Beginner's Guide to Open Process Automation

A clear practical introduction to OPA and O-PAS 

The Beginner’s Guide to Open Process Automation is a plain-language introduction to OPA and the O-PAS™ standard. It explains the core concepts, architecture, and motivations behind open automation in a way that is accessible to end users, engineers, and decision-makers alike.

Rather than focusing on products or vendor-specific solutions, the guide emphasizes architecture, interoperability, and standards-based thinking. It is designed to help readers understand what OPA is, how it fits alongside existing control systems, and how organizations can approach modernization incrementally and responsibly.

What this guide covers

  • What Open Process Automation is — and what it is not
  • The role of O-PAS in enabling open, interoperable systems
  • How IEC 61131 applications fit within modern OPA architectures
  • Coexistence with legacy DCS and control systems
  • Practical considerations for adoption, migration, and risk
  • Common misconceptions and where OPA is (and isn’t) today
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Who this guide is for

Owner/Operators

Evaluating long-term automation strategies

Control Systems & Automation Engineers

New to OPA Concepts

System Integrators

Supporting multi-vendor environments

Vendor neutral by design

This guide is published as part of the OPA Community, an independent, vendor-neutral resource focused on education and open discussion.  Content is aligned with published standards and real-world experience, not marketing agendas or proprietary information