ASI LinkOPC Server

The ASI LinkOPC Server is a software product that connects standard Windows applications with the full line of ASI control products. OPC is an industry standard created collaboratively by a worldwide consortium of leading automation and hardware software suppliers working in cooperation with Microsoft. The standard defines method for exchanging real-time automation data among PC-based clients using Microsoft operating systems.

Traditionally, each software or application developer was required to write a custom interface, or server/driver, to exchange data with hardware field devices. OPC eliminates this requirement by defining a common, high performance interface that permits this work to be done once, and then easily reused by HMI, SCADA, control, and custom applications.

ASI's LinkOPC server is built in accordance with the OPC standards and is OPC Data Access 1.0 and 2.0 compatible. The communication was developed to optimize data retrieval. Tag optimization minimizes the number of data transactions thus reducing the overall traffic.

The OPC specification describes tag browsing with the LinkOPC server supports. Tag browsing allows for rapid development of client systems through point and click assignment of ASI parameters to client tags.

Polling prioritization is a LinkOPC feature that allows the developer of the HMI client control of which tags to poll for more frequently. This improves the responsiveness of the HMI screens. Additionally, the static data can be set at a lower polling frequency to allow the dynamic data higher priority.

According to OPC specifications, the server can be located either local to the client, utilizing Microsoft's COM technology, or it can be located remote (on another computer), utilizing Microsoft's DCOM technology. This allows for all kinds of network flexibility.

ASI controllers and control systems can be connected via Ethernet TCP/IP networking using our EtherLink solution. The LinkOPC server connects to the EtherLink and transfers ASI message requests via TCP/IP. The LinkOPC server can connect with many EtherLinks simultaneously providing an instant connection with remote controllers and remote sites. For more information please email ASI Controls.

ASI Controls is a member of the OPC Foundation, promoting interoperability between different systems and equipment from various manufacturers. ASI Controls products currently support OPC-DA 2.x. ASI WebLink is OPC Client front end software for developing custom web, WAN and LAN accessible control system display interfaces. ASI Controls value-added resellers have succesfully used OPC to connect to equipment and control systems from Johnson Controls, Trane, Honeywell, Siemens and other OPC compliant manufacturers.