An exemplary test principle for OPC UA Safety is presented. The OPC UA Safety test is a fully automated verification based on test patterns covering all paths of the OPC UA Safety finite state machines. All kinds of possible correct and incorrect SPDUs, parameters, and interactions with the upper interface of the SafetyProvider / SafetyConsumer driver are taken into account. These test patterns together with the expected responses/stimulations are stored as an XML document and imported into the test tool software. The test tool executes the complete test patterns while connected to the OPC UA Safety layer under test, compares the nominal with the actual reactions and is recording the results that can be printed out for the test report.

The automated OPC UA Safety layer tester will be approved by a Notified Body.

Figure 25 shows the structure of the layer tester for the SafetyProvider and SafetyConsumer.

Figure 25 – Automated SafetyProvider / SafetyConsumer test