to the shared memory structure, such as joint_states , joint_commands , or robot_mode . By assigning high-level perception and planning to ROS
The CODESYS‑ROS2 integration opens the door to many practical applications:
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The combination of CODESYS and ROS2 is expanding across several key industrial sectors:
Eliminates the middleman translator; ROS2 treats the CODESYS PLC as just another native node. real-time control of factory machines. Meanwhile
Rather than writing custom ROS 2 drivers for every fieldbus protocol—CANopen, EtherCAT, Modbus, Ethernet/IP, and others—developers can let CODESYS handle the hardware layer and expose a clean, high‑level interface to ROS 2. This separation of concerns reduces complexity, speeds up development, and improves reliability. In a typical scenario, CODESYS manages all low‑level I/O and fieldbus communication, while ROS 2 focuses on higher‑level motion planning, perception, and overall system coordination.
Here's an example code snippet in C++ that demonstrates how to integrate a CoDeSys controller with ROS 2:
The convergence of Industrial Automation (Operational Technology, or OT) and advanced robotics (Information Technology, or IT) is redefining the manufacturing landscape. At the heart of this revolution is the integration of , the leading IEC 61131-3 development environment for programmable logic controllers (PLCs), with ROS2 (Robot Operating System 2) , the de facto standard framework for open-source robotics research and advanced autonomous systems.
: ROS 2 provides ready-to-use libraries for SLAM, navigation, and computer vision that are not natively available in traditional PLC environments. Developer Accessibility
The lines between traditional industrial automation (Operational Technology) and advanced robotics (Information Technology) are blurring. For decades, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) running CODESYS have mastered deterministic, real-time control of factory machines. Meanwhile, the Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2) has become the standard for intelligent, high-level robotic tasks, navigation, and perception.
