Section 1

Introduction and
Overview
© Siemens 2019 siemens.com/sitrain
Learning objectives

In this section, you will learn …

… what OPC UA is

… how OPC UA is different to OPC Classic

… the advantages offered by OPC UA

… the OPC UA servers and clients offered by Siemens in

its product portfolio
Video of OPC UA
General information about OPC

OPC:
• OLE for Process Control (old acronym for the OPC Classic standard)
• Openness, Productivity and Connectivity
• Open Platform Communications (in use since OPC Unified Architecture (UA))

Service for accessing the following information of the production process:

• Variables
• Alarms
• Archive data
• Methods Logo of the OPC
i
Foundation for OPC UA:
 Data interface for automation technology
 Standardized by the OPC Foundation
The challenge

Cloud

Remote
application
Control system, e.g. WinCC Professional
Driver A
Driver A

Interface A
Interface A

A
Interfaces
B C D E F G

Interface B Interface C Interface D Interface E Interface F Interface G

Driver B Driver C Driver D Driver E Driver F Driver G

PROFINET
PROFIBUS

Ethernet

Fieldbus X
Modbus
S7
Field devices Distributed I/O Controllers
The solution Office SCADA

Cloud

Remote
application
Interface A

OPC UA

OPC UA communication

OPC UA OPC UA OPC UA OPC UA OPC UA OPC UA

Driver B Driver C Driver D Driver E Driver F Driver G

PROFINET
PROFIBUS

Ethernet

Fieldbus X
Modbus
S7
Field devices Distributed I/O Controllers
Goals of OPC

• Flexible and efficient data access  Many applications and hardware support OPC
• Easy to understand  Can be utilized after just a little training
• Easy to implement  Programming examples, libraries
• Openness of specification  Available through OPC Foundation, IEC standard
• Use of universal and platform-independent devices as data source
• Integration in devices on all levels of the automation pyramid
 With OPC UA, field devices can be directly connected as servers
• Comprehensive security  e.g. authorization, authentication, encryption
What OPC is not:
• OPC is not a replacement for fieldbus protocols
• There is currently no real-time-capable communication at the field level, e.g. PLC, drives, valves,
I/O modules
Advantages of OPC

For end customers

• Elimination of dependency on exactly one suitable combination of hardware

and software
i
• Easy connection of devices and applications of different
manufacturers Logos of the OPC Foundation
that are awarded when
OPC servers directly from the hardware manufacturer compliance test is passed
Integration of various fieldbus systems
Certification and compatibility
Advantages of OPC

For software manufacturers:

A myriad of special hardware drivers no longer have to be developed

Implementation of an OPC interface with client or server functionality
No driver modifications after hardware changes
Code examples and communication stack available as open source
Advantages of OPC

For hardware manufacturers:

Only one software driver has to be developed as the interface for an OPC
server
The hardware can be integrated immediately in all OPC-capable applications
The server function can be integrated in hardware through developer kits
Highlights of OPC

Convenient interface
Comprehensive set operations
Asynchronous read and write operations

… OPC UA in detail
Industry standards as Companion Specifications
Platform independence
Cross-vendor interoperability
Compact and clearly structured functionality
OPC Foundation

• Collaboration with industry standards

• Arose from a task force
• Non-profit organization
• Contributors are employees of the participating companies
• About 600 companies are members of the OPC Foundation
Timeline
Historical evolution from OPC Classic to OPC UA today

SPECIFICATION
Publication of first A&E OPC UA IEC 62541 PUBSUB
specification OPC Classic Alarms & Release of OPC UA as Completion of IEC PubSub specification
Establishment of OPC Events specification harmonized standardization for for IoT communication
Foundation specification OPC UA

TSN
START DA HDA IEC STANDARD OPEN SOURCE Completion of IEEE
OPC task force is Release of OPC Classic Release of OPC Classic OPC UA submitted as Communication stacks standardization for real-
formed specification for specification for IEC standard become open source time communication
Data Access Historical Data Access with TSN Ethernet

1995 1996 1998 1999 2001 2006 2009 2014 2015 2018 2019
OPC UA principle

Uniform access

OPC UA integrates existing OPC Classic specifications – DA, A&E, HA, Programs – in one specification.
The single shared basis for information access reduces the costs for system integration.

OPC UA

COM Client
UA Client OPC DA Data Access
• Data Access OPC OPC HDA Historical Data Access
• Historical Access
Client OPC A&E Alarms & Events
• Alarms & Conditions
• Programs

i The numerous COM servers for the Classic specifications:

Comparison of OPC Classic and OPC UA

OPC Classic OPC UA

Communication Communication
• COM/DCOM • TCP/IP or XML
• Component-oriented architecture (CoA) • Service-oriented architecture (SoA)

Operating system Operating system

• Windows • Platform-independent

Security Security
• User name / Password • Certificate-based
• User administration • Encrypted connection
• User name / Password
• User administration

Performance Performance
• Each access type requires a server • A single server is possible
• Data transfer without semantic description • Data transfer and semantic description
Client/server architecture
Comparison of OPC Classic and OPC UA

OPC Client OPC UA Client

Client Client

OPC UA
OPC
OPC Server OPC UA Server
Data broker Server Data supplier Server
Industrial PC Data broker
with Windows Embedded
PN

Server possible

PN
Embedded Server S7-1500
Data supplier e.g. RFID reader
Data supplier
S7-300 S7-1200

OPC Classic OPC UA

OPC UA in the automation pyramid
Distinction from PROFINET

Strengths of OPC UA Strengths of PROFINET

Platform-independent Cloud Deterministic

Management

OPC UA
Direct connection of level Real-time-capable
devices on all levels
Operator
Authentication and level C2C communication in

PROFINET
encryption real time
Controller
level
Standardized profiles
Semantics services Field
level
Advantages on the data and Advantages on the control
management levels and field levels
OPC UA Specification

Information models Companion Specifications

AutoID Field Device Integration

Access types
Part 8 – Data Access Part 10 – Programs

Part 9 – Alarms and Conditions Part 11 – Historical Access

Infrastructure Basic
Part 1 – Concepts Part 5 – Information Model

Part 2 – Security Part 6 – Service Mapping

Part 3 – Address Space Part 7 – Profiles

Part 4 – Services Part 14 – PubSub

Utility
Part 12 – Discovery Part 13 – Aggregate
Siemens Industry product portfolio
Classification of OPC UA servers

Manufacturing Execution System

OPC UA

SIMATIC NET, WinCC RT Professional,

WinCC V7.5, PCS 7, SINEMA Server, SINEC
SCADA Energy
NMS, TeleControl Server Basic, SIMATIC
system management
Engineering Energy Manager PRO, WinCC OA
framework

S7-1500, HMI Comfort/Mobile Panel,

WinCC RT Advanced, S7-400 with CP 443-1,
PROFINET

Controller HMI IPC Industrial Motion CNC SIMOTION, SINUMERIK, CC7

communication control

RF600, RF18xC, PSU8600/UPS1600,

SIMOCODE, 3RW44
Power supply Industrial Distributed Drive Industrial
and distribution identification I/O systems controls
Siemens Industry product portfolio
Classification of OPC UA clients

Manufacturing Execution System

OPC UA

WinCC RT Professional, WinCC V7.5,

SCADA Energy
WinCC OA
system management
Engineering
framework

S7-1500, HMI Comfort/Mobile Panel,

WinCC RT Advanced, MindConnect Nano,
PROFINET

Controller HMI IPC Industrial Motion MindConnect IOT2000, S7-400 with CP 443-1
communication control Nano

No client on field level

Power supply Industrial Distributed Drive Industrial
and distribution identification I/O systems controls
High bay racking exercise concept
Guideline for the practical exercises

TIA Portal
Engineering

UaExpert RFID reader WinCC RT Advanced S7-1500

Client Server Client Client/Server
OPC UA

Client
Exercise concept in detail

Receiving of packages
RFID reader
Server • Scanning of a package with the RFID reader
• Provision of the scanned package ID

Posting/management of the racking system

S7-1500 • Provision of variables and methods for evaluation and control
Client & Server
of the racking system
• Reading of variables of the RFID reader
• Call up of methods of the RFID reader

WinCC RT Advanced
Control and visualization of the process
Client
• Reading/writing of variables of the S7-1500 from an HMI
Independent exercises
Guideline for the practical exercises

SIMATIC NET TIA Portal UaExpert

Server Engineering Client

Server
Client

S7-1200 S7-1500
2D code reader AnsiC
Data supplier for Client/Server
Server Server
SIMATIC NET
OPC UA

Server
PROFINET
Exercise concept in detail

Basic OPC UA data exchange

AnsiC S7-1500
server Server • Establishing a connection
• Reading/writing of variables and historical data
• Call up of methods
• Becoming familiar with the address space

2D code reader OPC UA server of a third-party device manufacturer

Server
• Establishing a connection
• Controlling a sensor via OPC UA
• Becoming familiar with the Companion Specification

Connection of non-OPC-UA-capable devices and Alarms & Conditions

S7-1200 SIMATIC NET
Data SERVER • Reading/writing of variables of the S7-1200 via SIMATIC NET Server
• Receiving of messages and events of S7-1500 via SIMATIC NET Server