TwinCAT® ADS Plugin

This plugin enables direct communication with a PC or embedded device which is running Beckhoff's TwinCAT 3 runtime, providing programmable logic controller (PLC) functionality. For the communication between the plugin and the PLC, the Automation Device Specification (ADS) communication protocol is used. The TwinCAT® ADS plugin is designed to communicate with all TwinCAT 3 PLCs.

Once the plugin is configured and a connection between the plugin and the TwinCAT 3 PLC is established, the protocol can be used by both the plugin and the PLC to transmit commands, results, and further information. The configuration of the TwinCAT® ADS plugin itself can be adjusted in the MERLIC RTE Setup. However, setting up the connection between MERLIC and the PLC requires the TwinCAT 3 Engineering software from Beckhoff, that is, "TwinCAT XAE (eXtended Automation Engineering)". For more information about the provided TwinCAT® ADS plugin, its configuration, set up, and more, see the links below.

The plugin is provided as a separate package which you can download with the MVTec Software Manager. It can then be easily configured in the MERLIC RTE Setup.

Requirements and Limitations

When using the TwinCAT® ADS plugin, the following requirements and limitation apply:

  • This plugin is designed to run on a Windows host system with an installed TwinCAT 3, which provides the library "TcAdsDll.dll".

    Make sure that TwinCAT 3 is installed. Otherwise, the plugin is not available for use in MERLIC and it cannot be added in the MERLIC RTE Setup.

  • A running AMS Message Router is required for the connection to the PLC.
  • If the plugin is not running on the same device (PC, embedded device) as the TwinCAT 3 PLC, each of the two devices must have set up a valid AMS route to the respective other device.
  • Currently, only data results can be transmitted via the TwinCAT® ADS plugin. Image results are not available.
  • Only the following MERLIC data types are supported by this plugin:
    • BOOL
    • BYTE
    • WORD
    • DWORD
    • SINT
    • INT
    • DINT
    • REAL
    • LREAL
    • STRING_80

Get More Information

Configuring the TwinCAT® ADS Plugin

Communication between Plugin and PLC

Setting Up the Connection to the PLC

Fields for the Communication with the PLC

Result Modes

Error Handling

MERLIC Documentation

MERLIC Manual