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Schneider Electric Implementation

OPC-UA for Schneider Electric

Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture - platform-independent standard for industrial communication and data exchange.

Type: Industrial EthernetSpeed: Network dependentReleased: 2008Organization: OPC Foundation
Network dependent
Bandwidth
Unlimited
Max Nodes
Network dependent
Max Distance
No
Real-Time

Protocol Overview

Schneider Electric M580/M340 support OPC UA via EcoStruxure Machine Expert or third-party gateways. M580 V3.0+ has integrated OPC UA server. Control Expert provides tag export to OPC UA namespace.

When to Use OPC-UA

Choose OPC-UA for enterprise integration, cloud connectivity, multi-vendor environments, or Industry 4.0 initiatives requiring secure data exchange.

Schneider Electric Hardware Requirements

Compatible Communication Modules

M580 CPU V3.0+ (built-in OPC UA server)
M340 via EcoStruxure gateway
BMXNOE0110 Ethernet module

Wiring Details

Network Setup

Standard TCP/IP Ethernet. Port 4840 default. Separate Ethernet service port on M580 for OPC UA recommended.

Configuration

Control Expert: Tools > OPC UA Server Configuration. Enable server, configure security policy, select variables to publish.

Schneider Electric Software & Programming

Function Blocks & Instructions

Built-in OPC UA server (M580 V3.0+)
Variable selection and filtering
Security and certificate management

Schneider Electric Code Example

// Control Expert OPC UA configuration:
// 1. Tools > OPC UA Server > Activate
// 2. Server endpoint: opc.tcp://192.168.1.10:4840
// 3. Security mode: Sign and Encrypt
// 4. Published variables: Select from %MW, %IW, %QW
// 5. Naming: Use symbolic names from application

// OPC UA address space:
// Server: M580_PLC
// Namespace: ns=4
// Node: ns=4;s="Application"."HoldingTank".Temperature
// Access: Read/Write based on variable type

Schneider Electric-Specific Implementation Notes

M580 V3.0+ has native OPC UA server. Alarms and events supported via Schneider's event model. Redundant M580 systems: OPC UA server automatically fails over. Security via Schneider's certificate management. Integration with EcoStruxure Control Expert for unified configuration.

Technical Specifications

Physical Layer

  • Physical Layer: IP-based
  • Cable Type: Any IP network media
  • Topology: Any IP network topology
  • Power Over Cable: No

Data Layer

  • Data Link: TCP/IP or SOAP/HTTPS
  • Encoding: Binary or XML
  • Error Detection: Built-in security
  • Frame Size: Network dependent

Performance

  • Scan Time: Configurable subscription rates
  • Deterministic: No
  • Real-Time: No

Certification

  • Certification Required: No
  • License Cost: Open source implementations available, commercial stacks vary
  • Version: 1.05

Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages

  • ✓Platform and vendor independent
  • ✓Built-in security (encryption, authentication)
  • ✓Rich information modeling
  • ✓Works across firewalls
  • ✓Supports complex data structures
  • ✓Historical data access
  • ✓Pub/sub and client/server models
  • ✓Industry 4.0 and IoT ready

Disadvantages

  • ✗Not designed for hard real-time
  • ✗Higher complexity than traditional protocols
  • ✗More computing resources required
  • ✗Learning curve for information modeling
  • ✗Overhead for simple applications

Common Use Cases & Applications

Enterprise system integration
MES/ERP connectivity
Cloud and IoT applications
Cross-platform data exchange
Industry 4.0 implementations
Historian integration
Multi-vendor system integration

Industry Adoption

Adoption LevelHigh and growing rapidly
Market ShareGrowing rapidly as Industry 4.0 standard
Geographic PresenceWorldwide
Primary Industries
All industriesParticularly strong in Process IndustriesPharmaceuticalsDiscrete Manufacturing

Supported Message Types

Read
Write
Subscribe
Method calls
Events
Historical access

Supported PLC Brands

SiemensAllen-BradleySchneider ElectricABBBeckhoff
B&R
Mitsubishi
Omron

Quick Links

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