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OPC Interview: OPC Test Lab Certifications By Bill Lydon, Automation.com
The OPC Foundation is launching certification labs to ensure a high level of quality and reliability of OPC products.
Automation.coms Contributing Editor Bill Lydon interviewed Tom Burke, OPC Foundation President & Executive Director and Paul Hunkar, Director of Compliance for the OPC Foundation and Consultant engineer for ABB, to learn more about the certification.
OPC Security: Seven Years, Seven Fears
- 11/24/08 Automated Buildings, October 2008
By Eric Murphy, MatrikonOPC
The first OPC Security specification was released in 2000, and the next major OPC security revision, OPC UA Security, was released in 2007, seven years later. Its said that a little fear is a good thing. Here are seven security fears every OPC systems owner should consider, and what OPC options exist to soothe them.
Do PLCs Eliminate Need for a DCS? By Bill Lydon, Contributing Editor
In the past it was fairly easy to determine whether a PLC or a DCS was right for an application but in recent years this has become more difficult. It is argued that more powerful PLC products coupled with new software tools provide an integrated process control system rivaling a distributed control system (DCS) for process control applications.
Legacy Building Automation Integration By Advantech
The S4 Group, a building automation software company, used a BACnet-N2 Router to bring information from electric power monitoring meters, building and network infrastructure equipment, and other devices into legacy Johnson Controls Metasys building automation systems.
Building from Worker to the Queen Automation World, September 2008
By Rob Spiegel
BP Pipelines of North America, in Forest City, Ill., decided to add leak detection to the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system to monitor pipeline leakage. The challenge was to feed process data from the Sybase database to the leak detection system. Cogent Industrial Technologies used a OPC DataHub to make the connection.
Cogent releases OPC DataHub Web Demo
- 11/25/08 OPC DataHub demo lets anyone using a PDA or cell phone interact with a live system to view data in real time, and to send commands for controlling the system.
OPC - Fundamentals, Implementation and Application By Frank Iwanitz and Jürgen Lange
Describes the fundamentals of OPC, introduces existing and evolving specifications, explains the process of designing and implementing components, demonstrates the technology based on sample applications, and provides a glimpse into the future of OPC. Third edition, 251 pages, soft cover with CD-ROM. $95.
OPC Unified Architecture Textbook By Wolfgang Mahnke, Stefan-Helmut Leitner and Matthias Damm.
This book gives an easy to understand introduction into OPC UA and explains the concepts of the standard and other relevant topics that are not directly addressed by the standard. Hardcover book, 300 pages, due to be published January 2009. Advance orders being taken now. $64.09.
MatrikonOPC Level 1 & 2 - OPC Integration and Diagnostics The workshop will be made up of lectures, PowerPoint presentations, and hands-on exercises. It will be an open and friendly environment that encourages discussion and participation. Students are welcome to discuss current connectivity issues they are faced with and learn from one another.
OPC Level 4 - OPC Application Programming October 31, 2008 Houston, TX
The MatrikonOPC course focuses on the detailed description of the OPC DA specifications, and hands on development of OPC clients and servers, and standard software interface requirements. $995.
Level 1 & 2 - OPC Integration and Diagnostics November 12-13, 2008 Edmonton, AB, Canada
For engineers, developers and integrators who are integrating new systems, expanding current operations, replacing legacy equipment and looking for ways to improve data communication. MatrikonOPC hands-on workshops provide a practical approach to learn and understand the methods of accessing data through OPC technology.
OPC DataHub connects new and existing systems By Cogent
BPs control center in Tulsa, Oklahoma is responsible for the transport of oil and natural gas from South-Central and Midwest oil fields to locations nationwide. They decided to add leak detection to their SCADA system. The challenge was to feed process data from Sybase database to the leak detection system, which had available an OPC server.
exiderdome -- A spectacular multimedia traveling expo Multiple Cities Through May 2009
Join Siemens in this exciting, hands-on environment where you will experience and learn more about vital, innovative technologies and strategies from around the world that will transform the way you do business.
Grid-Interop 2008 November 11-13, 2008 Atlanta, GA
The Grid-Interop Forum enlists industry involvement in defining actionable steps needed to facilitate the interoperation of the growing number of automation systems that manage the nations electric system. OPC Foundation will participate.
ARC's Winning Strategies and Best Practices for Sustainable Manufacturing Forum Orlando, February 2-5, 2009
Sustainable manufacturing is a socially, environmentally, and resource-responsible approach to manufacturing. ARC's Forum defines sustainability in terms that are actionable for a manufacturing business. Learn the strategies, technologies, and practices to address your companys challenges for sustainability.
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