OPC-UA in Digital Twins—A Performance Comparative Analysis

Connecting structural simulation and real-time data enabled by the application of a Digital Twin has the potential to yield exciting results for the development of an automated stacker crane warehouse. The communication layer is one of the main contributing factors for a successful development of a Digital Twin. It is more than a simple communication protocol, but an integrated solution that allows the data to be retrieved and used in an efficient and structured way. Leveraging integrated solutions, such as OPC-UA, in Digital Twins has been a focus in recent studies, but comparative studies are still missing from literature. This paper explores the outcomes of a performance comparative study between OPC-UA and MQTT in an industrial setting. The findings indicate that a lighter protocol offers advantages in direct applications where rapid data delivery is essential, without a specific emphasis on data structure. However, as literature suggests, communication protocols that offers an integrated information model and data structure are crucial when developing a well-designed communication solution for Digital Twins.