Software Toolbox Technical Blog

Video Tutorial: Using OmniServer with Ignition SCADA via OPC UA

2 min read

By Kevin Rutherford on Mar 26, 2020 2:00:00 PM


OmniServer's connectivity and data parsing capabilities are its primary job; however, they are only the part of how OmniServer helps with integrating non-standard devices with Inductive Automation's Ignition HMI/SCADA.  How does the device data actually make it into Ignition?

In this video blog, I'll show you how to make an OPC UA client connection from Ignition to OmniServer for integrating process data from all of your "other" devices that don't have a standard, off-the-shelf driver - and all without the expense and headaches of having to write custom code.

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Video Tutorial: Real-Time Collection for Mitsubishi Ethernet

1 min read

By Kevin Rutherford on Mar 19, 2020 2:00:00 PM


If you're reading this, you likely have at least one Mitsubishi PLC being used in your industrial process and need to integrate data from that process.

In this video blog, I'll show you how to get started using our Mitsubishi Ethernet driver to connect and gather real-time process data from Mitsubishi PLCs for AVEVA formerly Wonderware applications.

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Accessing AVEVA formerly Wonderware Software from OPC UA Clients

2 min read

By Kevin Rutherford on Mar 12, 2020 2:00:00 PM


Have you ever been in a situation where you were working with both AVEVA formerly Wonderware software and some other client (HMI, SCADA, other) and needed to share data?  Perhaps your company acquired another company or assets and a non-Wonderware HMI/SCADA came as part of the assets.  Or perhaps your company merged with another and now your Wonderware system is expected to play nicely with some other system.  Your options for sharing data largely depend on what software interfaces this "other system" supports.

In this video blog post, we walk through step-by-step how to share your AVEVA formerly Wonderware software data via OPC UA for situations where you're working with an OPC UA capable client application that needs access to process data in your Wonderware system.

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Video Tutorial: Using Cogent DataHub with OPC UA Client Applications

2 min read

By Kevin Rutherford on Mar 5, 2020 2:00:00 PM


Cogent DataHub enables a wide range of connectivity interfaces for different data sources such as OPC UA, OPC DA, ODBC, DDE and so much more.  As such, DataHub is a flexible gateway commonly used for data integration by external software such as HMI, SCADA, MES, historians and other client applications.

In this video blog, I'll show you how to make a secure OPC UA connection from OPC UA clients supporting the Data Access profile to DataHub for integrating process data from a myriad of data sources.

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Video Tutorial: Using TOP Server with OPC UA Client Applications

2 min read

By Kevin Rutherford on Feb 27, 2020 2:00:00 PM


TOP Server for AVEVA™, formerly Wonderware connectivity to hundreds of device types and protocols is only part of how TOP Server helps with integrating industrial process data with external software such as AVEVA™ System Platform, formerly Wonderware and other client applications.  How does the device data actually make it into the client?

In this video blog, I'll show you how to make a secure OPC UA connection from OPC UA clients supporting the Data Access profile to TOP Server for integrating process data from the wide variety of device vendors and protocols that TOP Server supports.  We cover the basics of configuring the OPC UA server interface in TOP Server and making an OPC UA connection using an OPC UA test client.

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DataHub Enables Modular Procedural Automation at Air Liquide

8 min read

By Win Worrall on Feb 20, 2020 2:00:00 PM


If you're unfamiliar with Modular Procedural Automation (MPA), it helps automate start-up, shutdown and other data-driven procedures in a process, increasing efficiency, optimizing production, and reducing wear and tear on equipment.  Additionally, MPA helps increase operator productivity and confidence.

Adapted from the case study in Control Magazine, this blog post covers how Air Liquide, a world leader in chemicals manufacturing, is migrating to MPA using OPC UA and OPC bridging to lower startup time by over 60% and increase production to over 500 additional tons of liquid oxygen (LOX) resulting in increased profitability.

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Video Tutorial: Using OmniServer with OPC UA Client Applications

2 min read

By Kevin Rutherford on Feb 13, 2020 2:00:00 PM


OmniServer's connectivity and data parsing capabilities are only part of how OmniServer helps with integrating non-standard devices with external software such as HMI, SCADA, MES, historians and other client application.  How does the device data actually make it into the client?

In this video blog, I'll show you how to make a secure OPC UA connection from OPC UA clients supporting the Data Access profile to OmniServer for integrating process data from all of your "other" devices where there isn't a standard, off-the-shelf driver - all without the cost and effort of having to write a custom driver.

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Exploring OPC UA - Symmetric vs Asymmetric Encryption

8 min read

By Marc Holbach on Feb 6, 2020 2:00:00 PM


In the first post of our ongoing Exploring OPC UA blog series, we covered the three functions that OPC UA Certificates (also known as Application Certificates) serve in the context of OPC UA security.

In this second post, we'll take a look at what happens to messages after you have trusted the application certificates and have enabled security on the OPC UA endpoint. Specifically, what does Sign&Encrypt mean on an endpoint and how can we be sure that the data is truly secure.

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