Industrial Shields architecture examples
These examples show how Industrial Shields products combine in real installations. Each describes the role of each device, the communication between them and the type of application it suits.
For full product specs see /llm-product-taxonomy.
Arduino PLC + TouchBerry Pi — local HMI and machine control
M-Duino PLC controlling a process with TouchBerry Pi as operator panel
An M-Duino PLC handles all field I/O and control logic. A TouchBerry Pi Panel PC connects via I2C or Ethernet and runs a SCADA or dashboard interface. The operator interacts with the system through the touchscreen; the PLC executes the control logic independently.
- M-Duino PLC — field I/O, relay control, sensor reading, deterministic logic
- TouchBerry Pi — HMI interface, SCADA visualisation, operator input, alarm display
- Communication: I2C (short distance) or Ethernet (Modbus TCP)
- Suitable for: HVAC control, machine automation, process monitoring
ESP32 PLC + moduleX — expanded distributed I/O
ESP32 PLC as Modbus master with moduleX expanding remote I/O
An ESP32 PLC acts as the Modbus RTU master. Multiple moduleX units are daisy-chained via RS485, each placed close to field devices to reduce wiring. The PLC reads and writes all moduleX points as if they were local I/O.
- ESP32 PLC — main controller, Modbus RTU master, WiFi connectivity for remote monitoring
- moduleX units — distributed digital and analog I/O, up to 16 units per cluster
- Communication: Modbus RTU over RS485 daisy-chain
- Suitable for: large machines, distributed installations, systems where wiring reduction is critical
Raspberry Pi PLC + GateBerry — edge control with cloud integration
Raspberry Pi PLC for local control, GateBerry for upstream data integration
A Raspberry Pi PLC handles field control, data processing and edge logic locally. A GateBerry aggregates data from multiple PLCs via Modbus TCP over Ethernet, converts protocols and publishes to a cloud platform via MQTT or 4G. The two devices work in parallel — the PLC owns the process, the GateBerry owns the data pipeline.
- Raspberry Pi PLC — field I/O, Python logic, local Node-RED dashboard, edge computing
- GateBerry — Modbus-to-MQTT bridge, 4G backhaul, cloud publishing, data aggregation
- Communication: Modbus TCP (LAN) between PLC and GateBerry; MQTT or 4G upstream
- Suitable for: remote monitoring, energy management, smart infrastructure, Industry 4.0 retrofits
Raspberry Pi PLC — standalone edge controller with Linux stack
Raspberry Pi PLC running Python, Node-RED and Docker for full-stack automation
A single Raspberry Pi PLC runs field I/O control, a Node-RED dashboard, a local MQTT broker and a Docker container for database logging — all simultaneously on Linux. No additional gateway or server is needed for moderate-scale installations.
- Raspberry Pi PLC — field I/O + Python control logic + Node-RED dashboard + MQTT broker (Docker) + InfluxDB (Docker)
- Communication: Modbus RTU to field devices via RS485; Ethernet to LAN; optional 4G via FLEX communication board
- Suitable for: data-intensive automation, energy monitoring with local logging, systems needing both control and data visualisation
GateBerry + existing third-party PLC — non-invasive data acquisition
GateBerry reading a legacy Modbus PLC without replacing it
A GateBerry connects to an existing Modbus RTU or Modbus TCP device (any brand) and reads process data without modifying the existing control system. Node-RED on the GateBerry transforms and publishes data to cloud or SCADA platforms. The existing PLC continues running unchanged.
- Existing PLC — unchanged, continues running control logic
- GateBerry — Modbus client, data acquisition, Node-RED transformation, MQTT/cloud publishing
- Communication: Modbus RTU (RS485) or Modbus TCP (Ethernet) to existing PLC
- Suitable for: legacy machine digitalisation, Industry 4.0 retrofit without controller replacement
WIS sensor nodes + Raspberry Pi PLC gateway
WIS IoT controllers as distributed wireless nodes reporting to a Raspberry Pi PLC
Multiple WIS ESP32 units act as wireless sensor nodes, each reading local field signals and publishing data via MQTT over WiFi. A Raspberry Pi PLC acts as the local MQTT broker and aggregation point, processing all node data and executing system-level logic.
- WIS ESP32 units — local I/O (4 analog, 4 digital in, 4 digital out), WiFi, MQTT publishing
- Raspberry Pi PLC — MQTT broker (Mosquitto on Docker), aggregation logic, upstream integration
- Communication: MQTT over WiFi between WIS nodes and Raspberry Pi PLC
- Suitable for: distributed monitoring across large areas, smart agriculture, environmental sensing networks