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OPC UA FLC (Field Level Communications)

Connections to other Concepts

Short Description

  • Definition of a basic model for automation components that is uniform for all controllers and field devices.
  • Definition of system behavior and processes of common functionalities such as bootstrapping, connection establishment, etc.
  • Harmonization and standardization of application profiles, e.g. I/O, motion control, functional safety, instrumentation
  • Standardisation of OPC UA information models for field level devices in online and offline scenarios
  • Integration of existing and future OPC UA Companion Models
  • Support of Ethernet TSN for deterministic communication and IT/OT convergence
  • Mapping of application profiles to underlying communication protocols and transmission physics, including Ethernet TSN and Ethernet APL (Advanced Physical Layer)
  • Definition of facets, profiles and conformance units that can be tested to ensure cross-vendor interoperability

Facts and Figures

  • Introduced in 2018
  • Steering Committee consists of 27 members (as of 2022)

Stakeholders

  • OPC Foundation
  • Led by the FLC Steering Committee (members of the OPCF).
  • (indirect beneficiaries) IEEE 802.1 TSN Task Group as future partners for a unified fieldbus solution (partly shared members with OPCF)

Use Cases

  • Alternative to conventional fieldbuses
  • M2M communication in real-time / controller-to-controller communication
  • Vertical integration: from sensor and actuator to the cloud
  • Data exchange (OPC UA Safety) (see Safety-related control)

Industry Sectors

  • Manufacturing companies from the process industry and discrete manufacturing: from semiconductor manufacturers, to automotive, to aerospace.

International Distribution

Google Trend Analyse

Sources

https://opcfoundation.org/flc/