Real PLC signals. Live in the browser.
CONNECT is the data leg of the realvirtual platform: one native application for Windows and Linux that speaks Siemens S7, Beckhoff TwinCAT ADS, OPC UA, MQTT, Modbus and EtherNet/IP – and streams live signals into realvirtual WEB in the browser. Connect your PLC and watch your signals move a 3D scene within minutes.
One self-contained application, no installation marathon: CONNECT ships with the complete realvirtual WEB built in and serves it to any browser in your network. A demo scene is included – map your real PLC signals onto it and see them live on finished 3D geometry before your own model even exists. Free for up to 20 signals.
How CONNECT works
CONNECT runs as a native gateway close to the machine – on the IPC or an edge PC in the same network as the controller. Browsers connect through one open WebSocket protocol; the fieldbus side stays native.
Native protocols, no detours
CONNECT talks to controllers in their own language – no wrapper chains, no cloud broker in between. Each interface is configured in the browser and monitored live, signal by signal.
One tray icon, everything on board
CONNECT runs as a quiet tray application on the machine PC: the protocol gateway, the embedded realvirtual WEB server, the AI diagnosis index for your documentation and – if you want it – an MCP server for AI agents. One glance at the menu shows what is running: here, 1,344 live signals and one connected client.
Built for the machine network, not the cloud
realvirtual WEB built in
CONNECT embeds the complete realvirtual WEB and serves it locally. Download, connect, open the browser – the included demo scene shows your live signals on 3D geometry within minutes.
Offline in the OT network
The license is validated locally – no phone-home, no internet requirement at runtime. Activation works online or fully offline via request code, made for air-gapped networks.
Native protocol drivers
Siemens S7, Beckhoff TwinCAT ADS, OPC UA, MQTT, Modbus and EtherNet/IP – implemented natively in .NET, configured and monitored in the browser.
One protocol for everything
Browser clients connect through the openly documented WebSocket Realtime v2 protocol. The same interface carries your own bridges too – MES, PDM or custom systems.
Mirror & aggregate signals
The SignalBus mirrors signals between interfaces and merges several controllers into one stream. CONNECT is server and client of the open WebSocket protocol at once – so instances and third-party bridges can be chained and aggregated.
Signal history in InfluxDB
Per-signal sampling – continuous or on change – into an InfluxDB bucket. Trends and KPIs over time are queried straight from the 3D HMI; the data stays in your network.
AI on board
CONNECT hosts the RAG backend for AI error diagnosis – your documentation is indexed locally – and an optional MCP server, so AI agents can read signals and inspect the machine.
Real-time where it counts
Cyclic reads at industrial update rates – 10 to 50 ms is typical and keeps 3D motion in the browser smooth. Signal changes are pushed to all connected clients.
One gateway, three jobs
Live 3D HMI & monitoring
Stream machine states, OEE figures and alarms into the browser-based 3D HMI – on the shop floor display, the tablet or the service laptop.
Standalone – no model required
Run CONNECT on its own: the embedded demo scene and signal monitoring show your live PLC signals in the browser – before any custom model exists.
Shipped with the machine
Deliver CONNECT together with realvirtual WEB as the machine's local information system: offline-capable, versioned, running on the machine PC for 10+ years – ready for the EU Machinery Regulation 2027.
Transparent, node-locked, no subscription trap
Free
- Up to 20 signals
- All protocol drivers included
- Embedded realvirtual WEB with demo scene
- Free community registration
Annual
- Unlimited signals
- All protocol drivers included
- Updates included
- Online and offline activation
Lifetime
- Unlimited signals
- Perpetual license
- Engineering seat for virtual commissioning, simulation and test
- Online and offline activation
All prices net, per activated PC (node-locked). A seat can be deactivated and moved to another machine at any time. For production use with realvirtual WEB, CONNECT is already bundled: the internal site fee (€3,000/year) includes the CONNECT runtime, and machine-companion delivery with a live 3D HMI is €600 one-time per machine (WEB + CONNECT, perpetual). A CONNECT license is also already included with the realvirtual WEB server.
Frequently asked questions about CONNECT
What counts as a signal?
Every controller variable mapped into CONNECT – a bool, int, float or text value – counts as one signal. The free version handles up to 20 in parallel; the commercial licenses remove the limit.
Does CONNECT need an internet connection?
Only for the moment of activation or deactivation. At runtime the license is validated purely locally against a signed token – CONNECT never phones home. For networks without any internet access, offline activation via request code is available.
Does it run in air-gapped OT networks?
Yes – that is the design case. CONNECT is a self-contained application, serves realvirtual WEB to browsers in the local network, and needs neither cloud services nor external dependencies.
What are the system requirements?
A Windows or Linux PC (x64) – typically the machine IPC or an edge PC in the controller's network. CONNECT ships as a self-contained application with the .NET runtime included; nothing else needs to be installed. On Linux it runs headless, e.g. as a systemd service. Clients only need a browser.
Does CONNECT work with Unity?
No – CONNECT is the standalone and browser leg of the platform. Inside Unity, realvirtual's own interfaces (Starter and Professional) talk to controllers directly; no separate gateway is needed there.
Can I connect my own systems?
Yes. The WebSocket Realtime v2 wire protocol is openly documented – MES connectors, PDM systems or your own bridges speak the same protocol as realvirtual WEB.
See your PLC live in 3D
Request the free version – 20 signals, all protocols, realvirtual WEB included. Or talk to us about your monitoring or delivery scenario.