OPCUA integration with B&R Automation Studio

This chapter explains the steps to create PLC tags and enable OPCUA communication between the Simumatik Gateway and Automation Studio 4.8, including the programs and I/O signals.

In this example the data that will be transferred is:

• ‘inputs’: A PLC input byte (inputs.0…7) addressed to the variables.
• ‘outputs’: A PLC output byte (outputs.0…7) addressed to the variables.

Automation Studio Project

The first step is to create a new project by opening Automation Studio and then choose ‘New Project’.

After creating a project, give it a name and select 'next'.

Hardware configuration

To define the hardware, select 'Define a new hardware configuration manually' and click 'Next'.

Choose the desired controller, which in this example is 'X20CP1584' and click on ‘Finish’.

Warning

Make sure the choosen PLC is compatible with OPCUA

IO declaration

After selecting the hardware, in the 'Logical View' window on the left side, click on 'Global.var' and define the variables.

Warning

The BYTE variables has to be named as the PLC variables in Simumatik. The defaults are 'inputs' and 'outputs'.

Program creation

Once the variables are defined, create the program in the 'Toolbox' window on the right side of the screen, and select 'Program'.

In this tutorial we are going to create two different programs. One to map the bytes variables into bit variables, and the other one to program the PLC logic.

First select 'Program', and pick 'ST Program All In One'. Secondly select 'Program' again and pick 'LD Program'.

Note

For clarity, we renamed the ST program to 'IOmapping' and the LD program to 'Program'.

Double click 'IOmapping' and assign the I/O variables to the bytes in the order seen in the image, first inputs and then the outputs.

Tip

In Automation Studio, the way to access a certain bit from a BYTE variable is by typing inputs.0 ... inputs.7

Next, double click 'Program' and introduce the inputs and outputs like in the following image.

OPC-UA connection

Once the program is created, the OPC-UA connection will be made between Simumatik and Automation Studio. Inside 'Physical View' window, right click on the X20CP1584 hardware and select 'Configuration'. Within 'OPC-UA System' select 'ON'.

Warning

Change Port number to 4841 in case that another application is using port number 4840, such as Tia Portal or Codesys.

Once the OPC-UA is connected, in the 'Configuration View' window, within X20CP1584 / Connectivity double click on OpcUA. In the 'Toolbox' window on the right side of the screen, double-click on 'OPC UA Default View File'.

Double click on the 'OpcUaMap.uad' file that has been created.

Once inside the 'OpcUaMap.uad' file, first press 'Build' and then 'Refresh Default View' so that the declared global variables appear.

Note

If the 'Global Variables' doesn't appear, close 'OpcUaMap.uad' window and open it again.

When the 'Global Variables' appear, select all of them and press 'Enable Tag'.

Simumatik gateway connection

Before transferring the Automation Studio program, the Gateway must be connected in Simumatik so that the connection between the two is possible.

Warning

In case the port number in Automation Studio is changed to 4841 as in the example, within 'Variables: PLC' change the url to opc.tcp://localhost:4841.

Transfer program

To transfer the program, first press 'Activate Simulation', and once in 'Run' mode, press 'Build'.

After building the program, click on 'Transfer' in the 'Project Build' and 'Transfer to target' windows.

Once the program has been transferred to Simumatik, the status of the PLC will be 'RUNNING'.