OPC for Various PLCs

Yog · Jul 1, 2016

Hi,

Suggest me the the OPC server which supports various PLCs and also be accessible to read/write data through third party software or scripts (especially java).

If possible, suggest the supported third party software or scripts to access OPC Server.

Thanks

Saffa · Jul 1, 2016

Most OPC servers are specific to a single protocol. You buy the one for the PLC you're using.

Check out Matrikon OPC

CapinWinky · Jul 1, 2016

OPC is a common standard, so all OPC servers should support all OPC clients and if that is not the case, one or the other has failed to comply.

In order to be compatible with 3rd party scripting, and OPC DA server would need a separate API since DA uses DCOM and so is Windows only. OPC UA is open source and cross platform, so you should be able to implement an OPC UA in java (or download one someone else already wrote).

This is the opensource implementation of OPC UA in C/C++: http://www.openopcua.org/

If you want an OPC server package most likely to do what you want for the least amount of effor, Kepware is very capable, but quite expensive.

CapinWinky · Jul 1, 2016

Saffa said:
Most OPC servers are specific to a single protocol. You buy the one for the PLC you're using.

I think you're confusing HMI driver with OPC. OPC, like Modbus, is a standard protocol. Some clients or servers might not implement every option in the protocol, but they should all be able to pass data.

Saffa · Jul 1, 2016

The OP was asking about OPC servers which support various PLCs. I'm assuming he's asking about an OPC server which exposes PLC tags / addresses via OPC.

To me it looks like the OP is looking to write his own OPC client of some form.

AshleyParr · Jul 1, 2016

Ive always used kepware (https://www.kepware.com/products/kepserverex/)

great product, never had any issues with it. Works with loads of different protocols, once you buy the driver for them. Also the free demo download is really useful, majority of the features are there with a lot of drivers available. As it is a demo theres a 2 hour usage period at a time.

nhatsen · Jul 1, 2016

Questions

Yog said:
Suggest me the the OPC server which supports various PLCs...

a) What it means "various PLCs"? Several PLCs of the same brand or different brand?
b) Which OS will be used to run the OPC server? (Windows, Linux...)

gripster · Jul 1, 2016

AshleyParr said:
Ive always used kepware (https://www.kepware.com/products/kepserverex/)

great product, never had any issues with it. Works with loads of different protocols, once you buy the driver for them. Also the free demo download is really useful, majority of the features are there with a lot of drivers available. As it is a demo theres a 2 hour usage period at a time.

Yup I second these, never used them before then had to deal with an S7 400H redundant system, Kepware managed it, and that was with our own client. Support was good as well.

Stephen Luft · Jul 1, 2016

Yog,

If you are looking to download the KepserverEX software, which is not a demo, but the actual software with a run time restriction of 2 hours, you can download it through the following link:

http://www.eternity-sales.com/Kepware/kepwaredownloads.htm

Let me know what drivers you will require for your application and I can help you determine the best configuration to purchase.

Disclosure: ESI is an authorized Kepware distributor.

Yog · Jul 3, 2016

HI,

I am currently using PLCs with different brands (Siemens, Mitsubishi, Allen Bradley, ABB, etc). So I m looking for OPC server supports most of the PLCs running in Windows platform. So that I can create my own OPC client using Scripts (Java...) or any other technology accessible to the OPC server.

As I am creating own OPC Client, I need unified OPC server to support most of the PLCs. Since it is time consuming to create OPC clients for different OPC servers.

Yog · Jul 3, 2016

AshleyParr said:
Ive always used kepware (https://www.kepware.com/products/kepserverex/)

great product, never had any issues with it. Works with loads of different protocols, once you buy the driver for them. Also the free demo download is really useful, majority of the features are there with a lot of drivers available. As it is a demo theres a 2 hour usage period at a time.

Thanks for the suggestion, but whether it can be accessible to read/write data using any scripts?

Yog · Jul 3, 2016

AshleyParr said:
Ive always used kepware (https://www.kepware.com/products/kepserverex/)

great product, never had any issues with it. Works with loads of different protocols, once you buy the driver for them. Also the free demo download is really useful, majority of the features are there with a lot of drivers available. As it is a demo theres a 2 hour usage period at a time.

nhatsen said:
a) What it means "various PLCs"? Several PLCs of the same brand or different brand?
b) Which OS will be used to run the OPC server? (Windows, Linux...)

HI,

I am currently using PLCs with different brands (Siemens, Mitsubishi, Allen Bradley, ABB, etc). So I m looking for OPC server supports most of the PLCs running in Windows platform. So that I can create my own OPC client using Scripts (Java...) or any other technology accessible to the OPC server.

As I am creating own OPC Client, I need unified OPC server to support most of the PLCs. Since it is time consuming to create OPC clients for different OPC servers.

Stephen Luft · Jul 5, 2016

Yog,

Based on the last few posts, you would want to consider the Manufacturing Suite:

http://www.eternity-sales.com/kepware/serverbundles-ms.htm

A list of the drivers is provided. A data sheet is also provided through this web page of ours.

Another item you may want to consider if you are creating an OPC client is ClientAce.

http://www.eternity-sales.com/Kepware/clientace.htm

KepserverEX provides you with the ability to read and write to tags.

If you have any further questions, feel free to post, pm or email me through the link provided below.

Disclosure - ESI is an authorized Kepware Distributor.

danw · Jul 5, 2016

Yog said:
Since it is time consuming to create OPC clients for different OPC servers.

The base concept of OPC is that any OPC client talks to any OPC server.

I sat through an OPC Foundation seminar in which they showed slides of their testing marathon that they run periodically so that those developing commercial OPC client/servers can test them in live circumstances. It's reportedly a brutal reality check.

Writing an OPC server that only talks to one specific OPC client isn't really OPC, it's something proprietary.

Mark- · Jul 5, 2016

Hello,

Yog said:
HI,
As I am creating own OPC Client, I need unified OPC server to support most of the PLCs. Since it is time consuming to create OPC clients for different OPC servers.

I think there is a misunderstanding.

OPC for Various PLCs

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