Visualization via OPC With Component Based Automation, visualization is handled with the help of OPC (OLE for Process Control). The visualization stations are located on Ethernet. All visualization products that represent an OPC client can be used, for example, SIMATIC ProTool/Pro and SIMATIC WinCC. A PROFINET OPC server, the SIMATIC NET PN OPC server, is required for accessing PROFINET variables on Ethernet. It enables the selection and assignment of variables. SIMATIC iMap represents a special form of integration for SIMATIC ProTool/Pro: ProTool/Pro configuring can be started from SIMATIC iMap. The user can then simply "browse" the data of the individual PROFINET devices in the familiar way in ProTool/Pro. The SIMATIC NET PN OPC server is used generally for accessing data in PROFINET devices from PC applications. The PN OPC server (PROFINET OPC server) is the PC application interface data access over Industrial Ethernet with PROFINET components. OPC client applications communicate on a standardized, open, and therefore vendor-independent interface, with the PN OPC server. The PN OPC server accesses PROFINET components over Industrial Ethernet using the DCOM protocol SIMATIC iMap also generates the data for accessing the PN OPC server from visualization systems or office applications (OPC tag file) Parallel operation with other protocols such as S7 Communication and S5-compatible communication (SEND/RECEIVE). Products for visualization You can solve machine-level visualization tasks on PCs with SIMATIC ProTool/Pro. The standard interfaces OLE or OPC ensure the best connections in the Windows world. SIMATIC WinCC is a modular process visualization system (also Based on Windows). Thanks to standard interfaces like OLE, ODBC, OPC, and SQL, WinCC works together with any software and can be integrated into any IT environment. Component Based Automation uses OPC servers for visualizing. A uniform data access to PROFINET devices from different manufacturers is therefore possible. Technical data and order information in the Catalog and Online ordering system SIMATIC NET PN OPC server SIMATIC ProTool/Pro SIMATIC WinCC