The first products to use the OPC-Unified Architecture (UA) specification will roll out early next year as a result of efforts underway by companies that have joined the OPC-UA Early Adopter Program.
Over 30 companies announced support for the next-generation OPC specification, which is based on Web services and provides a connection between plant-floor devices and the enterprise.
ICONICS, Wonderware, GE Fanuc, Kepware Technologies, and Softing North America Inc. joined OPC president Tom Burke at a press conference in June to offer details of new UA-based HMI, SCADA, MES, and connectivity tools.
The products will include a technology wrapper providing a migration path to UA for existing legacy systems and earlier OPC versions based on COM/DCOM.
This article originally appeared in the August issue of Managing Automation magazine.