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Industrial Control & AutomationReference design

Multi-Protocol Industrial Gateway

A software gateway on a small industrial computer that pulls points from OPC UA, Modbus TCP and RTU, BACnet/IP and MQTT devices into one register. Upper systems then read and control everything through a single MQTT interface, with a browser console to add sources and check every write. It is for site engineers and integrators dealing with plant rooms, older HVAC and lines with PLCs and meters from different makers.

ManufacturingHomes and buildings

Talk to an engineer See the hardware

Row of electrical control panels with meters, switches and indicator lights at a co-generation plant in Maharashtra — Photo: Shailesh_telang, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons. Shows the setting, not this installation.

349.99 events/s: Refresh rate for 2,000 points with CPU peaking at 22.1% (simulator on reComputer R2000)
217.3 MiB: Memory used during the 2,000 point test (simulator)
1.000: Share of readings recovered after a 300 s upstream outage (simulator)
1.2 to 2.2 s: Time to start replaying buffered data after the outage (simulator)

Results reported by the design's authors on their own test setups. Yours depend on the site, so we confirm them in a pilot.

The problem

Why it matters.

Plant and building data sits behind several industrial protocols, so upper systems cannot see it in one place.

The flow

From signal to action.

01SenseField devicesExisting PLCs, meters and controllers stay in place and keep their own protocols.
02DecideProtocol adaptersThe host polls each source at its set interval and proposes points it discovers.
03RecordPoint registryConfirmed points are kept with live value, sample time and quality, and buffered to disk during outages.
04ConnectMQTT outputValues go to a local broker, and optionally in batches to an upstream broker over TLS.
05PeopleEngineer consoleEngineers add sources, confirm points, grant writes and audit write receipts in a browser.

Deployment architecture

How it is wired.

The devices on site, what carries their data, where the decision is made and where the result goes.

01ConnectCarries the data

Modbus RTU

02DecideRuns the model

reComputer R1000 Series (4 GB RAM, 16 GB eMMC)1 per site
reComputer R1100 Series (4 GB RAM, 16 GB eMMC)1 per site

03Your systemsWhere results land

OPC UA
Modbus TCP
BACnet/IP
MQTT
TLS

04ActWhat happens next

reTerminal DM (CM4108032)1 per site

How it works

Step by step.

01Install the Docker workload on a reComputer or any Linux machine on the controller network.
02Add a source with its address, port and poll interval.
03Run auto-discovery and confirm the proposed points. Add missed points by hand.
04Check each point's live value and quality before trusting it.
05Grant write access only to points that read correctly, and track each write receipt.
06Subscribe your SCADA, BMS or dashboard to the local broker, or switch on upstream publishing.

The hardware

What goes on site.

Items we stock can go straight in the bag. Everything else we source and quote with the installation.

reComputer R1000 Series (4 GB RAM, 16 GB eMMC)Headless gateway host with RS-485 and Ethernet1 per siteSourced on quote
reComputer R1000 Series (4 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC)Same host with more storage for outage buffering1 per siteSourced on quote
reComputer R1100 Series (4 GB RAM, 16 GB eMMC)Host adding RS-232, digital I/O, Gigabit Ethernet and CAN1 per siteSourced on quote
reComputer R1100 Series (4 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC)Serial-capable host with more storage1 per siteSourced on quote
reTerminal DM (CM4108032)10.1 inch touch panel host for on-device operation1 per siteSourced on quote
reTerminal DM (CM4104032)Touch panel host with extra serial and digital I/O1 per siteSourced on quote

Before you install

Docker Engine 20.10 or newer on x86-64 or arm64, with at least 4 GB free disk.
Ports 8280 and 1883 free on the host, or other ports chosen.
Network reach from the host to every protocol network, including BACnet broadcasts on the right interface.
A USB to RS-485 adapter and the serial profile for Modbus RTU devices.
Register maps, unit IDs and OPC UA credentials for the devices you connect.

Good to know

It is a polling data hub, so it does not suit sub-second control loops.
There is no Sparkplug B layer, and BACnet COV, BBMD and MS-TP are not supported.
Modbus RTU writes stay off until tested with real hardware, and remote commands need TLS and an authorised identity.
The register is capped at 2,000 points with 50 writable. Benchmarks used a simulator, so load-test your own site.

How we deliver it

Paper to site, one team.

01Site surveyWe walk the site, or review photos and drawings, and agree what to measure and where each device goes.
02PilotOne lane, one line or one room first. We tune it on your conditions and agree what good looks like.
03Roll outWe supply the hardware in India with GST invoices, install it, and connect it to the systems you already run.
04SupportSpares, remote checks and model updates, with one team to call when something changes.

Questions

Asked before buying.

Can it write setpoints to our equipment?

Yes, for up to 50 points you approve, and each write is logged with the requested and actual value. Modbus RTU writes stay off until validated.

Does it need internet?

No. The console and local broker work on the LAN. Internet is only needed if the upstream broker is off site.

Can we use our own Linux PC?

Yes. It runs as a Docker workload on any x86-64 or arm64 Linux machine on the controller network.

Want this on your site?

Tell us the site and the problem. We come back with a pilot plan and a priced hardware list.

Book a call with an engineer Write to us

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