OPC

OPC is an acronym for OLE for Process Control. The OPC specification is a non-proprietary technical standard that defines a set of standard interfaces based upon Microsoft's OLE/COM technology. The application of the OPC standard interface makes possible interoperability between automation/control applications, field systems/devices and business/office applications. Traditionally, each software or application developer was required to write a custom interface, or server/driver, to exchange data with hardware field devices. OPC eliminates this requirement by defining a common, high performance interface that permits this work to be done once and then easily reused by HMI, SCADA, Manufacturing Intelligence, MES and custom applications.

Wonderware Factelligence® provides a standard Data Source Connector (DSC) to OPC Servers for the reading and writing of data values within the Portal user interfaces and Portal server. OPC has become a common method for data transfer between automation and control applications and business/office systems.

An OPC server provides a standard interface to the OPC objects, allowing client applications to control devices and manage device data in a generic fashion. OPC-enabled applications can communicate with the OPC server, whether that server represents a sensor, a valve or a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). Microsoft's OLE/COM and DCOM technologies are used to realize the client/server model. Wonderware Factelligence provides a direct connection to an unlimited number of OPC Servers.

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