April 16, 2015 - Industrie 4.0 and Internet of Things (IoT) architectures require consistent communication across all levels while using Internet technologies: both in as well as outside of the factory, for example to cloud-based services. That exactly is what the OPC Foundation and the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) want to account for by defining a common definition of open interfaces between their respective technologies.
Thomas J. Burke, President and Executive Director of the OPC Foundation and Martin Rostan, Executive Director of the ETG signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which both organizations agree to closely co-operate developing these interfaces.
Burke says, “OPC UA has established itself as standard technology for incorporating fieldbus systems in Industrie 4.0 and IoT environments. With EtherCAT Technology Group one of the leading Industrial Ethernet technology organizations, specifically the one with the most members globally has decided for OPC UA. The co-operation between both organizations will soon lead to mature interface definitions, in the way they are being requested by users . “
“We regard OPC UA as an ideal extension to our technologies. EtherCAT is and will stay the technology of choice for high real-time requirements and particularly lean implementation thanks to hardware integration. OPC UA provides a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) with authentication and secure communication into the cloud and to MES systems. Both standards are open and internationally recognized. Combined they are complete, and as such we look forward to the common interface specification,” adds Martin Rostan.
About The OPC Foundation
Since 1996, the OPC Foundation has facilitated the development and adoption of the OPC information exchange standards. As both advocate and custodian of these specifications, the Foundation’s mission is to help industry vendors, end-users, and software developers maintain interoperability in their manufacturing and automation assets. The OPC Foundation is dedicated to providing the best specifications, technology, process and certification to achieve multivendor, multiplatform, secure, reliable interoperability in industrial automation and related domains. The organization serves over 440 members worldwide in the Industrial Automation, IT, IoT, Building Automation, Oil & Gas and Smart Energy sectors.
