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Overview

With its modular architecture, the Ignition platform enables you to build a customized system using modules as the building blocks. Modules integrate seamlessly into the system and provide things like design workspaces, reporting, alarm configuration, interface to SQL databases, and new drivers. Newly installed modules immediately integrate with existing modules.

Core Modules

Core modules are commonly used modules included in a typical installation. Most systems have at least one of these modules installed. Each core module encapsulates a core SCADA or HMI principle such as data-logging or process visualization. These modules are the foundation upon which projects are built.

ModuleDescription
Perspective Create beautiful, mobile-responsive industrial applications that run natively on any device type such as smartphones, tablets, touchscreens, laptops, and desktop computers. Automatically adapts to fit screens of any size and orientation.
Vision Create and maintain an interactive, accurate Human-Machine Interface (HMI) for your site. Launch an unlimited number of powerful Ignition Vision clients anywhere on the network. Display charts, graphs, trends, and HMI screens. Provides a simple method of visualizing and presenting data to your users. 
Symbol Factory Symbol Factory module is included with either Vision or Perspective. Choose from this library of over 4000 vector graphics to enhance your application. This clipart has an emphasis on industrial symbols, and images can be resized with no pixelation or distortion. 

Reporting

Create dynamic, database-driven reports and deliver them on schedule or display them on your Vision client or Perspective session. Data from any SQL database can be presented in a report. Reports can also be scheduled to run automatically, and be delivered in a number of ways such as emails, or saving to a network drive. 
SQL Bridge (Transaction Groups)Bridge the gap between your OPC data and SQL databases. Log data, call stored procedures, and synchronize data bi-directionally. SQL Bridge includes a highly efficient SQL-based Tag historian and transaction manager.
Tag Historian Turn your SQL database into a high-performance time-series Tag historian.
Alarm Notification Enables you to manage  alarm  notifications and send notifications via email. With Alarm Notification you can configure the logic for how, why and when alarm notifications are delivered.
OPC UA Connects to most major PLCs and serves as a cross-platform OPC-UA server with an open, plugable driver system.
Enterprise Administration Provides a secure and intuitive way to manage many Ignition installations from one location.
Sequential Function Charts Streamlines the creation, organization, and visualization of robust logic systems.
SECS/GEMEnables Ignition projects and third-party applications to communicate with semiconductor fab equipment. 
SMS Notification Enables SMS text alerts to be sent for alarms (required Alarm Notification Module).

Additional Modules

The following modules provide Ignition with additional functionality. 

ModuleDescription
Voice NotificationEnables both alarm notification and acknowledgment via a phone call.
Twilio Alarm NotificationAdds integration with Twilio via an SMS Alarm Notification Profile. Send SMS alarm notifications without a physical device. This module unlocks the system.twilio functions.
OPC COMProvides the ability to connect to legacy ("classic") COM-based OPC-DA servers.
OPC COM TunnellerSimplifies connecting to remote OPC-COM servers.
Web Browser Adds a web-browser component to the Vision Module.
Web Dev Enables you to directly program against the web server inside the Ignition Gateway.
Serial

The Serial Modules add serial comm support and system.serial functions to python scripts.

  • The Serial Support Client Module allows the system.serial functions to be accessed from client based scripts, as well as connect to serial devices plugged into the computer running the client.
  • The Serial Support Gateway Module allows the system.serial functions to be accessed from Gateway based scripts, as well as connect to serial devices plugged into the Gateway server.

Third-Party Modules

In addition to the modules provided by Inductive Automation, third-party companies have developed their own modules using our Module Software Development Kit.

Our strategic partners Sepasoft and Cirrus Link have developed the following modules: 

  • MES - Sepasoft offers a suite of Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) modules that allow you to track OEE, implement a SPC system, and track resources. The core purpose of these modules is to spot deficiencies in your process, and increase profitability by detecting problem areas, or catching problems before they become an issue. 
  • MQTT - Modules from Cirrus Link bring the power of MQTT into Ignition. These modules expose massive amounts of data-points as tags, and allow Ignition access to data that would otherwise be lost. 

 Additional third-party modules can be found on our Third-Party module showcase page. 

User-Created Modules

You can create something custom for yourself or help make Ignition better by creating your own modules. Refer to the SDK documentation for the resources necessary to develop your own module. 

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About Ignition's Modules


Modular Architecture and Software Stack

Ignition platform has a modular architecture. Modules are software applications that are built and integrated into the platform to offer additional functionality. The modules are similar to applications for a smartphone in how they are seamlessly integrated and provide additional capabilities.

Most of the main features of Ignition are provided by different modules such as PerspectiveVision, and SQL Bridge

The Ignition software stack is shown in the illustration below. You can see that the HMI/SCADA/MES module layers are built on the Ignition platform. Here are the different software layers in Ignition's modular architecture:

  • OS Layer – the Operating System Layer 
    Provides basic computing resources such as the file system and access to the network. 
  • Platform Layer 
    Provides all the basic functionalities such as connecting to devices and databases, licensing, launching clients, and managing all Ignition modules over the web.
  • Core Module Layer 
    Provides the core modules that enable real-time and historical data access, trends, and control.
  • Third-Party Module Layer
    Additional modules provided by Strategic Partners and other developers to further extend Ignition's capabilities.
  • User Created Application Layer 
    The resulting project created for your organization. Developed internally, or by a third-party. 

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