Communicator for MERLIC 5.5.2

The Communicator is an SDK that enables you to implement plug-ins for the use with the process integration MERLIC can be used in machine vision systems that are integrated in a manufacturing machine. The machine controller, e.g., a programmable logic controller (PLC), must be able to control an integrated vision system, to monitor the execution, and to query the results. Therefore, MERLIC provides an interface to enable the communication with a machine controller. MERLIC PI makes use of the Image Source Management. mode of MERLIC. It enables you to use any device of your choice for the process integration.

MERLIC itself currently provides interfaces for specific Hilscher PCI cards, digital I/O devices (Advantech, Contec, NIDAQmx), and camera devices with GenICam compliant digital I/O channels. If you want to use a different device or interface for the process integration mode, e.g., sockets or serial interface, you have to provide a plug-in for the respective device and start the execution of the plug-in via the Communicator. MERLIC already comes with some standard Communicator plug-ins that are ready for use as well as with some example Communicator plug-ins which can be used as basis for the development of your own Communicator plug-in because they are provided with their source code.

The Communicator provides an API (version 2.2.2) and libraries with various functions for the implementation of such plug-ins. When the plug-in is started via the MERLIC Communicator executable, the Communicator runs as an independent process from MERLIC. As soon as the Communicator is started, its plug-ins will receive "events" from MERLIC to monitor the vision system and can post "actions" to control MERLIC.

This manual provides general information about the Communicator including information about the prerequisites, the communication between plug-ins and MERLIC, and the provided example plug-ins.

To get information about the implementation of a plug-in and the available API functions, "actions", "events", and some further information, refer to the reference documentation of the Communicator API.

General Information

Using a Plug-in

To use a plug-in for MERLIC in process integration mode, you have to perform the following tasks:

Provided Plug-ins

Implementing and Building a Plug-in