MicroController Link
Map MicroController pins to tags, in the browser or through the Connection Service.
Supported MicroControllers
| MicroController | FORGE firmware |
|---|---|
| Arduino Uno R3 | Update firmware over USB |
| Arduino UNO R4 WiFi | Update firmware over USB |
| Arduino Mega 2560 | Update firmware over USB |
| Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) | Hold BOOTSEL while plugging it in, then Find the Pico in BOOTSEL mode |
| ESP32 DevKit | Update firmware over USB |
The firmware update erases the program that was on the MicroController before. FORGE checks the model before it writes anything.
Two ways to connect
| Connects through | What you need |
|---|---|
| Browser | Nothing to download. A browser that supports Web Serial, and a USB data cable. |
| Connection Service | The Connection Service installed on this computer. PWM outputs need this route. |
Choose the route in Connects through on the Link's Connection tab. One route uses the MicroController at a time.
Set it up
- Connect your MicroController to this computer with a USB data cable. To use the Connection Service route, start the Connection Service first.
- Stop the PLC. In Project Explorer, use + beside I/O Links and choose MicroController.
- Choose the board and connection shown by the Connection Service. Connect before mapping its pins.
- Map each input or output to a tag with a matching type. Use the pin direction the board supports.
- Run a small test in the Workspace and watch the mapped tags. Disconnect when you finish.
Check before you run
- A board that does not appear is not connected. Check the cable, port and Connection Service status first.
- Some boards need a supported firmware package before their pins are available. Use the firmware controls offered for that board.
- Stop before changing mappings. A disconnected Link must not be treated as a live input.
- Set up device writes a permanent Device ID to the board. The ID is not secret and never changes.
- To map a pin, drag a block onto a matching pin, or select a block and press Enter on a pin. Then type or choose an existing tag. Labs never creates a tag for you.
- An approval ends when the mapping, the board or its pins change, or when the Link disconnects, is disabled or loses its session. The saved Link and pairing stay; review and authorize again.
If it will not connect
Check the Connection Service indicator, the device or server address, and the Link’s diagnostics. A saved mapping does not mean the device is connected. Stop the PLC before changing the Link.