I've not used OPC UA before. I am setting up a server on the PK for a PLC to read and write. I understand i need to generate a certificate for the PLC. Then, I need the PLC to generate a client certificate and i will import that. But, I don't know how to configure or do anything signal wise. I read in one spot that when enabling OPC UA, it creates an address space for every module in the controller? So, how does the client know what address space to use. How do I see that? Is it customizable? Does the address space essentially contain every parameter that is valid? Then I just have to give them the parameters to read and write to?
When i use Matrikon Data Manager, I have the OPC.DeltaV.1 server that i can navigate, but I don't know if that is the same path that is going to show up for the PLC client.
Thanks
In reply to TreyB:
CM=Control Module
Address will be something like XV001/EDC1/OUT_D.CV or TIT101/AI1/OUT.CV or similar, depending the data you want to access.
Of course you will need to provide the IP and the Endpoint URL, but I think that's all. With that they should have access to that tree of data...you shouldn't need any other information about the path
TreyB, setting up the certificates is the biggest change between OPC DA and OPC UA/DA. I used the Pro Plus client to get a trial run on setting up a client. This keeps it all in the family. You have to generate certificates for the client and the server, and then load these in each so they can validate. When I first set this up, I don't enable encryption and use anonymous until everything is working. And note that you have to match your encryption settings on both the client and server. I would not bother configuring signals until you've resolved all the set up issues; URL, certificates, encryption, user etc.
In the OPC Client of DeltaV (PropPlus or EIOC), you configure LDT's and signals. If you don't have an SI Key, you will need OPC UA Client tags(One per Signal) for the UA Client. So setting up a test may not be possible without this license. If you have an EIOC, the configuration is the same (LDT/SIgnal) but licensing is with IO DST, one per LDT. OPC UA Client tags are fraction of IO DST, in case you're wondering.
The OPC UA client you are working with on the PLC Side should support a browser, and if so, that is the best way to set up your first signal. That will solve all you syntax issues and hopefully you can bulk edit the signal references, as browsing can be slow.
Anyway, here is an image of the OPC UA client signal from the DeltaV OPC UA CLient
notice that the referenced path "ns=2;s=0:LIC1-100/PID1/PV.CV" is referred to as a Node Id, and the OPC Client assigns this to a Signal Tag in DeltaV. Terminology changes in OPC UA from Group/Item to Node Id. Anyway, this uses the DeltaV Module/block/parameter.field syntax but with some prefix information. The ns-2;s=0: seems to be consistent on all the signals I created, but I don't know its significance. If your third party client can browse that should confirm the syntax and any added characters in addition to the parameter path in DeltaV speak.
You can also download a free OPC UA tool like UAExpert, which would give you the ability to explore/browse the PK controller OPC UA server and correlate to what your PLC Client is showing. Should all be the same.
Andre Dicaire