What is an OPC Server?

OPC stands for Open Platform Communication, and it is a set of standards developed by the OPC Foundation for industrial automation communication. OPC is a standard protocol for communication between a device to a software application, and then to a software system in an industrial control system. 

An OPC server is a software program that provides data from industrial control systems and process control systems to other software applications or devices. It allows communication between industrial automation systems, such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), remote terminal units (RTUs), and other devices such as human-machine interfaces (HMIs) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.

OPC servers act as a bridge between the industrial devices and the client applications that need to access their data and allows the data to be shared and monitored. They provide a standardized interface for data access and can perform tasks such as data acquisition, real-time monitoring, and historical data retrieval.

Anyone who needs to access real-time data from industrial equipment or processes can use an OPC server. OPC servers are commonly used in industries where continuous and reliable data exchange is critical for operations, process control, and decision making. OPC servers like AUTOSOL’s ACM are used in manufacturing plants, power generation facilities, wastewater facilities, oil and gas refineries, transportation systems, and building automation systems.

The OPC server supports different OPC specifications, such as OPC DA (Data Access), OPC UA (Unified Architecture.) It also includes advanced features such as security, and data filtering. The server can handle large amounts of data and support multiple clients simultaneously.

In summary, the AUTOSOL OPC Server is a powerful tool for industrial automation systems that need reliable, secure, and efficient communication between different devices and software applications. To learn more about AUTOSOL’s OPC server, known widely as AUTOSOL Communication Manager (ACM) click here.