OPC interfaces in industrial control systems

Primož Rebec (2011) OPC interfaces in industrial control systems. EngD thesis.

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Abstract

The thesis describes the implementation of client software architecture of different OPC interfaces. OPC is a standard used in industrial process automation to compile high-level software systems with low-level software systems. High-level systems are SCADA supervisory control and data acquisition systems, MES manufacturing execution systems and ERP enterprise resource planning systems. OPC client–server architecture connects them with low-level systems, for instance with PLC programmable logic controller and DCS decentralized systems. The standard of classic OPC: OPC DA and other interfaces, that are mostly implemented in addition to DA. OPC foundation, which provides for this standard, has in 2009 introduced the specification of the OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA). Compared to the classical architecture OPC provides new functions with the emphasis on the efficiency, safety, platform independance as well as on the network and internet communications. Since internet communication support was not very useful in the classical architecture, we decided to implement and test new ones. We have built in and tested different OPC architectures in the SCADA system, which we developed entirely by ourselves. The application as a whole was intended to control heating and other installations in the industrial building. Testing of different OPC client–server architectures included the setting up and configuration of OPC server, the configuration of programmable logic controller, the development of clients and their inclusion in the SCADA system as well as the testing of functions, being offered by certain type of architecture.

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