OPC Foundation
Standards body behind OPC UA, the open interoperability standard for industry
- #4 of 10 in best industrial technology news and references
- Free plan, paid upgrades
- Free to use
- Web
Ranked 4 of 10 in best industrial technology news and references
The standards body behind OPC UA, with companion specifications, certified products and working groups. Its material is technical and narrow to OPC, so it complements the general sites rather than replacing them.
Best for OPC UA specifications and certified products
About OPC Foundation
The OPC Foundation describes its work as developing open interoperability standards that let information move across devices, machines, production systems, enterprises and the cloud. Its site lists OPC UA, OPC Classic, UA specifications, companion specifications for specific industries and a roadmap for UA.
The foundation runs a certification program with test tools and a certified products marketplace, along with interoperability workshops and working groups. Recent news on the homepage covers joint work with Avnu on time-sensitive networking and digital product passport adoption. Articles and news are readable on the site, while membership and certification are offered as separate services.
Key features
- OPC UA standard
- Companion specifications
- Certified products marketplace
- Test tools
- Working groups
- Interoperability workshops
Strengths
- Maintains the OPC UA standard
- Companion specifications for industry sectors
- Certified products marketplace and test tools
- Interoperability workshops and working groups
Limits
- Certification and membership are separate services
- Standards material is dense for first-time readers
Where OPC Foundation ranks
How OPC Foundation compares
| Product | Score | Price | Platforms | Main formats | Publisher | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
#2 International Society of Automation | 90.5 | Free plan, paid upgrades | Web | Standards, training, blogs, events | Professional society | Automation standards and professional development |
#3 Automation.com | 88.0 | Free | Web | News, articles and products | ISA | Industrial automation news and products |
| #4OPC Foundation | 85.5 | Free plan, paid upgrades | Web | Specifications, news, certified products | Standards body | OPC UA and OPC Classic interoperability |
#5 Automation World | 84.0 | Free plan, paid upgrades | Web | Articles, podcasts, webinars, videos | Trade media group | Discrete and batch manufacturing automation |
#6 Plant Engineering | 81.5 | Free | Web | Articles, ebooks, research, newsletters | Arrowfly (formerly WTWH Media) | Plant systems, facilities and maintenance |
The full comparison table for best industrial technology news and references has all 10 products.
Alternatives to OPC Foundation
All 9 alternatives
Shopfloor (made by the publisher of this site)Industrial automation index with articles, glossary and calculators- International Society of AutomationProfessional society for automation standards, training and publications
- Automation.comNews, articles and product updates for industrial automation professionals
- Automation WorldTrade news on industrial automation for discrete and batch manufacturing
- Plant EngineeringPlant engineering articles on maintenance, automation and plant systems
Plant ServicesTrade magazine on plant maintenance, reliability and operations
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Questions about OPC Foundation
- Is OPC Foundation free?
- OPC Foundation can be used without paying: Public articles and news; membership and certification are separate. Check the vendor’s pricing page for current limits.
- Is OPC Foundation open source?
- No. OPC Foundation is proprietary software; its source code is not public.
- Which platforms does OPC Foundation support?
- OPC Foundation is available on: Web.
- What is OPC Foundation best for?
- OPC UA specifications and certified products. In our ranking of industrial technology news and references it is number 4 of 10 with a score of 85.5.
- What are the best alternatives to OPC Foundation?
- The highest-ranked alternatives on listme.name are Shopfloor*, International Society of Automation, Automation.com, Automation World.
Show this ranking on your site
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<a href="https://listme.name/software/opc-foundation"><img src="https://listme.name/badge/opc-foundation.svg" height="28" alt="Ranked #4 of 10 industrial technology news and references on listme.name"></a>Articles that mention OPC Foundation
All articles- Roundups · 4 min readBest references for learning industrial technologyChoose industrial technology references by source type, depth and cost. Compare ISA, Automation.com, Shopfloor and RealPars.
- Explainers · 6 min readWhat is OPC UA? A plain guide for industrial software beginnersOPC UA explained for beginners: the problem it solves, clients, servers and information models, security modes, and how it differs from OPC Classic and Modbus.
Made by, or connected to, the publisher of this site or people the publisher works with. Listed on the same criteria as everything else, with the lift described in How we rank and Disclosure.