Post No: 550, Date: 07-07-2020.

Page Commenced on: 11-09-2016.

Topic: OPC Definition

Ref: Not Available.

Please find the notes on the topic as described here below:

WHAT IS OPC?

OPC = OLE for Process Control

OPC [1] is a software interface standard [2] that allows Windows programs to communicate with
industrial hardware devices.

Note:

Please find the figure pasted here below:

OPC is implemented in server/client pairs.

The OPC server is a software program that converts the hardware communication protocol used by a
PLC [3] into the OPC protocol.

The OPC client software is any program that needs to connect to the hardware, such as an HMI [4].

The OPC client uses the OPC server to get data from or send commands to the hardware.

The value of OPC is that it is an open standard, which means lower costs for manufacturers and more
options for users.

Hardware manufacturers need only to provide a single OPC server for their devices to communicate
with any OPC client.
Software vendors simply include OPC client capabilities in their products and they become instantly
compatible with thousands of hardware devices.

Users can choose any OPC client software they need, resting assured that it will communicate
seamlessly with their OPC-enabled hardware, and vice-versa.

The typical OPC connection scenario is a single server-client connection on a single computer as
illustrated above, but there are more possibilities.

For example, you might need to:

• Connect an OPC client to several OPC servers. This is called OPC aggregation.

• Connect an OPC client to an OPC server over a network. This can be done with OPC tunnelling.

• Connect an OPC server to another OPC server to share data. This is known as OPC bridging.

The OPC Data Hub is uniquely designed to do all of these tasks. It is a combination OPC server and OPC
client that supports multiple connections.

Thus it can connect to several OPC servers simultaneously, for OPC aggregation and OPC bridging.

Two OPC Data Hubs can mirror data across a TCP network to provide OPC tunnelling.

In addition to enhancing OPC server and client connections, the OPC Data Hub can connect any OPC
server or client to other applications as well, such as Excel, a web browser, or any ODBC database.

And it can also be used to get OPC data into Linux or QNX.

Please find the following definitions:

[1] The acronym "OPC" comes from "OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) for Process Control". Since
OLE is based on the Windows COM (Component Object Model) standard, under the hood OPC is
essentially COM. Over a network, OPC relies on DCOM (Distributed COM), which was not designed for
real-time industrial applications and is often set aside in favour of OPC tunnelling.

[2] OPC actually comprises several standards, the first and most important of which is OPC Data Access
(OPC DA). There are also standards for alarms & events, historical data, batch data, and XML.

[3] Programmable Logic Controller: a small industrial computer that controls one or more hardware
devices.

[4] Human-Machine Interface: a graphical interface that allows a person to interact with a control
system. It may contain trends, alarm summaries, pictures, or animation.

OPC is open connectivity via open standards. They fill a need in automation like printer drivers did for
Windows.

See the summary of current and emerging OPC Specifications and OPC Certification.

OPC Tagline has been dedicated to Interoperability in Automation & Beyond; and we have gone through
various permutations of associating letters to the 3 letter acronym inclusive of......

The new tagline for 2011 is:

The OPC Foundation - The Interoperability Standard for Industrial Automation & Other Related Domains

Here is a great picture of the OPC Architecture:

OPC is all about Open Productivity & Connectivity in industrial automation and the enterprise systems
that support industry. Interoperability is assured through the creation and maintenance of open
standards specifications.

There are currently seven standards specifications completed or in development.

Based on fundamental standards and technology of the general computing market, the OPC Foundation
adapts and creates specifications that fill industry-specific needs.
OPC will continue to create new standards as needs arise and to adapt existing standards to utilize new
technology.

OPC is a series of standards specifications.

The first standard (originally called simply the OPC Specification and now called the Data Access
Specification) resulted from the collaboration of a number of leading worldwide automation suppliers
working in cooperation with

Microsoft.

Originally based on Microsoft's OLE COM (component object model) and DCOM (distributed component
object model) technologies, the specification defined a standard set of objects, interfaces and methods
for use in process control and manufacturing automation applications to facilitate interoperability.

The COM/DCOM technologies provided the framework for software products to be developed. There
are now hundreds of OPC Data Access servers and clients.

Everyone's favorite analogy for needing the original Data Access Specification is printer drivers in DOS
and then in Windows.

Under DOS the developer of each application had to also write a printer driver for every printer.

So AutoCAD wrote the AutoCAD application and the printer drivers.

And WordPerfect wrote the WordPerfect application and the printer drivers.

They had to write a separate printer driver for every printer they wanted to support:

One for an Epson FX-80 and one for the H-P LaserJet, and on and on.

In the industrial automation world, Intellution wrote their Human Machine Interface (HMI) software and
a proprietary driver to each industrial device (including every PLC brand).
Rockwell wrote their HMI and a proprietary driver to each industrial device (including every PLC brand,
not just their own).

Windows solved the printer driver problem by incorporating printer support into the operating system.

Now one printer driver served all the applications!

And these were printer drivers that the printer manufacturer wrote (not the application developer).

Windows provided the infrastructure to allow the industrial device driver's solution as well.

Adding the OPC specification to Microsoft's OLE technology in Windows allowed standardization.

Now the industrial devices' manufacturers could write the OPC DA Servers and the software (like HMIs)
could become OPC Clients.

The resulting selfish benefit to the software suppliers was the ability to reduce their expenditures for
connectivity and focus them on the core features of the software.

For the users, the benefit was flexibility.

They could now choose software suppliers based on features instead of "Do they have the driver to my
unique device?"

They don't have to create a custom interface that they must bear the full cost of creating and upgrading
through operating system or device vendor changes.

Users were also assured of better quality connectivity as the OPC DA Specification codified the
connection mechanism and compliance testing.
OPC interface products are built once and reused many times; hence, they undergo continuous quality
control and improvement.

The user's project cycle is shorter using standardized software components. And their cost is lower.
These benefits are real and tangible. Because the OPC standards are based in turn upon computer
industry standards, technical reliability is assured.

The original specification standardized the acquisition of process data. It was quickly realized that
communicating other types of data could benefit from standardization. Standards for Alarms & Events,
Historical Data, and Batch data were launched.

Current and emerging OPC Specifications include:

OPC Data Access

The originals! Used to move real-time data from PLCs, DCSs, and other control devices to HMIs and
other display clients. The Data Access 3 specification is now a Release Candidate. It leverages earlier
versions while improving the browsing capabilities and incorporating XML-DA Schema.

OPC Alarms & Events

Provides alarm and event notifications on demand (in contrast to the continuous data flow of Data
Access). These include process alarms, operator actions, informational messages, and tracking/auditing
messages.

OPC Batch

This spec carries the OPC philosophy to the specialized needs of batch processes. It provides interfaces
for the exchange of equipment capabilities (corresponding to the S88.01 Physical Model) and current
operating conditions.

OPC Data eXchange

This specification takes us from client/server to server-to-server with communication across Ethernet
fieldbus networks. This provides multi-vendor interoperability! And, oh by the way, adds remote
configuration, diagnostic and monitoring/management services.
 OPC Historical Data Access

Where OPC Data Access provides access to real-time, continually changing data, OPC Historical Data
Access provides access to data already stored. From a simple serial data logging system to a complex
SCADA system, historical archives can be retrieved in a uniform manner.

OPC Security

All the OPC servers provide information that is valuable to the enterprise and if improperly updated,
could have significant consequences to plant processes. OPC Security specifies how to control client
access to these servers in order to protect this sensitive information and to guard against unauthorized
modification of process parameters.

OPC XML-DA

Provides flexible, consistent rules and formats for exposing plant floor data using XML, leveraging the
work done by Microsoft and others on SOAP and Web Services.

OPC Complex Data

A companion specification to Data Access and XML-DA that allows servers to expose and describe more
complicated data types such as binary structures and XML documents.

OPC Commands

A Working Group has been formed to develop a new set of interfaces that allow OPC clients and
servers to identify, send and monitor control commands which execute on a device.

OPC Unified Architecture

A new set of specifications that are not based on Microsoft COM that will provide standards based
cross-platform capability.

OPC Product Certification and Interoperability

OPC Compliance

The vision of interoperability in multi vendor systems has become a reality, via the OPC standards.
Certification is the process of ensuring that applications meet the standards. OPC Certification programs
include Self-Certification,
 Interoperability Workshops and 3rd party testing by Independent Certification Test Labs.