OPC Connectivity with HC900 Process Control System

HC900 and Matrikon OPC Server

Adding Value to a Process Control System

OPC (OLE for Process Control) is a single protocol to talk to all devices. It provides the standard for 3rd party connectivity. OPC enables customers to bring data from every piece of equipment in their entire enterprise, and make the most of their advanced applications without having to replace their legacy equipment. It also makes the integration of new technology so much more cost-effective.

The OPC Server

The OPC Standard defines several objects with associated properties and methods. These objects are used to expose process data from a process control device in a standard manner. The first OPC object is the OPC server. This is a software application that connects to unlimited devices and serves data up to clients, which can be anything: historian, advanced applications, a DCS – anything that needs to read and write data.

OPC communicates information from a data source such as a server to any client application in a standard

way without requiring the application to have any specific knowledge about the data source such as its

communication protocols.

OPC can solve two key challenges in the process industry regarding 3rd party connectivity:

The First Challenge is to optimize the entire

enterprise by getting all the data from advanced

applications such as loop tuning, condition

based monitoring or alarm management, into

the process control system. Trying to do this

can lead to potential project delays, more costly

implementations, and over-complicated and

proprietary architectures.

A Second Challenge is related to equipment

obsolescence, lack of functionality and connectivity.

Companies need to modernize their process control

system if it’s not meeting their current business

needs. If they don’t, they will face consequences:

the threat of unscheduled downtime; new

optimization opportunities can not be realized

using the legacy system; new components can

not integrate with the legacy system; and a legacy

system that is dead-ended, and ultimately phased

out completely.

OPC meets challenges head-on. It opens up old or

proprietary equipment to a state-of-the-art process

control system and advanced process control

The OPC Server is responsible for acquiring the data requested by a client from the process control device. Each server contains OPC groups, which are logical collections of data to be gathered. The groups in a server may be shared by many clients or be private to a single client.

applications, and enables data to be moved from

an older system to a new system through console

replacement. In this respect OPC reduces data

connectivity project risks. It ensures secure, reliable

connections can be established with underlying

3rd party devices/systems, and enables live, 24/7

expert support to give you the help you need just

when you need it.

Just look at the great advantages possible

through the implementation of a MatrikonOPC

Server for honeywell’s hC900 Process Controller:

Open data sharing

MatrikonOPC simplifies open data sharing with the

Honeywell HC900 line of modular controllers.

Seamless interoperability

MatrikonOPC solutions help Honeywell customers

unlock the potential of their operation’s data

resources and achieve seamless interoperability

through open, yet secure, industry standards.

Enhanced connectivity

Paired with HC900, MatrikonOPC Server is a single

OPC Server that provides connectivity to multiple

devices, protocols and APIs. It offers a wide range of

plug-ins to support the most popular programmable

logic controller (PLC) protocols, delivering a new,

cutting edge horizon of connectivity between

vendors.

Improved data protection

With built-in role-based security down to the

per-tag-level, the MatrikonOPC Server for HC900

actively protects the integrity of automation system

data. Based on each user’s login, this OPC Server

selectively grants or denies access to specific tags,

providing only the right users with secure access

to the right process data. Granular control over

data access helps prevent accidental or intentional

unauthorized OPC data access. As a part of the

overall infrastructure, this OPC Server adds another

layer to a system’s overall defense-in-depth strategy.

Optimized workflow

With expanded communication options and a

streamlined interface, the MatrikonOPC Server

provides users of HC900 with an optimized workflow

making configuration and maintenance faster and

more intuitive.

• State-of-the-art configuration panel with the latest configuration tools.

• Support of fixed and custom map addressing.

The MatrikonOPC Server for hC900 has gone through various revisions and the following features

have been added to the existing OPC Server:

Features of the OPC Server

• Ability to change values for PID blocks to handle mode (Auto-LSP, Auto-RSP, Man-LSP, Man-RSP).

• Fully supports controller hardware and channel redundancy.

• Enables construction of a Modbus configuration file from the HC900 configuration that can be imported into the MatrikonOPC Server. This means the user does not have to manually create all their items with corresponding registers, and the Modbus server will automatically create the available items based on the HC900 configuration.

MatrikonOPC Server for HC900

Advanced MatrikonOPC Server FunctionsAdvanced functions make OPC integration easier, allowing MatrikonOPC’s latest servers to better process

data, and make OPC solutions more secure and reliable. MatrikonOPC Server Advanced Functionality

consists of a collection of components engineered to work together in various combinations depending on

each MatrikonOPC server’s requirements.

OPC security

Native support for the OPC Foundation’s OPC

Security specification is crucial for implementing

secure OPC architectures. Instead of relying on

global, DCOM based, “all-or-nothing” OPC data

access permissions, this function offers complete

control over item browsing, adding, reading, and

writing on a per-user-per-item basis. Granular

control over data access helps prevent accidental

or intentional un-authorized OPC data access. This

role based security adds another layer to a system’s

overall Defense-in-Depth strategy.

Offline mode

Developed to aid system integration, this

functionality simplifies OPC Server configuration

by allowing OPC Clients to access data from all

configured OPC items even when the underlying

data source is not available. For example: during

plant commissioning, instead of delaying HMI

graphic screen testing until the end of the project,

when all the OPC Servers’ data-sources are

available, such tests can now be run at any time

using the offline mode random test data.

Alarms and events

MatrikonOPC’s Server enables users to trigger

alarms and events based on the OPC item’s value.

Also, alarms and events can be triggered based on

the calculated value of pre-processed items using

the powerful calculation engine. The MatrikonOPC’s

Advanced Framework enables client filtering by event

type, severity, and category and is OPC compliant.

User defined tag names

Enables the creation of virtual OPC Items on any

MatrikonOPC server. Whether used for testing or

for user-defined status indicators, MatrikonOPC

Aliasing extends all MatrikonOPC servers’ to work

with user-configured OPC items.

Data calculations

MatrikonOPC servers allow processing of raw

OPC item data on the OPC server side. Using a

variety of math functions, constants, and equations,

MatrikonOPC servers help reduce OPC client side

computing requirements and network traffic volume

by performing data conditioning right on the OPC

server side.

Maximum interoperability

Strict adherence to the OPC Foundation’s OPC

DA, OPC HDA, and OPC A&E specifications.

Backwards compatible and fully compliancy tested,

MatrikonOPC servers strictly adhere to the OPC

Foundation’s specifications to ensure maximum

interoperability with other vendor’s OPC products.

Device communication redundancy

Maximize OPC data reliability by enabling the

OPC Server to access multiple data sources in a

redundant fashion without the need for specialized

hardware and/or additional custom software.

The HC900 OPC Server from MatrikonOPC provides secure and reliable real-time

data access between all HC900 Controller series and any OPC-enabled applications

such as Historians, HMIs, and SCADA etc.

The OPC Server for hC900 supports the following features and operations:

• Enables the HC900 address space in the OPC server address space

• Channel level redundancy

• Advanced calculation engine

• Supports OPC Security 1.0 specification

• Device exploration: Automatic OPC tag generation

• Competitive system expansion

• Eliminates the fear of being “locked in” to a single vendor

Unlike other HC900 to OPC interfaces, the OPC Server for HC900 can grant and

deny access to tags based on user login. The HC900 OPC Server is a powerful

tool that enables a secure access to your control and automation systems and

opens new connectivity horizons to other parties.

Benefits Over Other OPC Solutions

BR-12-19-ENGOctober 2012© 2012 Honeywell International Inc.

For More InformationTo learn more about Honeywell’s HC900 process controller, visit www.honeywellprocess.com or contact your Honeywell account manager.

Process SolutionsHoneywell 1250 West Sam Houston Parkway South Houston, TX 77042

Honeywell House, Arlington Business Park, Bracknell, Berkshire, England RG12 1EB UK

Shanghai City Centre, 100 Junyi Road Shanghai, China 20051 www.honeywellprocess.com

The HC900 OPC Server from MatrikonOPC provides

secure and reliable real-time data access between

all HC900 Controller series and any OPC-enabled

applications such as Historians, HMIs, SCADA etc.

It enables 3rd party connectivity – which is key to

successful phased migration and integration. It

enables the easy and cost-efficient management of

openly connected systems – crucial in today’s highly

competitive industrial environment. And by using

standardized MatrikonOPC components you can

build stronger, more secure architectures.

Furthermore, the Honeywell HC900 OPC Server is

OPC certified. OPC certification is the process

of ensuring that applications meet the standards

specified by the OPC Foundation. OPC certification

requires extensive testing to ensure true interoperability.

OPC certification means multi-vendor system

interoperability is guaranteed.

If security and reliability are important for your control

system, then OPC Server for HC900 is what you need.

Ensure Security and Reliability