OPC (Openness, Productivity & Collaboration) is a standardized, open, multi-vendor interface that is widely used in automation engineering. A distinction is made between the classic OPC and further developments of the classic version, i.e. OPC XML-DA and OPC UA (Unified Architecture).

SIMOTION supports all three kinds of OPC.

• Classic OPC DA (Data Access) and OPC AE (Alarm & Events) with SIMATIC NET
  By installing the SIMATIC NET PC software on a PC with a Windows 7 or Windows 8 operating system, it is possible to access SIMOTION data and alarms using an OPC client. In this case, the OPC DA and OPC AE server is a component of the SIMATIC NET software and it communicates with SIMOTION by means of the S7 software via PROFIBUS or Ethernet TCP/IP. The OPC server itself is installed on the Windows PC and utilizes Windows COM and DCOM mechanisms to communicate.
• OPC XML-DA
  The OPC XML-DA server of SIMOTION is located directly in the SIMOTION system. The associated OPC client can be installed on any external device. OPC XML-DA uses the SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) communication protocol that employs XML data structures to transfer data content. SOAP utilizes HTTP communication and therefore Ethernet. This open, standardized mechanism is based on web mechanisms. It functions independently of Windows and is thus extremely flexible to use.
• OPC UA
  OPC UA is an advanced version of OPC XML-DA. It has more data transfer mechanisms than its predecessor. In addition to its web service-based XML mechanism, it also offers transmission in purely binary data format via TCP/IP, a method that is optimized for speed and data throughput.?OPC UA provides an object model that permits the integration of automation data (DA), alarms, events (AC) and historical data (HA) and methods into a server. SIMOTION only supports OPC UA-DA. OPC UA fulfills every requirement with respect to security and provides mechanisms that ensure the authentication, confidentiality and integrity of the data exchanged between the client and server.