OPC DA Client or Gateway

I use B&R PLCs and Node-Red.

The PLC is capable of both OPC-DA and OPC-UA, or rather was.

Since I last updated the runtime, the OPC-DA option is no longer present in the configuration. Only the UA option. If you have access to the PLC program and can enable OPCUA, that will be by far better than using DA.

You did mention PVI, is this an ARwin installation? E.g, is this a B&R PC or PLC?

Hi Vinzenz,

I think you can only get OPC UA from B&R when it is enabled in the project in Automation Studio. They don’t seem to offer it as part of Automation Net where the PVI and OPC DA live.

You can use Softing Datafeed as an independent OPC UA server for B&R without needing the much dreaded B&R licence for PVI but it isn’t free either. I wonder how Softing bypasses the PVI licence requirement....

Also, we are about to write our own Python shell script to link OpenOpc with python OPC UA. Contact me if you want to know how that is going. I don’t know if we will be able to run this on the old Automation PC without impacting on their performance. We’ll see.

Regards
Koen

I think the B&R plc support a lot of protocols. Have you considered using the plc as a modbus master? Then you can use the Node Red Modbus node.

I haven`t tested it myselve, but I guess it could work.

Ola

It does work. Not as elegantly as OPCUA though.

One thought I just had, the OP may be in a position where he does not have access to the source code in the PLC to change the communications to OPCUA. In B&R land, you must have the source code in order to make changes as there is no "upload" button. Unless the original programmer opted to store the source code on the PLC.

Have you checked opc expert? It might be cheaper than an full opc da/ua server like kepware or matrikon. It`s ment to be installed on top of a da server to make it «look like» ua.

Ola

It is finally here: [Announce] node-red-contrib-opc-da :tada:

Did you try to connect with MX OPC Server 6.0 ?

I try it but always give me this message " 2147942405 - Unknown error!" :joy:

do you have any document for communication between the mx opc da to opc da client . i tried in many ways but failed .can you please help on this

is it compatible to mx opc da server(mitsubhusi scada)

As it is OPC (Open Process Control) yes, it is compatible. Error 2147942405 is a DCOM error. You need to read up on DCOM settings and apply them correctly. It can be difficult to configure and is often unique to your infrastructure and security policies - you will simply have to search the internet and learn about setting up DCOM.

I did but again it showing the below-attached error image .can you please tell me how to set the DCOM setting and could you please provide any document related to MX OPC da server and node-red da client

OPC stood earlier for "OLE for Process Control" and today "Open Platform Communications"

1 Like

Oops - I mixed the 2 up :smiley:

Yes, search the internet, read the MX OPC Help files

MX OPC has built in help (F1)

If the built in node help is insufficient or the nodes readme.md is insufficient :- you will have to search the forum, ask the author, work it out or wait for someone to respond to your question.

thank you .i will try

Try solution provided here. It utilizes full features provided by IIS so it is ready as an Edge connection or Gateway. It uses JSON as return so various clients can benefit from this format. Very simple installation and almost zero configuration to run. This new approach is worth a try no matter what client you are using.

@opcAnywhere hi I'm trying to use the solution and I found this error Add appPool OPCPool failed

@magon202 Your question already addressed in discussion section.

Have you thought of using OPC Expert and then either OPC UA to destination or even MQTT. You would determine the data you want upfront so only sending that to the cloud and use the publish/subscribe method.

OPC UA tunneling could also be used between source and target rather than MQTT- Either seems quite simple with this software.

I am getting error while connecting OPC server using OPC DA Read node. Any solution?
Error: Exception occured while forming Session Security Type3Response