OPC UA: Examples of Digital Reporting Applications for Current Industrial Processes

Abstract

The fourth industrial revolution is obviously well underway. Every day, we have the demonstration through new modes of commercial and industrial organizations. We are faced with major breaks as well related to the evolution of technologies as to the globalization of the economy with the emergence and the maturity of new actors: the challenge of the energy transition, the digital revolution, the protection of our planet, the convergences between human sciences and sciences. This paper presents different applications implemented for “Internet of Things” with Profinet network. These applications can be used on all of the company's processes as part of the Industry of the Future. The OPC standard appeared in the mid-1990s to facilitate exchanges between the world of automation and that of PC-based supervision. The latest OPC UA (Unified Architecture) specifications are now validated. With this new version, the OPC Foundation is revolutionizing its standard of communication between industrial equipment. OPC UA breaks the links that made it inseparable from Microsoft Windows. It can be deployed on all types of platforms. A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) manages a manufacturing process. Seven operator panels also manage the various production recipes. Client n°1 makes the link to other Clients (reporting, E-mail, opening up to a scientific platform). The results are presented and detailed for numerous opportunities for industrial developments.