Connecting vNode to a DNP3 PLC: A Step-by-Step Guide

Created by Jose Fabian Solano, Modified on Wed, 3 Jul at 3:05 PM by Jose Fabian Solano

The title suggests a comprehensive guide aimed at explaining how to establish a connection between vNode, a software platform, and a DNP3 Master for the purpose of extracting data and monitoring various registers within the PLC.

The first step in this process involves creating a new module in vNode, specifically using the DNP3Client module. This module will allow us to establish communication with the DNP3 MASTER to exchange data.

Once we have created the module, we proceed to its configuration. Here, the main task is to establish an appropriate communication channel. In this channel, we will configure the necessary parameters for the connection, such as the IP address and port number of the DNP3 Master we want to connect to. These details are essential to ensure a stable and effective connection.

You need to select whether the communication channel will be TCP or serial. If it is TCP, specify the IP address and port number. If it is serial, specify the serial port parameters accordingly.

After configuring the communication channel, it is important to create a new device in vNode. In this step, we specify the Master and Slave Address and the mode, whether it's Static Poll or Event Poll. This slave address uniquely identifies the device within the DNP3 network and is crucial for establishing correct communication between vNode and the PLC.

It is crucial to emphasize that once we have made all the necessary configurations, it is important to save the configuration properly. This will ensure that the settings made are properly preserved and available for later use.

Last but not least, we come to the process of mapping DNP3 addresses to tags within vNode. This step allows us to assign specific addresses from the PLC to tags within vNode, making it easier to read and write data between the two systems. By creating new tags in vNode and assigning them the corresponding DNP3 addresses, we can easily access PLC data and use it in our applications or processes.

When creating the tag, specify the Group of variables you want to access, such as ANALOG OUTPUT or BINARY OUTPUT, as well as the VARIATION type and the INDEX where the variable is mapped.

It is crucial to emphasize that once we have made all the necessary configurations, it is important to save the configuration properly. This will ensure that the settings made are properly preserved and available for later use.

Important Note: In the device section, ensure to specify the communication channel and the device name created within that channel. This information can be verified in the previous steps.

For more information or if you are not familiar with the DNP3 protocol, you can refer to our manual or contact us. Additionally, we offer a specialized course in electrical protocols in our academy.

Created by JF