OPC 40077 describes the interface between injection moulding machines (IMM) and manufacturing execution systems (MES) for data exchange. MES are used for collecting the information generated by IMM at a central point for easier quality assurance and job and dataset management. The target of OPC 40077 is to provide a unique interface for IMM and MES from different manufacturers to ensure compatibility.

The following functionalities are covered:

• General information about the IMM (manufacturer, model, serial number…), current configuration and status of the IMM including moulds, injection units and power units, and logbook of relevant changes on the machine.
• Job management: Information on the jobs running on the machine and the parameters of the production cycles and methods to send jobs from the MES to the IMM and to release the production.
• Dataset management: IMM store their configurations in so-called datasets. These include information on nominal process parameters (times, temperatures, pressures …) related to the IMM but also to installed handling systems. OPC 40077 allows transferring datasets between IMM and MES for building a central repository of datasets.

Following functions are not included:

• Safety related signals like emergency stop
• Direct control of machine movements by the MES