MatrikonOPC Modbus Server Tutorial: Connecting Modbus Devices via OPC Protocol

MatrikonOPC and Modbus

MatrikonOPC is a leading global supplier of OPC (OLE for Process Control) software, headquartered in Edmonton, Canada. The company provides over 500 OPC servers, covering almost all mainstream industrial protocols. among which,MatrikonOPC Modbus ServerIt is one of the most popular OPC servers, providing a standardized data bridge between Modbus devices and OPC clients such as SCADA, HMI, Historian, etc.

Official website:www.matrikonopc.com| Chinese official website:www.matrikonopc.cn

What is OPC? Why do we need an OPC server? OPC (OLE for Process Control, now known as Open Platform Communications) is an industrial communication standard maintained by the OPC Foundation. Its core goal is to solve the problem of "protocol fragmentation" in industrial automation - PLCs and instruments from different manufacturers use different communication protocols, and upper level software (SCADA, MES, database) needs to write driver programs for each protocol.

OPC (OLE for Process Control, now known as Open Platform Communications) is an industrial communication standard maintained by the OPC Foundation. Its core goal is to solve the problem of "protocol fragmentation" in industrial automation - PLCs and instruments from different manufacturers use different communication protocols, and upper level software (SCADA, MES, database) needs to write driver programs for each protocol.

Architecture model of OPC:

• OPC Server: Responsible for communicating with field devices (such as reading PLC data through Modbus protocol), converting data into standard OPC format
• OPC Client: Upper layer applications (SCADA, HMI, Historian) obtain data through a unified OPC interface, without worrying about what protocol the underlying devices use

MatrikonOPC Modbus Server's role is:Modbus device ↔ OPC Server ↔ OPC Client (SCADA/Database/Web).

MatrikonOPC Modbus Server Features

• Multiprotocol Concurrent: Can simultaneously use Modbus TCP, Modbus RTU, Modbus ASCII to connect multiple different types of Modbus devices
• Throughput Optimization: Intelligent batch read and write, reduce communication times, maximize throughput
• Automatic discovery: Supports scanning of available data points for Modbus devices
• Dual support for OPC DA and OPC UA: Compatible with both classic OPC (based on DCOM) and modern OPC UA (based on Web Services)
• Security: Supports certificate authentication, encrypted communication, and user auditing for OPC UA
• 30 days Free trialFull featured trial version, unlimited

Installation and Basic Configuration

Windows installation steps

1. 从 Official website download pageDownload MatrikonOPC Server for Modbus
2. Run the installation program as an administrator
3. After installation, find "MatrikonOPC Server for Modbus Configuration" in the start menu

Add Modbus TCP devices

1. 打开配置工具，右键 "Device" → "Add Device"
2. 选择通信方式：TCP/IP
3. 填写设备信息：
   - Device Name: 配电柜1号
   - IP Address: 192.168.1.100
   - Port: 502
   - Slave ID: 1
4. 配置寄存器组：
   - Type: Holding Register (4xxxx)
   - Start Address: 1 (对应 PLC 地址 40001)
   - Length: 20
5. 设置轮询间隔（如 1000ms）
6. 点击 "Apply" 保存配置

Test connection using OPC Client

MatrikonOPC comes with an OPC client tool called MatrikonOPC Explorer, which can be used to test whether Modbus Server is working properly:

1. Open MatrikonOPC Explorer
2. Click on "Server" → "Add/Connect"
3. Select "Matrikon. OPC. Modbus" from the pop-up list
4. Expand the server tree and locate the previously configured devices and data points
5. Drag the data points to the monitoring window to see real-time data values

OPC Classic vs OPC UA

MatrikonOPC supports two OPC standards simultaneously, which one to choose depends on your system architecture:

For newly established Industry 4.0 or IIoT projects, it is strongly recommended to use OPC UA. It not only solves various historical legacy issues of DCOM (cross domain authentication, firewall configuration, 32/64 bit compatibility), but also comes with an information model (Address Space), subscription mechanism, and historical data access.

Advantages and limitations of MatrikonOPC

Advantages

• Wide compatibility: 500+OPC servers, covering almost all industrial protocols
• OPC authentication: The product has been officially certified by the OPC Foundation, ensuring interoperability
• Technical support: Global technical support team (including Chinese support)
• Data Broker: Supports OPC UA data aggregation, unified management of multiple OPC UA servers

Limitations

• Commercial software: Requires license purchase, high cost for small projects
• Free alternative: Open source solutions such asopen62541(C language OPC UA library) ornode-opcua(Node.js) with similar functions and free
• Only available on Windows: OPC Classic Server only supports Windows (the OPC UA product line has a Linux version)

Open source alternative

If you need a free OPC UA solution, you can consider the following open source projects:

Summary

MatrikonOPC Modbus Server is one of the most mature commercial solutions for connecting Modbus devices and upper level software in the field of industrial automation. Its core value lies in the unified conversion of heterogeneous Modbus device data into standard OPC interfaces, enabling SCADA, MES, databases, and cloud applications to read and write in a unified manner. For large-scale industrial projects, especially in scenarios where multiple brands of PLCs and instruments need to be connected simultaneously, MatrikonOPC can significantly reduce software development complexity and maintenance costs. For small projects with limited budgets, there are also free OPC UA open-source alternatives available for selection.