Innovations, solutions expertise and highest quality are key characteristics of the German mechanical engineering industry and Industrie 4.0 is exactly that. It is about integration of information and internet technologies in the production and factories. Goal ist the development of new innovative products and solutions based on profitable costs. The German machine and plant engineering sector is a key supplier of industrial 4.0 technologies. These companies integrate the latest technologies in its products and processes. They represent also the data source for Industrie 4.0: The companies of the German machine and plant engineering sector capture the data, interpret it, use it for innovation and develope new business models.
An important basis and the central challenge for the successful implementation of Industrie 4.0 is the manufacturer-independent exchange of data by establishing uniform interfaces in production.
The standard “Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture” (OPC UA) is increasingly establishing itself in the field of machine and plant engineering. OPC UA is an open interface standard that defines the mechanisms of cooperation in the industrial environment. It enables the industry to integrate its products and its production by information and communications technologies (ICT). Machines and plants can be redesigned as required by plug & work – irrespective of which manufacturers the machines and components originate. What is already common in the office environment with network interfaces and the USB standard will also be a reality in production. Condition monitoring, predictive maintenance and the optimization of production can be implemented independent of the manufacturer.
The VDMA prioritizes its activities on the interface standard OPC UA and gives an important orientation to machine and plant engineering sector. The VDMA guideline “Industrie 4.0 Communication Guideline Based on OPC UA” should be understood as a practice-oriented tool. It shows action steps that help to implement the industry 4.0 communication in the company. Industrie 4.0 is a development path on the way to the future of production. With this guideline, the VDMA realizes a further implementation module for the practice and extends the successful VDMA- Guideline series.
Special thanks go to Prof. Dr. Oliver Niggemann and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Jasper- neite from the Fraunhofer Application Center Industrial Automation (IOSB-INA) for the scientific preparation of the VDMA guideline. In addition, it is important to thank the participating VDMA members for their commitment.
The VDMA guideline “Industrie 4.0 Communication Guideline Based on OPC UA” is thus also an example of the excellent cooperation and networking of the German machine and plant manufacturers.
We wish you all an interesting and inspiring reading.