Ignition Modules
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.
| Module | Description |
|---|---|
| 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/GEM | Enables Ignition projects and third-party applications to communicate with semiconductor fab equipment. |
| SMS Notification | Enables SMS text alerts to be sent for alarms (requires Alarm Notification Module). |
Additional Modules
The following modules provide Ignition with additional functionality.
| Module | Description |
|---|---|
| Voice Notification | Enables both alarm notification and acknowledgment via a phone call. |
| Twilio Alarm Notification | Adds 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 COM | Provides the ability to connect to legacy ("classic") COM-based OPC-DA servers. |
| OPC COM Tunneller | Simplifies 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.
|
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.
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 Perspective, Vision, 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.
📂 Vision
📂 Perspective
📂 OPC UA
📂 Tag Historian
📂 SQL Bridge (Transaction Groups)
📂 Reporting
📂 Alarm Notification
📂 Enterprise Administration
📄️ Symbol Factory
The Symbol Factory module is included with the Vision module or the Perspective module. Symbol Factory provides nearly 4,000 industrial high quality Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) and symbols for your projects. Vector based graphics can be resized with no pixelation or distortion. You can add these images to your project with a simple drag and drop.