President’s Welcome – June 2021

Welcome,

Please remember my previous Welcome article announcing a series of OPC UA for IT/Cloud activities including:

The “UA for Cloud Library” joint working group (JWG) together with CESMII for data models stored in the cloud
Cloud confederation for cross-platform data exchange – this initiative has started and completed a first specification under DIN 92222. It has been a pleasure for the OPC Foundation to cooperate with DIN to continue and extend this important work.
Definition of method calls, and single data reads/writes via MQTT in the works
The OPC Foundation’s “IIoT Starter Kit” as an important piece to show how easy it is to use OPC UA via MQTT to publish or subscribe data – but make use of standardized data and all other additional OPC UA services which are missing in MQTT only

I am very proud of the teams that worked hard to be able to deliver all the related content at the upcoming OPC Day International in multiple sessions – we have an exciting agenda.

Detailed Agenda and Registration here: OPC Day 2021 – International – OPC Foundation

Introducing OPC UAcademic Program

The OPC Foundation has a long-standing tradition of working closely with academic institutions from around the world. As such, we are excited to launch the OPC UAcademic program as a logical next-step in that relationship to address a common market need.

Regional Corner: Asean/Singapore

In March 2021 we initiated the new “Reginal Corner” to report about OPC Foundation around the world. Starting with China here and Japan here in the previous newsletter, it’s a pleasure to highlight the OPC Hub ASEAN/Singapore here this time.

Congratulations to Ethernet-APL Project!

We are a very prominent main sponsor at Achema Pulse 2021 on June 15/16, 2021 to showcase OPC UA offerings for the process automation industry. In total the OPC Foundation will run 10 presentations, two live panel discussions with interesting topics on field and IT integration, and three workshops dedicated to “OPC UA in the Process Industry”. Just last year we joined the Ethernet-APL initiative; their excellent work over the years now results in the announcement of: “Ethernet-APL specifications are done and products are entering the market”.

In our view, users will benefit from these four important building blocks:

The world’s largest ecosystem for secured industrial interoperability
OPC UA as the framework for secure information exchange
Standardized information models and semantics – such as the UA-based DEXPI, MDIS, PA-DIM, ProdML, WITSML, VDMA Weighing / Pumps / Mining / OPC UA for Machinery, and more
Ethernet APL connectivity from the edge to field devices

OPC Foundation at Achema Pulse: Achema Pulse 2021 – virtual – OPC Foundation

Upcoming Events Wrap-Up

The first physical fairs will take place again towards the end of 2021. We are planning the SPS fair in November 2021 as a physical event with a 270 sqm booth space.

See call for participation here: https://opcfoundation.org/news-events/events/

Until then, the OPC Foundation will actively participate in various upcoming virtual activities:

June 8-10, 2021 OPC Day International (virtual)
Register today at https://opcfoundation.org/event-details/?ee=257 and participate over three days (running twice per day to cover all time zones) of firsthand OPC Foundation and OPC UA information.
June 15/16, 2021 Achema Pulse (virtual)
The OPC Foundation actively supports the activities of the “Ethernet APL Initiative” at this event. Learn about the essential factors and the most important enablers for digitalization in the process industry: please join our two live panel discussions, ten presentations, and three workshops. See details: Achema Pulse 2021 – virtual – OPC Foundation.
June, 16-18, 2021 OPC UA Interoperability Workshop, Japan (virtual)
In 2021, the OPC Foundation is organizing the next worldwide, virtual IOP Workshop (online), which will connect OPC enabled products from all around the world to ensure global interoperability and Plug & Play solutions. The “host” for this event will be OPC Japan. Vendors can test and debug their products against one another for interoperability, robustness, and reliability. Save on traveling costs while increasing the quality of your product! Register here: OPC Interoperability Workshop, Japan – OPC Foundation (contact compliance[AT]opcfoundation.org for last minute registration).

Enjoy reading this edition of OPC Connect!