OPC is a set of specifications for controlling technological processes and various automation devices. The first version of the standard was developed in 1996. OPC Foundation is considered to be the founder of this technology. The need for a universal software product, which would provide the conditions for open exchange of data between equipments from different manufacturers, arose in 1990. The OPC technology has solved this problem. It has significantly reduced the costs of organizations for the development of software applications for industrial automation.
Soon after the first software versions, i.e. OPC DA and OPC HDA, entered the world market, their shortcomings were identified. The most significant of them include the following ones:
Having studied and analyzed the weak points of the specifications, OPC Foundation created a new standard – OPC UA. It contains the functions of all the previous versions, but it has no identified shortcomings.
OPC UA stands for OPC unified architecture. The specification was created in 2006. Its main functions include providing reliable and secure data exchange, guaranteeing data identity, as well as countering virus attacks. The main advantages of the standard are:
OPC unified architecture is the next stage of evolution. Today most manufacturers produce equipment that supports this standard.
You can buy a licensed OPC UA Client on our website. Just leave an electronic application or call the specified number. You can pre-test the applications. A free demo version is provided for this. Please note: it is limited in time.