OPC UA Peer-to-Peer Configuration Without Automation Downtime
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges in dynamically adapting their communication configurations, particularly in peer-to-peer setups involving heterogeneous equipment from different vendors, which requires system downtime and expert intervention, limiting flexibility and agility in responding to changing market demands.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an automation system with separate OPC UA server, publisher service, and subscriber service instances on each control device, allowing for on-the-fly configuration of publisher-subscriber services without altering the control device application programs or engineering software, enabling peer-to-peer communication between devices from different vendors without system downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the system uses a traditional client-server or Pub/Sub setup for communication, then communication between control devices is established, but reconfiguration requires system downtime and expert intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the communication configuration into independent publisher services and subscriber services that can be configured and restarted independently. Each control device runs multiple separate service instances rather than a monolithic communication setup, allowing individual services to be modified without shutting down the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables dynamic reconfiguration of publisher-subscriber relationships during runtime. Configuration changes can be applied to individual services while other services continue operating, making the system adaptable without requiring complete system shutdowns.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system uses heterogeneous equipment from different vendors, then vendor independence and choice are improved, but configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal OPC UA-based publisher-subscriber service framework that works across heterogeneous equipment from different vendors. The standardized service interface and configuration approach allow diverse control devices to interoperate through common protocols, reducing the need for vendor-specific configuration expertise.
3Reliability
If the system requires expert intervention for reconfiguration, then configuration accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables operators to perform self-service reconfiguration of publisher-subscriber services through standardized interfaces. The modular service architecture and OPC UA protocol allow users to configure communication parameters without requiring external automation experts, while maintaining configuration accuracy through structured service parameters.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for configuring peer-to-peer communication in an industrial automation system including at least two control devices, each control device being arranged for hosting as separate instances an OPC UA server, an OPC UA subscriber service, and an OPC UA publisher service, the method including retrieving an OPC UA object list for each control device, the object list indicating all OPC UA objects managed by each respective control device, and presenting the OPC UA objects and control devices for user input. The method further including obtaining user input, configuring for each control device publisher and subscriber service parameters in a configuration file for each respective control device, and transferring the configuration file to the publisher and subscriber services of each respective control device. The invention further relates to an industrial automation system and industrial control devices configured to implement the disclosed method.