For the communication between different machines, manufacturer independent information models are required. For plastics and rubber machinery, these information models are based on OPC UA, a communication framework developed and provided by the OPC Foundation. While OPC UA provides the technology for the transfer of information, the definition which information is transferred in which form is fixed in Companion Specifications.

This recommendation defines common ObjectTypes for plastics and rubber machines. The intention is that ObjectTypes which can be used for several machines and applications are defined only once. For specific applications (e.g. connection of injection moulding machines to MES), these ObjectTypes are used by specific Companion Specifications (e.g. OPC 40077).

NOTE: Not all machines will support all ObjectTypes, e.g. TemperatureZoneType, MouldType.