Modbus
Modbus is a long-established, openly published industrial communication protocol used to connect controllers, sensors, meters and equipment in automation and monitoring systems. Introduced in 1979 and still ubiquitous, it defines a simple way for a controlling device to read data from and write data to field devices, and remains one of the most widely supported protocols in industrial and building automation.
Modbus comes in variants — Modbus RTU (over serial lines) and Modbus TCP (over Ethernet/IP networks) — and its simplicity and openness are why it is so pervasive. In shipping and logistics, Modbus is commonly used to interface with shipboard machinery, engine-room and monitoring systems, power meters, and industrial equipment, providing the raw data that feeds condition monitoring and IoT platforms (often via a gateway that translates Modbus to internet protocols like MQTT). Understanding Modbus matters when integrating with industrial and marine equipment, as it is frequently the protocol by which sensor and machinery data is obtained. It is a foundational protocol of industrial automation and a common data source for IoT-enabled monitoring of ships and equipment.
Much of the machinery and instrumentation on ships and in industry speaks Modbus — a simple, open protocol that has been the backbone of industrial communication for decades. To get sensor and machinery data into an IoT or condition-monitoring platform, you often have to read it from Modbus first (via a gateway), which is why it matters for integrating with marine and industrial equipment.
What is Modbus used for?
Connecting controllers, sensors, meters and industrial equipment so a system can read and write their data — common in machinery and building automation.
What are Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP?
RTU runs over serial lines; TCP runs over Ethernet/IP networks — the two main variants of the protocol.