Journals Proceedings

Abstract

In this paper an information model and a prototype OPC UA server using this model for data acquisition, event generation and remote control of a machine tending industrial robot is described. Necessary information is transferred from the ABB machine tending software, mapped to appropriate nodes of the information model, and exposed by the OPC UA server. The authors believe that OPC UA with its extensible modelling potential is well suited as a communication technology in this field of manufacturing automation. OPC UA is still not being applied to its full potential in this area. Occasionally some industry driven efforts are observed to map existing data models to the most recent OPC specifications (UA), but the development of semantic rich information models is mainly neglected. For demonstration purpose a prototypic OPC UA server with a simple information model for an ABB IRB 120 industrial robot was realized. The robot controller provides the server with data by using the ABB PC Interface. This interface enables a server to operate with one or more (either simulated virtual or real) robot controllers.