OLE for Process Control (OPC) Tutorial

OPC Tutorial

OPC
Open industry-standard interface Based on ActiveX and DCOM Built-in client/server networking Access real-time data from VisualBasic, Excel 97, and other ActiveX applications via the OPC server interface Reduces system integration costs Plug and Play connectivity throughout the manufacturing enterprise

Photo courtesy of Raychem, Lubrizol

OPC Delivers Plug and Play Connectivity for Industrial Automation

For every automation system installed today, a significant amount of time and money is spent ensuring that the system can share timely information with other systems and devices throughout the manufacturing enterprise. OPC denes an open industry-standard interface based on ActiveX and OLE technology that provides interoperability between disparate eld devices, automation/control, and business systems. In years past, automation suppliers and systems integrators have developed numerous proprietary interfaces to their devices and control systems to permit access to real-time information. Over time, Microsofts dynamic data exchange (DDE) became a de facto standard interface for many types of automation devices such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs). Automation devices and systems used DDE protocol, and other derivatives, such as NetDDE, as a mechanism to pass data between applications, such as from a spreadsheet to a word processor, with some success. However, many end users found performance and reliability limitations when using DDE to pass real-time information between devices in their control system. Several years ago, Microsoft replaced DDE with a higher performance, more robust, and reliable data exchange technology object linking and embedding (OLE). Based on the component object model (COM), OLE is part of a broad software infrastructure also referred to as ActiveX. ActiveX and distributed component object model (DCOM) are important pieces of Microsofts client/server, distributed computing strategy. With ActiveX and DCOM, application software can interoperate and

HMI/SCADA Software

communicate between modules distributed across a computer network. However, to effectively use ActiveX as part of a software integration framework for manufacturing, automation suppliers must agree on a standard way to use ActiveX. A number of leading automation hardware and software suppliers working in cooperation with Microsoft collaborated to define a new standard for using ActiveX in manufacturing applications, OLE for process control (OPC).

OPC Specication Dened

OPC denes an industry-standard interface based on ActiveX and OLE technology that provides interoperability between disparate field devices, automation/control, and business systems. The OPC specication documents a set of standard interfaces dening standard objects, methods, and properties. DCOM enables an additional level of functionality for OPC, allowing a client application to use objects located on other networked computers. Therefore, a human-machine interface (HMI) or supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software package can execute and collect data from OPC servers that are running on any computers on the network. The specification also defines a standard mechanism to access named data items contained in OPC servers. Hardware and software developers use the specication to build OPC servers and clients that exchange real-time information between a variety of systems, including distributed control systems (DCSs), SCADA systems, PLCs, distributed I/O systems, and smart eld devices and networks.

772 National Instruments

Phone: (512) 794-0100 Fax: (512) 794-8411 info@natinst.com www.natinst.com

OLE for Process Control (OPC) Tutorial

OPC Tutorial

OPC Foundation Formed

Automation industry leaders organized the OPC Foundation, an independent, nonprofit organization to further the development and enhancement of the OPC specication, and to ensure the success of OPC by encouraging worldwide participation. The OPC Foundations charter is to develop an open and interoperable interface standard based on the functional requirements of OLE/COM and distributed component object model (DCOM) technology that fosters greater interoperability between automation/control applications, field systems/devices, and business/office applications. The OPC Foundation has established a board of directors, an end user advisory committee, a technical steering committee, and a marketing committee to ensure the success of OPC. The OPC Foundation has received feedback from a number of automation companies that plan to provide OPCcompliant products and services. Membership is open to companies or to individuals who are interested in furthering the goals of the OPC Foundation membership categories include voting and non-voting participation. Members can also become eligible to participate on technical review committees that work to extend the OPC specication.

Client Applications
MMI Planning Scheduling Optimization

OPC Interface OPC Interface

SCADA System

OPC Interface
Control System

OPC Interface OPC Interface

Hardware Device I/F
Data Acquisition Board I/O Modules Fieldbus Device Networks

OPC Interface

The role of OPC in industrial automation.

National Instruments and OPC

National Instruments, an OPC Foundation member, has helped to develop this industry-standard specication for open system communication and interoperability using Microsofts ActiveX and COM/DCOM technology. We are committed to leadership in developing products that use state-of-the-art technology such as Microsofts ActiveX OLE automation. We plan to implement such open standards, which provide multivendor interoperability, into our software and hardware products so that scientists and engineers can use them worldwide to build virtual instrumentation systems and PC-based automation systems.

The Benets of OPC

OPC promises to provide plug and play software and hardware components from different automation suppliers. Manufacturing companies can easily integrate these components into corporate-wide automation and business systems, something that has been virtually unachievable in the past. In addition, integration costs will be reduced because all software and hardware components will adhere to a single, standard communications protocol. Initially, automation suppliers will use OPC technology to develop interface servers for hardware I/O. OPC servers will replace proprietary I/O device driver software to be instead provided by the supplier when you purchase the hardware. OPC client applications, such as HMI software, are required to communicate with OPC-compliant servers. Any OPC client can communicate and interoperate with any OPC server. OPC will provide a single, consistent communication interface so that software suppliers can focus on adding new features to their software instead of developing a long list of proprietary hardware device drivers. OPC technology will extend beyond hardware I/O to more complex control and business systems. Because DCS, SCADA, HMI, plant scheduling, maintenance, and other applications can act as OPC clients and servers to permit data exchange between cooperating applications, the end-user can focus more on value-added business activities versus system integration problems.

HMI/SCADA Software

National Instruments OPC-Compatible Products

Full-function OPC Servers are available for our FieldPoint and DAQ products, providing immediate compatibility with a very wide range of application software systems. Any software package that uses the OPC-client interface can access the FieldPoint or DAQ OPC Servers, monitoring and controlling data between the software and FieldPoint or DAQ hardware. BridgeVIEW, Lookout, and ComponentWorks provide OPCclient capabilities that are plug and play compatible with the FieldPoint and DAQ OPC server and any other OPC-compatible components in your automation system. National Instruments also offers the Industrial Automation Server Developer Kit, which makes it easy to develop OPC servers for special devices, legacy automation systems, and new applications in your plant or manufacturing facility. For further information about the DAQ and FieldPoint OPC Server, refer to pages 204 and 452, respectively.

National Instruments 773

Phone: (512) 794-0100 Fax: (512) 794-8411 info@natinst.com www.natinst.com