OPC is open connectivity via open standards in industrial automation and the enterprise systems that support industry. 

OPC is a series of standards specifications.  These specifications include:

• OPC Data Access
• OPC Alarms & Events
• OPC Historical Data Access
• OPC XML-DA

The wide industry acceptance of the OPC Specifications remains instrumental in our decision to develop products that conform to these standards.

OPC Advantages

As a universally supported industry standard, an OPC Data Access Server can acquire raw data from any physical device (analyzer, PLC, DCS, etc.) via serial or Ethernet connection.  OPC Servers play the central role in the data acquisition process in providing an interface between the monitored hardware and the application software and saving the data as tags

Increased Flexibility and Efficiency

This standard mechanism for communicating to numerous data sources increases data access flexibility and efficiency which thereby decreases access conflicts, inconsistencies in implementation and duplication of efforts.  The consistent interface to OPC client applications provides an efficient notification mechanism upon data change or the occurrence of specified Event and Alarm conditions.

For additional information on the OPC standards and specifications, please visit the OPC Foundation website.