How Open Standards Support Interoperability in Industry

[Ahmet Ö.]

Interoperability in manufacturing continues to be a significant challenge. The main reason for this is that control systems, sensors, and other device manufacturers used in automation systems often employ closed, proprietary protocols and communication standards.

Although the industry is increasingly moving towards open system technologies and facilitating interoperability processes, the prevalence of legacy systems and devices designed for closed system applications makes it difficult for manufacturers to establish unified systems.

### Open Communication Standards and Their Place in Industry

Instead of proprietary protocols, the increasingly preferred method is the use of open communication standards such as MQTT and OPC UA. In the case of Weidmuller, the control, I/O, and visualization technologies in its u-mation portfolio use OPC UA as the primary communication protocol for IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things). These components act as OPC UA servers, allowing Codesys-based control units to share data with SCADA systems, HMIs, and various IIoT devices.

### Interview with Ken Crawford from Weidmuller

Ken Crawford, Automation Director at Weidmuller USA, explains how open communication standards solve the interoperability problem in manufacturing.

• He emphasizes that standards like MQTT and OPC UA should be directly integrated into the features of I/O. This allows for easy adaptation across different architectures and platforms.
• He states that multi-protocol support enables users to break free from a single supplier chain, allowing them to choose controllers, I/O, HMIs, and SCADA systems from different sources.

### Product and Protocol Approach

Weidmuller's u-remote I/O system is a modular system that can work with controllers from different manufacturers. By supporting 14 different protocols, it can be used in various unified systems regardless of its own controller system.

### Recommendations for Manufacturers and System Security

According to Ken Crawford, adopting open standards like MQTT and OPC UA is essential for interoperability. Additionally, the company's Linux-based u-OS operating system allows numerous applications to run on the same platform and connect with different protocols. This system also supports software such as Grafana, Inductive Automation's Ignition, Codesys, and InfluxDB.

For data standardization, Weidmuller products support the protocols of 14 different PLC manufacturers and ensure compatibility through continuous testing.

Regarding security, the design complies with the European Union's Cyber Resilience Act, which comes into force in 2024, and IEC 62443 standards. Users are advised to rapidly apply patches, implement segmentation, and use multi-factor and role-based access controls in their industrial networks.

### Summary

The integration of open standards and multi-protocol solutions helps manufacturers overcome the barriers created by legacy and closed systems. This enables seamless data exchange between different devices and systems, while security measures enhance the cyber resilience of industrial automation systems.