What is OPC UA Open Platform Communications?
OPC (Open Platform Communications) is a set of standards for interoperability between industrial control systems and computers. It is a widely used communication protocol in the industrial automation industry, and it enables the exchange of data between different devices and systems from different manufacturers. OPC is based on the client/server architecture, where OPC clients send requests for data or to perform certain actions to OPC servers, which provide access to the data or perform the requested actions. OPC servers are typically connected to the field devices, such as sensors, actuators, and controllers, and expose their data and functionality to OPC clients. OPC clients can be any type of software application that needs to access and control the field devices, such as HMI (Human-Machine Interface) software, SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems, or custom applications. OPC supports various communication protocols, including serial protocols like R...