Using CODESYS to manage industrial fieldbuses (EtherCAT, PROFINET) while ROS 2 handles high-level motion planning.
The "CODESYS ROS 2" integration allows these two giants to communicate seamlessly. This article explores why, how, and where you should implement it. codesys ros2
By using standardized interfaces like OPC UA or shared memory, you can swap hardware components without rewriting your entire high-level logic. Common Integration Methods By using standardized interfaces like OPC UA or
Inserting the CODESYS→ROS2 publisher at 1kHz increased the maximum PLC cycle time from 1.02ms to 1.19ms (17% increase). The worst-case occurred during DDS discovery heartbeats (every 3s). Using rclcpp::Publisher::publish() with pre-allocated messages eliminated dynamic memory inside the RT task. and safe control loops. Meanwhile
No standard solution exists for bidirectional, low-latency communication between a CODESYS PLC and a ROS2 system.
The worlds of industrial automation and advanced robotics are rapidly converging. Historically, industrial automation relied on Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) running deterministic, robust, and safe control loops. Meanwhile, advanced robotics—especially Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs)—developed within the open-source, highly flexible ecosystem of the Robot Operating System (ROS and now ROS 2).