OPC Router Visual Workflow Industrial Data Integration Software

Bringing cloud and on-premise industrial and business systems together quickly and at scale

OPC Router is a configurable software tool for rapid integration of a variety of industrial, business (ERP/SAP), and IoT data sources in Industry 4.0, IIoT, and Digital Transformation applications. Rapid-time to value supported by: 

  • Drag and drop visual workflows reduce engineering time 
  • Templates and mass instance creation skips visual configuration to scale configurations quickly 
  • Linux edge device via Docker or Windows Desktop/Server deployment gives you architectural choice 
  • Platform Independent browser based configuration 
  • Software Toolbox expertise and related OPC offerings.

On Demand Training: SAP/PLC/Historian REST Integration

WHITEPAPER OFFER - SAP to OT Integration: Methods, Challenges & Options

Software Toolbox is the OPC Router Preferred Partner in the United States and Canada for sales, pre and post-sale technical support and application consulting for inray, the developer of OPC Router.

OPC-Router_NewInfoGraphic-400w-380h

FEATURES

  • Video Introduction
  • OPC DA & UA Support
  • Visual Workflows
  • SAP Integration
  • IoT/IIoT/Web Service Integration
  • High Availability & Redundancy
  • Edge Computing with Docker
  • Storage Systems/Databases
  • Notification Interfaces
  • Printer Integration
  • Automation Hardware
  • Advanced + Enterprise Features
  • Modular Functionality
  • Application Examples

How OPC Router helps users and integrators like you!

 

OPC Standards supported

OPC Router Plug Ins for OPC UA DA RFID supportOPC standards are well known and widely accepted in industrial automation as a means for integrating systems.  OPC UA is a key Industry 4.0 enabling technology supported in both client and server interfaces.

OPC Router supports these OPC standards

Rapid time to results 

The visual workflow engine in the OPC Router enables rapid configuration which means fast results for your business. 

Getting started involves 4 steps

  1. Define your data sources and destinations using our plug-in lists 
  2. Browsing to identify the data you want to use
  3. Creating your data flows and transformations
  4. Setting up your triggers that drive when to move the data. 

For large applications, templates and automated instance creation allows OPC Router configurations to scale quickly.

OPC Router Visual Workflows speed configuration

 

Connect SAP to OPC, SQL, Label Printers, REST and more

OPC Router connects to SAP, SAP Plant Maintenance (PM), NetWeaver and more using RFC, BAPI, IDOC, SOAP, REST, or HANA with a variety of functions supported using an SAP certified interface. 

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  • Data transfer to/from databases, OPC DA, UA servers, control systems, PLCs, DCS
  • No limits on # of data points or connections
  • SAP MII NOT required
  • Graphical setup, no programming 
  • Uses non-interactive standard SAP login
  • SNC secure communication supported

WHITEPAPER OFFER - SAP to OT Integration: Methods, Challenges & Options

Video On-Demand Training - Integrating SAP to MES Databases
OPC Router Integrates Field to Business Systems

 

Flexible Integration Options

The OPC Router offers a wide range of options for integrating devices in the cloud, remote devices and more.  

OPC Router IoT PlugIns Including MQTT
 

 

Assuring Data Availability Two Ways

OPC Router helps you assure data availability at two levels:

  1. High Availability Application Redundancy - redundant applications that can fail over and back
  2. Data Source Redundancy - when you have multiple OPC or other data sources in your systems, OPC Router can handle them. 

Example of the many architectures possible, this one exchanging PLC data with SAP with a highly available pair of OPC Router instances.

opc-router-redundancy-infographic-800x347

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Put OPC Router's Power at the Edge with Docker & Kubernetes Support

OPC-Router-Docker-Support-smallDeploy powerful edge computing functionality to add value to field data and speed integration close to data sources. Visually configure and deploy the OPC Router runtime to Docker container instances running on any operating system supported by Docker to . 

  • Browser based configuration means you can configure from ANY platform using a supported browser (V5 and newer)
  • OPC UA client, database, MQTT & MQTT Sparkplug, REST, visual configuration & many other features available at the edge 
  • Unified remote configuration, deployment, and management of instances from local Windows application
  • Rapid deployment wizard requires minimal Docker knowledge 
  • Optional automatic deployment of Docker Portainer management container
  • Pre-built Docker Configuration scripts included 
  • Kubernetes Helm Charts available for deployment and management automation at scale

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Wide Storage System Support

OPC Router Storage Database FilePlug Ins OPC Router excels at the range of connections it offers and the ease of integration with OPC, ERP, IoT, devices and more.  Supported storage types include:

Know what's happening in your systems

With OPC Router you can create your own templates for various alerting functions and fill them at precisely definable times with data from connected systems such as OPC UA, SAP, SQL databases, REST, MQTT and many more. 

Notifications are possible using 

  • Email
  • Telegram smartphone app

OPC Router Notification Options

 

Flexibility, Reduced Errors, Faster Results

Integrating OPC with VideoJet PrintersUsing its variety of printer plug-ins, OPC Router automates combining information and sending output to industrial labelers, printers, and even generic Windows printers. Combine data from PLCs, OPC, Databases, Files, MQTT, SAP, ERP and more into a common output to a printer. Speed results, increase flexibility, and reduce errors through data flow automation.

  • Domino
  • Zebra
  • Wolke/VideoJet
  • Windows Printers

Direct and OPC Device Integration Options

OPC UA AutoID RFID ExampleIn addition to its OPC UA and DA client plug-ins, OPC Router also offers direct driver connections to a variety of device types. Once connect to a device, you can share the data with databases, SAP, ERP, IoT, Cloud, and any other plug-in within OPC Router. 

  • OPC UA RFID-AutoID enabled devices (Siemens, Harting, Turck, etc)
  • Heidenhain CNCs
  • Charm EZ Readers
  • Generic barcode readers

Advanced Features to Meet Complex & Enterprise Needs

  • Extract, Transform, & Load (ETL) Data Transformation Capabilities: XML/Xpath, JSON/JPath, CSV. and .NET C# scripts empower OPC Router to extract from many sources, transform the data, then deliver it to any destination supported by OPC Router.
  • Store & Forward: Prevent data loss if destinations OPC Router is sending to such as a database, MQTT broker, etc is unreachable, by storing a configurable amount or timespan of data locally in a database. When the destination becomes available, data is then delivered to the destination automatically.
  • Redundant OPC Routers & Connections: Configure two OPC Routers as primary and secondary, and they monitor each other, and automatically failover and fail back. Advanced Redundancy allows for redundant connections to databases, OPC servers, etc.
  • Templates for Configuration Scalability & Flexibility: Templates are used to setup connections with variables that can be populated for similar connections that have some variability. Dynamic Templates take this to the next level to automate instance creation from templates using data in a database and triggers.
  • Extended Notification Groups: Define groups of recipients so that different events can notify different people, such as an SAP connection error notification going to someone different than a low fill level on an injection molding machine input.

Plug-Ins, Transfer Objects, & Triggers for Modular Integration

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OPC Router's architecture empowers you to license only what you need, but also to abstract data from the sources and treat it as data and information as you work with it internally. 

  • Plug-Ins provide the connections for all the different types of systems that OPC Router can integrate. All of the features discussed here are enabled by plug-ins and our technical, budget conscious team helps you insure you get the right plug-ins at the best price. 
  • Transfer Objects  are enabled by your licensed plug-ins and are the internal visual connectors you use for sources and destinations in the configuration of OPC Router. Each unique transfer objects provides configuration settings and data fields for the functionality of that object
  • Trigger Functions apply to some plug-ins specifically, or are independent of a plug-in type. Triggers make things happen on conditions you specify, such as data changes, combinations of events in AND/OR, etc. 

Learn More

RESOURCES

  • Operating System Support
  • Other System Requirements
  • Documentation
  • Application Guides
  • Video Tutorials & Training
  • Product Brochures

OPC Router Operating System and .NET Requirements

  • Windows 64 bit OS
  • Windows Server OS recommended for production applications.
  • V4.28 - Microsoft .NET 6.0.4 or higher - link to download is on our OPC Router downloads page but also included in the product installation
  • V5.0 - Microsoft .NET 6.0.12 or higher - link to download is on our OPC Router downloads page but also included in the product installation

Other requirements

  • For V5 browser based configuration, we support Chrome and Edge browsers.  Internet Explorer is NOT supported.  Other browsers may work but you may experience different behavior and appearances that are outside of the OPC Router software's control. 
  • We recommend running on appropriately equipped hardware - multi-core processor, at least 4 GB RAM or 8 GB if running database server on same machine.
  • Although not required, we recommend RAID 5 or similar storage for critical applications where data loss would be a concern.
  • OPC DA, UA, or XML-DA Server for communicating with PLCs
    (Software Toolbox can provide if needed)
  • If database connectivity is being used, MSSQL, MySQL, Oracle, MSAccess or others via ODBC.
  • If using an Oracle connection, you'll need the Oracle Instant Client (ODAC)
  • SAP plug-in supports SAP systems 4.0b or newer, log-on pad has to be installed

Online Product Manual

OPC-Router-Online-Documentation-400wStarting with Version 5.1 and higher, extensive and detailed OPC Router product documentation is available online.

 

View Documentation

Helping you succeed with OPC Router

OPC Router Quick Start GuideOur Technical Consultants create detailed, step-by-step guides for common application use cases to help users get started successfully. 

If you need help or have any questions, please do contact our Technical Consultants for free assistance, even before you purchase. 

Click to see available guides 

 

OPC Router Product Brochures

See also our application notes and guides or contact us if there is something you need but are not finding. 

What OPC Router Users Say

PaulBaker-KennaMetal

OPC Router has enabled Kennametal to not just stream machine data up into the cloud seamlessly, it also allows us to pull and combine information from SAP and other data sources to have a more uniform data set for machine learning and dashboarding.

- Paul Baker, Enterprise Data Architect - KennaMetal

X-Site Color Measurement

The OPC Router can be used flexibly as well as installed in an uncomplicated and cost-effective way – the ideal solution for integrating our measuring systems into different plant types

- Andreas Waneck, Application Manager, X-Rite

Auria SAP to OPC Integration

The visual interface allows easy OPC configuration without extended programming knowledge. Commonplace alterations can be carried out independently, without further assistance.

- Michael Kalbe, IT Administrator

Herma SAP to OPC Router Integration

All OPC Router-based processes are consistently robust and steady. Implementing phased automation with the OPC Router for better connectability of our production has proven to be successful.

- Hardy Schwenke, Project Manager - HERMA

Get Started Now

The demo is the full product. When you put an OPC Router project into runtime, it will stop operating after 2 hours and have to be restarted. Purchase of a license will remove the restriction.

Connect with Us

1-888-665-3678 (US + Canada toll free)
+1-704-849-2773 (Global)
support.softwaretoolbox.com