iCube Controller as an OPC UA server and UA Expert as the OPC UA client
| Version Number | Description |
|---|---|
| 1.0 | Initial version, explains how to setup OPC UA communication between UA Expert (client) and the iCube controller (server) |
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1. Supported Components
| Component Name | Version |
|---|---|
| iC9200 series | ≥ 2022.9.1 |
| iCube Engineer | ≥ 2022.9 |
2. Solution details
2.1 Install UaExpert fromhttps://www.unified-automation.com/products/development-tools/uaexpert.html
2.2 Setup iCube Engineer for OPC UA
- In iCube Engineer create a new project from a template and navigate to the OPC UA section that is under the PLANT window.
- Verify OPC UA settings
-
Basic Settings:
- Change the DNS name to the IP address of the controller.
- Set the Visibility of the variables to "Marked"
-
Basic Settings:
- Security:
- Discovery server:
- File System:
- Create variables and set them as OPC
- Create four Temp variables, with different datatypes, in the PLC list and set them as OPC
- Download the project and run on the controller
2.3 Setup UaExpert
- Open UA Expert software
- Add a New Server
- Right Click on Server or click the "plus" sign in the toolbar
- Connection Method:
-
Discovery
- Add Server under "Custom Discovery"
- URL = opc.tcp://"Controller IP address":4840
- example: opc.tcp://192.168.207.54:4840
- The ":4840" is not required. If it is not specified, then port 4840 is used by default
- Add Server under "Custom Discovery"
-
Discovery
- Open the drop down menu on the discovered server
- Select the Server that was found
- "Replace Hostname" window may appear
- Select "Yes" to this window
- Another window may appear with "Replaced Hostname"
- Select "Yes" to this window
- Select "Basic256Sha256 - Sign & Encrypt"
- Under authentication settings add in the controller "admin" username and password
- Select "OK" to create the server
- Connect to by right clicking on it in the Project panel or via the connect button in the toolbar
- Ignore the "Connect Error" message
- Once connected you will see the Data Access view of UA Expert
- Under the "Address Space" window open the Objects--> PLCnext-->Arp.Plc.Eclr folder
- Double click to expand folder
- Drag and drop the variables from the "Address Space" into the "Data Access View"
- Do not drag and drop the Structure Var, folder, otherwise it will add all of the element data to the data view.
- Structures turn into folders which can be expanded to add elements to the Data view
2.4 Modify OPC UA variable values
- In UaExpert double click on the value and change the value to an allowed value
- The variables will change in iCube Engineer
- In iCube Engineer change the values of the OPC variables
- The variables will change in the data window of UaExpert
