Which communication protocol is commonly used in industrial automation?

Modbus is a widely used communication protocol in industrial automation due to its simplicity and effectiveness in facilitating communication between devices. Originally developed by Modicon (now part of Schneider Electric) in the late 1970s, Modbus enables the transmission of information over serial lines between devices, making it particularly useful for connecting sensors, actuators, and control systems.

One of the key reasons for Modbus's popularity in industrial settings is its ease of implementation. It operates on a master/slave architecture, where one device (the master) can poll multiple slave devices for data, allowing for straightforward data exchange and status monitoring. This simplicity reduces the need for complex configuration and supports a wide range of applications, from small systems to large scale, distributed infrastructure.

Furthermore, Modbus supports both serial communication (Modbus RTU and Modbus ASCII) and Ethernet (Modbus TCP), providing flexibility in deployment across various types of networks. Its open standard nature allows for interoperability between devices from different manufacturers, which is a crucial aspect in multivendor environments typically found in industrial automation.

As a result of these attributes—usability, wide adoption, and interoperability—Modbus remains a fundamental protocol in the realm of industrial automation, making it the correct choice in this context