Industrial Communications
OPC UA
A platform-independent standard for securely exchanging industrial data and its meaning.
IN ONE SENTENCE
It lets machines and software share structured information rather than just raw numbers.
In normal English
OPC UA can describe relationships, units, device models and security, making it useful between PLCs, SCADA, MES, edge systems and IT applications.
Why would I use it?
Use it when data needs to move between automation and higher-level software in a structured, interoperable way.
THINK OF IT LIKE…
Not just sending a number, but sending the number with a label, meaning and context.
Related terms
SCADA, MES, MQTT, Industry 4.0
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