Simplifying secure industrial connectivity with OPC UA FX

In modern manufacturing, precise timing and reliable communication are critical to performance and quality. This is especially true in processes like photolithography, a key step in semiconductor fabrication, where the alignment of the wafer and reticle stages beneath the projection optics must be synchronized with sub-millisecond precision. Even the slightest delay can introduce defects and yield losses.

Similarly strict timing demands can be found in many other processes across all branches of manufacturing.

Traditionally, the low-latency, deterministic communication needed to meet these demands is provided by industrial fieldbus systems. The necessary security is commonly achieved through air-gapping — physically isolating machinery from external networks. However, as manufacturers scale production and introduce digital solutions that rely on continuous connectivity, these approaches show their limitations — driving up integration costs, delaying maintenance, and complicating compliance with regulations like the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).

This is where OPC UA FX (Unified Architecture for Field eXchange, UAFX) comes in. Rather than adding yet another fieldbus to the already crowded landscape, UAFX extends the unified communication architecture of the widely embraced OPC UA standard down to the field level. Because this architecture operates independently of vendors and platforms, it enables seamless communication between automation equipment from different suppliers. And, with enterprise-grade security features built into the framework, UAFX eliminates the need to install and maintain the external security layers commonly required in traditional OT environments.

Core enabling technologies for performance and security

UAFX combines numerous enabling technologies to deliver seamless interoperability with high performance and built-in security. 

Low-latency deterministic communication is provided through integration of Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN). This standard Ethernet extension ensures that critical data such as sensor readings, control commands, and safety signals are transmitted with fast, reliable timing.

The standard's Publisher/Subscriber (Pub/Sub) model efficiently minimizes network load while ensuring real-time data exchange and service orchestration across connected devices. It supports multiple transport protocols, such as MQTT and UDP, for flexible and scalable message delivery. 

Time synchronization mechanisms — enhanced by TSN — ensure that all connected devices operate on a precisely aligned clock, reducing jitter and enabling tightly coordinated real-time actions across distributed systems. Configurable Quality of Service (QoS) settings further optimize message prioritization for critical automation tasks.

To ensure reliable, secure communication in always-connected manufacturing networks, the UAFX framework incorporates built-in security mechanisms aligned with IT best practices. These include end-to-end encryption, mutual authentication, and fine-grained role-based access control. Secure session establishment and integrity checks further protect against tampering, replay attacks, and unauthorized access.

Semantic interoperability and extensibility enable standardized data modeling through OPC UA's information modeling framework, allowing manufacturers to define and exchange structured, machine-readable data across diverse systems while preserving context and meaning. Companion specification support ensures seamless cross-vendor integration, while extensible namespaces and object-oriented modeling simplify adaptation to evolving automation architectures.

More than just an incremental upgrade

UAFX marks a fundamental shift in industrial connectivity. By enabling open interoperability from the field to the cloud, it gives manufacturers the flexibility to choose the best solutions without being locked into proprietary ecosystems. By simplifying machine architectures, it lowers costs and streamlines compliance with evolving regulatory requirements. By simplifying IT-OT integration, it supports Industrial IoT services that leverage data-driven insights to improve efficiency. 

As an early adopter and active contributor to the OPC Foundation's Field Level Communications (FLC) initiative, ABB Machine Automation (B&R) has worked alongside major automation and IT leaders to drive development of OPC UA FX. With industry adoption gaining momentum, this open standard is set to transform manufacturers' ability to scale, optimize, and future-proof their operations.

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