Open Platform Communications

Open Platform Communications
gilbert aguilar hancco · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Open Platform Communications
Developer	OPC Foundation
Released	1996
Programming language	C, C++, C#, Java
Operating system	Windows, Linux, macOS, VxWorks
Genre	Industrial communication, interoperability
License	Proprietary, open specifications

Open Platform Communications is a set of standards and specifications for industrial automation interoperability developed to enable data exchange among control systems, human-machine interfaces, historians, and enterprise applications. It was created to address vendor lock-in and heterogeneous networks in manufacturing plants, process control, energy distribution, and building automation. The specifications define information models, communication protocols, and security frameworks to connect programmable logic controllers, distributed control systems, supervisory control and data acquisition systems, and cloud services.

Overview

Open Platform Communications was defined to unify data access across disparate devices and applications from vendors such as Siemens, ABB, Schneider Electric, Rockwell Automation, and Mitsubishi Electric. The initiative originated within industry consortia including the OPC Foundation and involved partnerships with standards bodies like IEC and IEEE. The specifications cover transport mechanisms, data modelling, alarms and events, historical access, and unified architecture mappings to support users such as General Electric, Emerson Electric Co., Honeywell International, Siemens Energy, and integrators that serve sectors like BP, ExxonMobil, Shell plc, and Exelon.

History and Development

The project began in the mid-1990s amid efforts by firms such as Microsoft and early automation vendors to provide standard interfaces between Windows NT-based HMIs and PLCs from companies like ABB and Siemens. Initial specifications aligned with technologies promoted by DDE and OLE before moving toward platform-independent interfaces influenced by SOAP, XML, and later RESTful paradigms. Major milestones included the introduction of Classic specifications adopted by Rockwell Automation ecosystems, the formation of the OPC Foundation as a governance body, and the development of the unified architecture that referenced models from IEC 62443 and security guidance from NIST. Adoption accelerated through partnerships with system integrators such as Honeywell Process Solutions, Yokogawa Electric Corporation, and Emerson Process Management.

Architecture and Protocols

The specifications define layered architectures separating information models, services, and transports. Core components include address spaces, variable nodes, method nodes, and event models used by vendors like Siemens Digital Industries and Schneider Electric Energy Management. Communication bindings reference protocols such as TCP/IP, WebSocket, HTTPS, MQTT, and binary encodings influenced by ASN.1 and Protocol Buffers trends. Security layers incorporate authentication, authorization, certificates from IETF PKI practices, and guidelines aligned with IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-53. Mapping efforts incorporated concepts from ISO/OSI and tied into middleware platforms used by enterprises like SAP SE, Oracle Corporation, and IBM.

Implementations and Software

Multiple commercial and open-source stacks implement the specifications. Prominent vendors offering SDKs and runtime servers include Microsoft Azure integrators, MatrikonOPC (now part of Honeywell), Kepware (a subsidiary of PTC), Softing Industrial, Prosys OPC (founded by ProSyst alumni), and projects hosted by universities and research labs like Fraunhofer Society and ETH Zurich. Open-source implementations exist in languages like C#, C++, and Java and are maintained by communities associated with Eclipse Foundation projects and independent maintainers who collaborate with automation firms such as Beckhoff Automation and B&R Industrial Automation.

Applications and Use Cases

Industries deploying the specifications include oil and gas operators such as Chevron Corporation and TotalEnergies, power utilities like National Grid and E.ON, manufacturing firms including Toyota Motor Corporation and Ford Motor Company, and building automation companies partnering with Johnson Controls. Use cases span real-time telemetry for SCADA systems, data historian integration with products like OSIsoft PI System, predictive maintenance workflows connected to Siemens MindSphere and GE Predix, digital twin synchronization in projects by Siemens Digital Industries and Dassault Systèmes, and MES/ERP data exchange with SAP SE and Oracle Corporation.

Security and Reliability

Security measures incorporate transport encryption, mutual TLS X.509 certificates, role-based access control, and audit logging practices recommended by NIST, IEC 62443, and ISO/IEC 27001. Reliability features include redundant server configurations used by utilities such as Dominion Energy and failover strategies inspired by high-availability designs from Schneider Electric and ABB. Integration with identity providers like Active Directory and Okta is common in enterprise deployments, while safety-critical implementations follow guidance from IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 for functional safety and risk assessment used by firms like BASF and Dow Chemical Company.

Standards and Interoperability

Interoperability is achieved through certification programs run by the OPC Foundation and collaboration with standards organizations such as IEC, IEEE, and IETF. Mappings to industrial standards include ISA-95 for MES integration, ISA-88 for batch control, and data models that align with ISO 15926 in process industries. The ecosystem engages system integrators like ABB and Siemens and software vendors such as OSIsoft for joint interoperability testing and conformance suites used in procurement by companies like ArcelorMittal and Rio Tinto.

Category:Industrial automation