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This section provides an overview for opc servers as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 22 opc server manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked opc server companies as of December, 2024: 1.PTC, 2.National Instruments Corp., 3.Honeywell International Inc..
Table of Contents
An OPC server is an application that facilitates communication and data exchange between various equipment in a factory, playing a crucial role in industrial automation.
OPC, which stands for OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) for Process Control, is a widely adopted industrial communication standard for process control. Developed in 1996 by Microsoft and equipment control manufacturers, the standard is now being standardized by the OPC Foundation.
OPC has significantly improved the interaction between suppliers and users in the field of automation, offering expanded options for equipment control. This has led to increased adoption of OPC by suppliers in their automation applications.
In factories, a variety of devices like machine tools, PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), and other control devices operate simultaneously. Each device manufacturer provides OPC server software to facilitate access and communication with their respective devices. Additionally, OPC client functions are integrated into various applications for production planning and management.
This setup allows both equipment manufacturers and users to communicate and control devices using the OPC standard, enabling seamless data acquisition and writing, irrespective of individual product specifications.
OPC standardization allows for vendor-neutral data communication between devices and OPC servers. These servers, functioning as PC or PPC servers in the field, enable unrestricted communication with PCs, PLCs, and machine tools. This interoperability is maintained even across different vendors, adhering to the specified protocol and commands.
OPC Servers facilitate READ/WRITE operations of production data with connected devices according to the OPC standard.
The following steps outline the communication process:
This system allows the OPC servers to handle READ/WRITE requests, with the connected devices simply responding to these requests.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Endress+Hauser Group Services AG, established in 1953 with headquarters in Reinach, Switzerland, is a global manufacturer, distributor, and integrator of industrial process solutions for flow, level, pressure, temperature, and digital communications. The company's product line includes portable pH meters, Raman spectroscopic analyzers, electromagnetic flowmeters, hydrostatic level sensors, and application managers (devices). These products are available individually, and custom-process manufacturing turnkey systems can be commissioned. The company serves industries including food processing, chemical processing, agriculture, mining, and energy.
Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Austin, TX, National Instruments Corporation provides a software-centric platform and systems to engineers and scientists worldwide. NI’s software is used for automated test and measurement applications in manufacturing environment for configuring real-time testing application, sensor configuration and data logging of mixed signals, and monitoring ancillary rotating equipment. NI’s software also enables the mass coordination of connected devices, software deployments, and data communications throughout distributed systems. Recently, NI has begun to develop test systems and solutions for autonomous driving software and hardware validation.
Sick AG, founded in 1946 and headquartered in Waldkirch, Germany, is a manufacturer of sensor and sensor solutions that aid in in production, logistics, and processes automation. The company’s expansive product portfolio includes industrial sensors, encoders, and analyzers. It has over 50 subsidiaries and equity investments as well as several agencies worldwide, and in the 2022 fiscal year, it generated around €2.2 billion. The company established the first subsidiary in France in 1972 and opened another subsidiary in USA in 1975. It changed to a joint stock company in 1996 and the first employee shares were issued in 1999.
Piconics, founded in 1963, and located in Massachusetts, USA, is a supplier and a manufacturer of inductors and micro-inductors for various applications such as space flight vehicles, military devices, avionics, industrial controls, and medical instrumentation. Their product line composes of broadband conical inductors, RF & MW air coils, fixed inductors, tunable inductors and so as spiral inductors. Piconics is also ISO 9001:2015 certified and also has Mil-PRF-83446 & 15305 approved products.
Yokogawa Test & Measurement Corporation was founded in Japan in 1954. Yokogawa currently serves a wide array of industries including the aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics, semiconductor and telecommunications industries with both hardware and software solutions. Among Yokogawa’s suite of products are oscilloscopes, voltage probes, power analyzers and meters, data acquisition tools, optical test equipment, a wide variety of handled meters, calibrators, and testers; analog instruments, and manometers.
IBHsoftec GmbH, established in 1986 and headquartered in Oberzent, Hessen, Germany, is a specialized manufacturer of automation solutions for industry. The company's core products include PLC programming systems and SoftPLC solutions. These products are used to automate various equipment and industrial production facilities with management control systems and factory floor machinery, as well as online management systems. The company supplies original equipment manufacturers, original design manufacturers, and bulk order clients, as well as offering custom product manufacturing.
Moxa Inc., founded in Brea, CA, in 1987 is a manufacturer of industrial connectivity products hat enable devices to connect, communicate, and collaborate with systems. The company's product portfolio includes, Ethernet Switches, Secure Routers, Wireless AP/Bridge/Client, Cellular Gateways/Routers and Ethernet Media Converters. The company serves markets including Automotive and Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy and Energy Storage and Electronics and IT Infrastructure. They also provide services including product selection, installation, preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair.
Panasonic Industry Europe is the European branch of Panasonic, a global manufacturer of electronics and houseware, originally founded in 1918. Panasonic Industry Europe manufactures in 4 categories: components, devices, energy & building, and automation devices & solutions. Components include relays, capacitors, resistors, sensors, switches, connectors, couplers. Devices include wireless connectivity, e-bike systems, motors, compressors, thermal solutions, GPS antennas, as well as electronic materials. Energy & building includes batteries, fuel cells, solar sells, power tools, and home IoT. Automation devices & solutions include sensors for factory automation, industrial motors, laser welding, and more.
Siemens began in 1847 and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. Siemens focuses in automation and digitalization technology and operates globally. Siemens’s 5 operating segments are digital industries, smart infrastructure, mobility, Siemens Healthineers, and Siemens Financial Services. Siemens Financial Services provides debt and equity investment as well as financing solutions. Siemens Healthineers is a medical devices company that provides products and consulting. Mobility includes passenger and freight transportation. Smart infrastructure includes full solutions for electrification. Digital industries offer both software and hardware for industries and production efficiency.
Tibbo Technology Inc. was founded in 2001 in New Taipei City, Taiwan, as a manufacturer of device servers, programmable controllers, and embedded modules. The company offers various products, including the WM2000 Programmable Wireless IIoT Module, the DS1100 Programmable RS232 Controller, the IO Ninja Serial Tap, the Size 3 Linux Tibbo Project PCB, Gen. 2, and the 12V DC Adapter. The products are utilized in diverse industries, providing advanced wireless and serial communication capabilities to streamline data monitoring, control, and automation, ultimately optimizing various industrial processes and operations. The company caters to the manufacturing, industrial automation, energy, telecommunications, and aerospace sectors.
Vaisala, established in 1936 in Finland, is a technology company that is a manufacturer of electronic measurement systems and equipment for meteorology, environmental sciences, traffic safety, and industry worldwide. The Company's products include radiosondes, barometric pressure measurements, weather stations, lighting detection systems, and moisture measurement solutions. Vaisala also sells a large selection of its products directly to consumers via the company's online store. The company also provides commercial clients with the XWeather subscription service, which offers numerous options for industrial-grade environmental measurement.
GE Gas Power is an American manufacturer and supplier of alternative energy products and solutions established in 2015 as a business unit of the American multinational industrial company General Electric (GE). Headquartered in Schenectady, New York, the company produces steam and gas turbines, standard and heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs), heat exchangers, and power plants for various applications. They also offer after-sale installation, repair, maintenance, and upgrade services for their clients. GE Gas Power runs the world’s largest base of operating gas turbines, with over 7,000 units installed across more than 120 countries.
Softing Industrial Automation, headquartered in Haar, Germany, is a manufacturer of industrial communication products and technologies for manufacturing and process automation. They offer products such as gateways for multi-protocol process control, network access parallel to the controller and access for controller data, UA software platform, integration platform, and Docker container, providing secure data exchange between different systems and devices. These products are used in various industries such as automotive, industrial, and IT networks.
Advantech Co., Ltd., established in 1981 in Neihu District, Taipei, is a pioneering manufacturer and designer of a range of products, solutions, and services. The company boasts an extensive product portfolio that includes system integration, customer-centric design services, cutting-edge embedded systems, automation products, and global logistics support. Its aim is to usher in an era of an intelligent planet through its automation and embedded computing products and solutions. These diverse products and services empower smarter ways of working and living to enhance the quality of life and productivity across various industries.
Phoenix Contact is headquartered in Blomberg, Germany, originally founded in 1923. Phoenix Contact’s Israeli subsidiary was founded in 2006 and located in Quadima Tzoran. Phoenix Contact provides tools and components for e-mobility, power, infrastructure, process industry, production manufacturing, system manufacturing, and others. Phoenix Contact’s product lines include automate including cloud computing, connect including PCB terminal blocks, “mark, assemble, and install” including hand tools, “supply, charge, and protect” including power distributors, and “switch, measure, and monitor” including relays and optocouplers.
Yaskawa America Inc., started in 1967 and based in Waukegan, Illinois, is a manufacturer of machine controllers, industrial robots, and variable frequency drives and is part of Yaskawa Electric Corporation. Some of its products include industrial AC drives, machine controllers, and IEC programmable robots. The company incorporates the Kaizen method of continuous incremental improvements and Total Quality Management processes to prevent manufacturing defects, and its distributors must be certified and re-certified every two years. It is ISO 9001 certified and is the only industrial drives and motion control manufacturer to win the Deming Medal.
Campbell Scientific Inc., established in 1974 and headquartered in Logan, Utah, is a designer and manufacturer of measurement, data acquisition systems, and data loggers. The company sells sensors, measurement devices, and OEM products for water, weather, and soil applications. It also provides software for several purposes, including communication between data loggers and supporting data logger programming. It is ISO 14001, ISO 9001, and ISO 27001 certified, and it marketed its first product, named the CA-9 Path-Averaging Laser Anemometer, in 1974. It introduced its first data acquisition system, the CR5 Digital Recorder, in 1975.
PTC, established in 1985, is a global software provider of industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and augmented reality (AR) solutions headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Their product portfolio includes ThingWorx, an IoT platform, and Vuforia, an AR platform. These solutions serve industries such as manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and healthcare, enabling digital transformation and optimizing operational efficiency. They hold certifications such as ISO 9001 for quality management and ISO 27001 for information security management.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PTC |
13.6%
|
| 2 | National Instruments Corp. |
9.9%
|
| 3 | Honeywell International Inc. |
8.0%
|
| 4 | Siemens AG |
7.4%
|
| 5 | Cyberlogic. |
6.2%
|
| 6 | Piconics |
5.6%
|
| 7 | Moxa Inc. |
4.9%
|
| 8 | Endress+Hauser Group Services AG |
4.9%
|
| 9 | SICK AG |
4.9%
|
| 10 | Software Toolbox, Inc. |
4.3%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the opc server page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
5 | 38.5% |
|
Germany
|
4 | 30.8% |
|
Japan
|
1 | 7.7% |
| taiwa | 1 | 7.7% |
|
Taiwan
|
1 | 7.7% |
Canada
|
1 | 7.7% |
3 products found
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