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OLE For Process Control

OPC is a specification that defines standards for software applications to communicate with industrial hardware and process control systems. OPC servers act as translators between hardware and software applications, allowing applications to access plant data. OPC clients are software applications that can communicate with OPC servers to retrieve process data following the OPC specifications. Making an application an OPC client gives it universal connectivity, allowing it to access data from any hardware for which an OPC server exists.

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53 views9 pages

OLE For Process Control

OPC is a specification that defines standards for software applications to communicate with industrial hardware and process control systems. OPC servers act as translators between hardware and software applications, allowing applications to access plant data. OPC clients are software applications that can communicate with OPC servers to retrieve process data following the OPC specifications. Making an application an OPC client gives it universal connectivity, allowing it to access data from any hardware for which an OPC server exists.

Uploaded by

Lawal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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OLE for Process Control

OPC
What is OPC?

OPC is a specification or set of written rules and procedures


for the way multiple software programs ("applications") can
talk to each other. The OPC specification was created by
users and software developers in the manufacturing/process
control industry to serve the needs of the manufacturing
automation/process control industry specifically.  The
specification is managed by volunteer effort and
administered by the independent OPC Foundation.
Is OPC a standardized language for communicating to my
plant hardware?

No, though in at least one perspective OPC can be perceived


as such and it would be an accurate perception.  When you
have a software program that you want to get data from the
plant floor in to you have a piece of software that sits
between your application and the hardware that is often
called a "driver". 
Are OPC servers communications drivers?

Yes they are - they are translators between your process


control hardware's language and your application that
needs the data. There are other types of drivers such as
DDE servers and ActiveX controls, but they do not provide
the combination of performance plus standardization of
interface in the same package that drivers written as OPC
Servers provide.
What's the difference between an OPC client and an OPC
server - what are they?

An OPC Client is a software application that needs the data


from the process control systems and is able to speak the
"language" defined by the OPC specifications in order to be
able to get the data from an OPC Server.  The OPC server is
the "driver" software that talks to your specific hardware
and reads/writes data and "serves it up" to the OPC client
application.
How do I know if my software application is an OPC
client?

First of all ASK the people who developed your application. 


Perhaps you need a specific version in order to make your
application into an OPC client. If your application developer
or vendor doesn't know what OPC is, send them to this page
to learn more and then to the OPC Foundation website at
http://www.opcfoundation.org
Why should I make my custom application into an OPC
client?

Because if you do, the next time you ask someone "can I
connect my software to that hardware?" the only question
you really need an answer to is "Is there an OPC Server
software driver available for your hardware?" If the answer is
yes, and the OPC Server author has followed the OPC
Specifications, then you are done.  You don't have to write
any custom drivers, or change anything. By making your
software application an OPC Client you are giving your
application universal connectivity.  If you used to have to be
in the driver writing business, you can get out of that
business and partner with companies who focus on writing
OPC Servers and live or die by the quality of their drivers.
You can focus on your application development and business
needs instead of worrying about custom drivers.
OPC (OLE for Process Control)

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
available.
The End

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