Follow‑Along Guide: Integrating Phoenix Contact Inline Modbus Remote I/O into Niagara (ILC 2050 BI as Master)
Out‑of‑the‑Box Setup & Commissioning Guide (with Timeline References)
Video Tutorial: Commissioning the Phoenix Contact Inline Modbus I/O Using An ILC 2050 BI As A Master
NOTE:
If you want to watch the video while following along with the text notes, then right click and open the video in a new split screen window and the video should appear on the right of the notes so that you can follow along.
Overview
This guide shows how to integrate a Phoenix Contact Inline Modbus Remote I/O station into Niagara 4, using an ILC 2050 BI as the Modbus TCP Master.
Important:
The driver shown is only compatible with Phoenix Contact Modbus Inline I/O. It will not function with non‑Phoenix Modbus devices.
1. System Setup & Physical Connections
0:12 – 0:23
The video shows a simple Ethernet connection:
-
ILC 2050 BI ↔ Phoenix Contact Inline Modbus I/O station
(Both connected via Ethernet)
Before starting:
-
Ensure both devices are configured within the same LAN/subnet.
If the bus‑coupler is not yet configured, the video references another tutorial for that step.
2. Prerequisites
0:29 – 0:46
Make sure you have:
-
Niagara 4 Workbench installed
-
ILC 2050 BI drivers/add-ons, available under the download section of the controller’s product page
3. Connect to the ILC 2050 BI Platform
0:51 – 0:58
In Workbench:
-
Open Platform Connection to the ILC 2050 BI
-
We must confirm the required Modbus driver modules are installed
4. Installing the Modbus I/O Driver (Emalytics BK‑RT)
0:55 – 1:22
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In the Platform → open Software Manager
-
In the search bar, type
Emalytics BK-RT -
Select Emalytics BK‑RT driver
-
Click Install
-
Accept dependencies → OK → Commit
Workbench installs:
-
Modbus BK‑RT runtime driver
-
Required libraries for Modbus Inline Remote I/O support
After a few seconds, installation completes on the controller.
5. Connect to the Station
1:24 – 1:29
Once drivers are installed:
-
Open a Station connection to the ILC 2050 BI
(This is where the actual Modbus network and devices are configured)
6. Create a Modbus TCP Driver Network
1:29 – 1:45
In the station:
-
Go to Config → Drivers
-
Under Driver Manager, click New
-
From the dropdown, select:
Modbus TCP Network -
Click OK, then confirm again
A new Modbus TCP Network will now appear under Drivers.
7. Add the Modbus Inline I/O Device
1:45 – 2:24
-
Double‑click the Modbus TCP Network
-
Click New at the bottom
-
In the dialog:
-
Type: Modbus TCP BK Device
-
Starting Address:
255
-
-
Click OK
Next dialog:
-
Set IP Address to the address configured on the Modbus I/O station
-
In the video example:
192.168.254.113
-
-
Click OK
The Modbus inline device is now added to the network.
8. Discovering Modbus Points
2:24 – 2:51
To pull in the I/O modules:
-
In the device list, under Extensions, click the Point Icon
-
Change view to:
Modbus BK Point Manager -
Click Discover
You should now see:
-
All input modules
-
All output modules
-
Inline bus components mapped as Modbus registers
If no points appear:
Troubleshooting (from video)
-
Try re‑enabling Plug & Play
-
Reboot the remote I/O station
-
Disable Plug & Play again and rediscover
Once points appear:
-
Select all or individual modules
-
Click Add to import them into the station
You can now use them like any Niagara points.
9. Completion
2:55 – 3:03
You have successfully:
-
Installed the Modbus I/O driver
-
Set up the Modbus TCP network
-
Added the Inline Modbus I/O station
-
Discovered and imported all I/O points
You are now ready to monitor and control the I/O from Niagara.
10. Additional Resources
3:03 – 3:08
Phoenix Contact Niagara Resources:
https://phoenixcontact.com/niagara
Other Resources & Customer Survey:
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