What is OPC?

What is an OPC Server?

What is an OPC Client?

Description:

The Tag List Generator (TLG) is a Windows™ based application dedicated to setup the control data network (composed of LC700 controllers) and generate a unique TAG for every variable involved in the system. The TLG generates a complete system variable database to the LC700 OPC Server. It builds a table with all Tags used in the project network. Channels can be created and associated to devices defining a complete network. Redundant communication channels can be assigned for each LC700 cpu. The final output carries a List of Tags with corresponding Modbus addresses and host devices that will be registered for use in the Smar OPC700 Server.

The created Tag List will then be registered in a PC (Windows NT-SP4 and higher) for further use by the LC700 OPC Server.

The LC700 OPC server is a Windows™ based application developed by Smar. Based on a given Tag List it can access data from one or more LC700 CPUs and make the data available for any OPC client in the network.

The LC700 OPC server can get data from the CPU-700 modules through serial ports or Ethernet connections.

Benefits:

The great advantage in using this technology is that through any OPC DA V2.05 Client software users can refer to any variable only by the Tag.

In the case of a change in the LC700 configuration the user doesn't need to worry about new physical addresses but only in regenerating the Tag list.

The OPC Server will be able to read the new Tag List generated after the changes made in the LC700 configuration and get all necessary information to refer to any variable in the device.

Tag List version 8 allows to enter scaled values for any raw variable (INT, WORD, DWORD, REAL) in the device or convert to float.

Tag Scaling allows users to work with variables in engineering units.

• Compatible with CONF700 v7 or higher.
  
• The OPC Server supports Connection Redundancy. If system detects a communication problem with the main connection the Redundant channel takes over. For example: Consider an application where the LC700 Server is monitoring points from 3 different LC700s in an ethernet, they are also connected through a redundant path using another ethernet network. In this case if the main connection fails the redundant one takes over.
  
• The OPC Server also provides Status information which gives HMI the information about the communication and redundant ports.
  

New in Version 8:

• Supports Float and Engineering Units variable conversion.
  
• New interface for more visibility and automatic background variable list update.
  

What is OPC?

OPC is a world wide standard for communication of process control data. It standardizes on a technology rather than on a product.

OPC eliminates the requirement of custom designing the interface and drivers needed for moving information around different computing solutions and platforms in an enterprise. It increases the efficiency by increasing the development speed and cutting down the costs.

It is a widely accepted industry standard which uses the client-server technology for interchanging parameter values between applications.

What is an OPC Server?

OPC Servers are drivers typically written by the product manufacturer according to standards defined by the OPC foundation. It is a program that runs in the background collecting data from different devices and make them available (as a list of TAGs) to any compatible OPC Client application.

What is an OPC Client?

OPC Client is an application program (HMI, Panel Viewer, MMI..) that interacts with any OPC Server to get or send data through out the list TAGs.