System 800xA Training

Chapter 15 OPC Connectivity

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 15 OPC Connectivity ....................................................................................................................................................... 1

15.1 General Information........................................................................................................................................................... 2
15.1.1 Objectives ................................................................................................................................................................... 2
15.1.2 Legend ........................................................................................................................................................................ 2
15.1.3 Reference Documentation........................................................................................................................................... 2
15.2 OPC Communication......................................................................................................................................................... 3
15.2.1 OPC Standard ............................................................................................................................................................. 3
15.2.2 Structure and Data Flow ............................................................................................................................................. 4
15.2.3 MMS Server................................................................................................................................................................ 5
15.2.4 OPC Terms ................................................................................................................................................................. 5
15.2.5 Controller CPU Load .................................................................................................................................................. 6
15.2.6 AfW OPC Service Model ........................................................................................................................................... 6
15.3 OPC Server Configuration................................................................................................................................................. 8
15.3.1 How to Setup Data Access Connection ...................................................................................................................... 8
15.3.2 How to Setup Alarm and Event Connection ............................................................................................................... 9
15.3.3 Save Cold Retain Values ............................................................................................................................................ 9
15.3.4 How to Load Configuration Automatically at Startup .............................................................................................. 10
15.4 OPC Configuration in System 800xA.............................................................................................................................. 12
15.4.1 How to Setup OPC Data Access Connectivity ......................................................................................................... 12
15.4.2 How to Setup OPC Alarm and Event Connectivity .................................................................................................. 14
15.5 Check OPC Connectivity................................................................................................................................................. 17
15.5.1 Check Control Object Properties .............................................................................................................................. 17
15.5.2 Check the System Services ....................................................................................................................................... 19
15.5.3 Controller Diagnostic................................................................................................................................................ 20
15.6 Name Uploader................................................................................................................................................................ 21
15.6.1 Problem Description ................................................................................................................................................. 21
15.6.2 Names and Description Parameters .......................................................................................................................... 22
15.6.3 How to Run the Name Uploader............................................................................................................................... 23

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15.1 General Information

15.1.1 Objectives
On completion of this chapter you will be able to:
• Describe communication structure and data flow
• Set up OPC connectivity
• Verify communication (live data)
• Explain the Name Uploader

15.1.2 Legend
> Indicates when you go from one menu to a sub-menu
Italic Indicates object and file names
“ “ Indicates dialog box buttons, tabs, menus etc.
Bold Indicates important topics
Indicates start/explanation of student activity

15.1.3 Reference Documentation

3BSE035983 Industrial IT 800xA – Control and I/O
OPC Server for AC 800M – Configuration
3BSE041434 Industrial IT 800xA - System
System Guide – Technical Data
3BSE043732 Industrial IT 800xA – Control and I/O
Application Programming – Introduction and Design

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15.2 OPC Communication

15.2.1 OPC Standard

OPC stands for OLE for Process Control. OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) is a
Microsoft technology for objects to interact with each other. OLE is based on COM or
DCOM.
OLE allows placement of “embedded objects” and “linked objects” in a document that
retains the native data used to create them (or a “link” to that data) as well as format
information. In simpler terms, the ‘clipboard’ metaphor of ‘cut’, ‘copy’, and ‘paste’.
A double-click allowed the object data to be automatically brought back into the
original editor.

The OPC Foundation is a non-profit corporation that has established a set of standard
OLE/COM interface protocols advancing interoperability between automation/control
applications, field system/devices and business/office applications in the process
control world.

While OLE was originally designed for office applications (e.g. Word, Excel). OPC
technology is an extension of that protocol for industrial applications.
NOTE! OPC is an open standard.
www.opcfoundation.org

OPC provides a mechanism to provide data from a data source and communicate the
data to any client application in a standard way.
OPC is a group defined protocol for process control data communication. It has three
interfaces as follows:
• OPC Data Access for real time data
• OPC Historical Data Access for historical data
• OPC Alarm and Event for event data

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15.2.2 Structure and Data Flow

The OPC Server for AC 800M is needed for reading run-time data or alarms and
events from controllers. The OPC Server for AC 800M consists of the following parts:
OPC Data Access Server
The OPC Data Access Server provides data from controllers programmed with
Control Builder through an OPC Data Access 2.0 and 1.0A interface.
OPC Alarm and Event Server
The OPC Alarm and Event Server generate a stream of information, mostly event
notifications, and distribute them to the Alarm and Event clients. OPC Alarm and
Event 1.02 standard is supported.

Aspect
Server

Connectivity
Server

The OPC Server must be installed in the same physical node as the Connectivity
Server.
There are a number of basic rules that applies:
• One OPC Server is allowed to subscribe to data from a maximum of 24 PM861
controllers, or the equivalent number of variables from other controller types.
• A maximum of three OPC Servers are allowed to subscribe to Data Access and/or
Alarm and Event from one controller.
• Multiple OPC Clients can subscribe to data or event notifications from the same
OPC Server.
• A third-party OPC Client should, if possible, be installed on the same PC as the
OPC Server.

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15.2.3 MMS Server

The MMS Server resembles a switchboard between the OPC Server and the Control
Network. The server is automatically installed when the Control Builder, or the OPC
Server is installed, so no further action is required.

MMS stands for “Manufacturing Message Specification” and is an ISO 9506 standard.
For further information look at:
www.nettedautomation.com/standardization/ISO/TC184/SC5/WG2

The protocol defines communication messages transferred between controllers as well

as between the engineering station (such as Control Builder) and the controller (e.g.
downloading an application or reading/writing variables).
It has been developed especially for industrial applications. The protocol can be used
on many different networks, but preferably on the TCP/IP network, which is the most
commonly used network today.

15.2.4 OPC Terms

Data is passed between OPC Servers and OPC Clients via subscriptions made to OPC
Items (tags).
OPC Server
OPC Server is a software application that establishes a connection to the field device
and serves data to OPC compliant applications.

OPC Item
This is the syntax (tag name) used to reference a register or bit location in the field
device (PLC, valve, power monitor meter etc…)

OPC Client
OPC Client is a software application that attaches to an OPC Server application and
establishes the OPC Items it wishes to read/write.

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15.2.5 Controller CPU Load

Communication handling has the lowest priority in an AC 800M controller. It is
therefore important to consider controller CPU load if the communication handling is
vital to the application.
Running at the maximum cyclic load will result in poor capacity and response times
for peer-to-peer and OPC Server for AC 800M communication. It is recommended
that peak cyclic controller load will be kept below 65%, and static cyclic load below
60%, under all conditions. Even lower cyclic loads (30-40%) are desirable if high
communication throughput is important.

15.2.6 AfW OPC Service Model

An Afw Service is designed to run around the clock. It is portioned into several
service groups, each group handling part of the scope of the service. For redundancy
each group can contain several service providers running on different servers.

Aspect 800xA
Directory Clients

Client/Server
Network
Afw OPC Service
Service Group Service Group
Service Service Service Service
Provider Provider Provider Provider

redundant redundant
Connectivity Connectivity
Servers Servers

AC 800M
controllers Controller XXX

Using information from the Aspect Directory, a service handler provides one uniform
interface to the service, relieving the client applications from having to deal with
issues such as how the service is partitioned, redundant service providers, etc.
NOTE! A Service Provider resides always in a dedicated node.

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A typical example is the OPC communication:

800xA OPC Client: Service Structure

Clients
OpcDA Connector, Service Event Collector, Service
1 Service Group for each CS or CS-pair 1 Service Group for each CS or CS-pair
Service Service Service Service
Aspect Provider Provider Provider Provider
Server ex. CS1/2 ex. CS2/2 ex. CS1/2 ex. CS2/2

Client/Server
Network

OPC Server
Connectivity
DA AE
Server Data Access Alarm & Events

Control
Network

AC 800M
controller

The Afw OPC server concept allows many different OPC servers to be placed under
one common server that unifies access to data from different sources.
This common server provides one set of OPC compliant interfaces, eliminating the
need for client applications to know which OPC server to use for each data item.

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15.3 OPC Server Configuration

All configuration steps in this section must take place in the Connectivity Server.
Start the OPC Server from the Windows Start menu:
Programs > ABB Industrial IT > 800xA System > Control and IO > OPC Server
for AC 800M 5.0 > OPC Server for AC 800M 5.0
Alternatively double click on the icon on your desktop:

15.3.1 How to Setup Data Access Connection

1. Select the tab card “Data Access”.
2. Type in the controllers IP-Address into the Controller Identity input field.
To simplify the connection of controllers, there is a function to find all available
controllers on the Control Network. Select “View > Available Controllers” to get
a list of controllers.

The controller addresses can be “dragged and dropped” from the list to the OPC
Server Configuration panel.

3. Press “Connect”. The “Smiley” indicates that the connection is up and running.

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15.3.2 How to Setup Alarm and Event Connection

1. Select the tab card “Alarm and Event”.
2. Choose the controller in the same way as for the Data Access connection.
3. Press “Connect”. The Alarm and Event connection to the controller exists if the
“smiley” face is shown.

15.3.3 Save Cold Retain Values

Each time Control Builder enters Offline mode, cold retain values (e.g. PID tuning
parameters or alarm limits) are normally saved. However, there may be a long time
before the next Online-Offline change happens, and in case of a power failure more
recent cold retain values should be saved.
“Save cold retain values” is a function in the OPC Server for cyclically saving variable
values that have been declared with the attribute “cold retain”.

Select “Tools > Save cold retain values...” and set an interval time.

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15.3.4 How to Load Configuration Automatically at Startup

Once the OPC Server is running and all controllers configured and operational, the
OPC Server configuration can be stored into a configuration file. This file is the
loaded automatically loaded whenever the computer reboots.
1. Make sure, all controllers are configured and show the smiley face.
2. Select “File > Save Configuration…”

3. Type in a file name for the configuration file press “Save”.

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4. Select “Settings > Autoload Configuration…” and enable “Autoload

Configuration” by clicking the check box.

5. Click onto the browse button and select the configuration file from disc.
6. Accept all dialogs.

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15.4 OPC Configuration in System 800xA

To get connectivity to the AC 800M OPC Server some settings are necessary in the
Engineering Workplace.

15.4.1 How to Setup OPC Data Access Connectivity

These adjustments are located on the Control Network object, which is placed in the
Control Structure.
1. Click onto the Control Network object and select the OPC Data Source Definition
aspect of this object. Select the tab card “Connectivity”.

2. Press “New” to create a new Service Group. The new Service Group is named
SG_Sxx_Control_Network by default.
3. To get a connection from the Service Group to the OPC Server Node, click onto
the “Add” button.

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4. Select the OPC Server Node from the list and click “OK”. Press “OK” to create
the new Service Group.

5. Click onto the “Apply” button to finish the setup after you selected the service
group from the name list.

6. To get a view about the kind of OPC Server which is used in the System 800xA,
click onto the tab card “OPC Configuration”. This is configured by default as
ABB.AC800MC_OpcDaServer.3.

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15.4.2 How to Setup OPC Alarm and Event Connectivity

Prior to configuring the Alarm and Event List display, you must setup the service. You
have to connect to an OPC Alarm Server (collector) before you can get any alarms and
events. The services for Alarm and Event are found in the Service Structure.

1. Go to the Service Structure and select Event Collector, Service.

2. Right-click and select “New Object” from the context menu. Select Service Group
and enter a name, such as AC800M OPC AE Collector and click “Create”.

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3. Right-click on the newly created Service Group object and select “New Object”
again. Enter a name, such as AC800M OPC AE nodename (where nodename is a
Connectivity Server name) and click “Create”.

4. Select the “Configuration” tab of the Service Provider Definition aspect for the
Service Provider object. Select the name of the AC 800M Connectivity Server in
the Node drop-down list box and click “Apply”.

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5. Navigate to the Service Group object previously created. Select the “Special
Configuration” tab of the Service Group Definition aspect.
6. Select as Alarm Server the OPC Server that is your collector (supplier of alarm
and event information) and click “Apply”.
Usually it is called OPC AE Server for AC 800M.

7. Verify that OPC AE Server for AC 800M is set in the Collection Definition drop-
down list box.

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15.5 Check OPC Connectivity

15.5.1 Check Control Object Properties

To check the connectivity you can verify that live data are received from the controller
for a control object in the Control Structure, e.g. a program or an object like a valve.
In this example we use the valve Sxx_V1 to check if the OPC connection is working.

Open the Config View for the Function Block aspect of an object in the Control
Structure. Select the tab card “Property View”. Enable the option “Subscribe for live
data” to get the live data from the OPC-Server.
If the Quality column displays “Good", then the connection to the OPC Server is ok.

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Right click on the object Sxx_V1 and select “Main Faceplate” to call up the faceplate
for the valve.
If the OPC connection works well, you can switch for instance the vale to Auto mode.
The variable AutoMode will change from “False” to “True”.

Mode
indication

A bad OPC connection is displayed on the faceplate as shown below and you will
not be able to operate the valve. Also the Quality column shows “Bad
communication” in the Property View.

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15.5.2 Check the System Services

The System Status Viewer is an aspect in the Service Structure (located at the
Services object).

This aspect provides knowledge about the services of System 800xA. The OPC
connection is one of the services. The Event Collector service handles the OPC Alarm
and Event stream coming into the system.

The green color indicates that the service is running well. In case of problems a red
color indicates a failed service (displayed in the picture below).

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15.5.3 Controller Diagnostic

The controller diagnostic information are shown on the faceplate for the System
Diagnostic function block in the Control Structure.

It contains the same information as the Interaction window in Control Builder M.

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15.6 Name Uploader

There are two different name aspects in Plant Explorer for representing a control
object name.
• Control Builder Name (CBName) aspect, which always is synchronized with
the present name in Project Explorer, and therefore always follows IEC 61131-3
naming conventions.
• Name aspect, which contains the corresponding aspect object name in Plant
Explorer.
Name uploading can be used to secure unique names for control objects that are
embedded in type solutions.

15.6.1 Problem Description

When a function block type or control module type is used to create an object, only
the top-level of the type is assigned a new and unique name.

Control Builder Engineering Workplace

Libraries Object Type Structure

Valve Valve
Name
Tank
Tank
Valve1 (type “Valve”) Name

Valve1
Relative name
Control Builder
Applications

myTank Tank

Valve1 Valve

In the example above, the tank contains one or more valves created from other object
types. When the Tank object type is instantiated several times in the application it will
be possible to name the instance e.g. myTank but the valve will still have the same
name Valve1!
NOTE! The valve can therefore not be identified by a unique
name and its own faceplate.

The Name Uploader tool solves this problem by going through all objects in the
Control Structure, looking for parameters called Name. The Name Uploader then
fetches the names via the OPC server and adapts the Name aspect, so that each object
has a system-unique name.
NOTE! If there are no unique names, the object name in an
alarm list will be presented with a GUID number!

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15.6.2 Names and Description Parameters

If there is more than one instance of the Tank type, it will result in equal faceplates for
the valves below these instances.
The solution is entering appropriate strings for the name and description variables on
the control modules or function blocks.
NOTE! For the Name Uploader to work, all objects must have a
Name and a Description parameter.

Control Builder Engineering Workplace

Applications Control Structure

Control Structure before Name Upload

Control Structure after Name Upload

After running the Name Uploader this will result in unique name and description in
the Name aspect on the Control Structure instances.

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15.6.3 How to Run the Name Uploader

1. In the Control Structure, select your application or the Control Network object
and click on the Name Uploader aspect.
NOTE! The Name Uploader aspect is by default placed on all
control networks and on all applications.
2. Click “Start Upload”.

3. Verify the name changes in the Control Structure.

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