Displaying Digital IOs on Node-RED

Integrating a Delta PLC simulator with Node-RED, a powerful flow-based programming tool, can provide a flexible and efficient way to visualize and interact with digital inputs and outputs. This guide will explore the steps involved in displaying digital IOs from a Delta PLC simulator on a Node-RED dashboard.

Hardware and Software Setup

1. Delta PLC Simulation: Set up a Delta PLC simulation environment with the desired digital I/O configuration.
2. Node-RED: Install and configure Node-RED on a suitable computer or server.
3. Node-RED Nodes: Install the necessary Node-RED nodes for communicating with the Delta PLC simulator. This may include OPC UA nodes or other communication-related nodes.

Configuring OPC UA in Delta PLC Simulator

1. Enable OPC UA: Enable OPC UA communication in the Delta PLC simulator and configure the necessary settings.
2. Define Tags: Define OPC UA tags in the PLC simulator to represent the digital input and output values.

Creating a Node-RED Flow

1. Start a New Flow: Create a new flow in Node-RED to manage the integration.
2. Add OPC UA Node: Add an OPC UA node to the flow. Configure the node to connect to the Delta PLC simulator using the specified OPC UA settings.
3. Add Input and Output Nodes: Add input and output nodes to the flow to represent the digital IOs. These nodes can be of various types, such as boolean or switch nodes.
4. Connect Nodes: Connect the OPC UA node to the input and output nodes using the appropriate wires.

Mapping Tags

1. Map Input Tags: Map the input nodes to the corresponding OPC UA tags in the PLC simulator that represent the digital input values.
2. Map Output Tags: Map the output nodes to the corresponding OPC UA tags in the PLC simulator that represent the digital output values.

Creating Visualizations

1. Add Dashboard Elements: Add dashboard elements to Node-RED, such as gauges, indicators, or buttons, to represent the digital IOs.
2. Bind Dashboard Elements: Bind the dashboard elements to the input and output nodes. This will ensure that the visualizations update in real-time based on the data from the PLC simulator.

Testing and Validation

• Test Data Display: Verify that the digital IO values are displayed accurately on the Node-RED dashboard.
• Test Input and Output Functionality: Simulate changes to the digital inputs and observe the corresponding changes in the outputs.