IEC 62541-7-2025 PDF

Full title and description

St IEC 62541-7:2025 — OPC Unified Architecture - Part 7: Profiles. This part specifies the value and structure of Profiles used in OPC UA to group functionality for testing and conformance purposes; it defines which features can be tested and how functionality is organized for conformance assessment.

Abstract

IEC 62541-7:2025 defines OPC UA Profiles that segregate features with regard to testing of OPC UA products and the nature of the testing. The document covers grouping of functionality and defines functionality that can only be tested; it does not define actual test cases but addresses the general categories of test cases and how Profiles and ConformanceUnits are managed (now maintained in a public database rather than embedded in the document). This fourth edition cancels and replaces the 2020 edition and constitutes a technical revision.

General information

• Status: Current (International Standard, published edition).
• Publication date: 16 December 2025.
• Publisher: International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
• ICS / categories: 25.040.40; 35.100.05.
• Edition / version: 4.0 (fourth edition).
• Number of pages: 333 pages (official IEC publication metadata).

Scope

IEC 62541-7:2025 specifies the value and structure of Profiles in the OPC Unified Architecture. Profiles are used to segregate features for the purposes of testing OPC UA products and for defining the nature of testing (tool-based versus lab-based). The part covers grouping of functionality that can be tested and identifies functionality that requires laboratory testing; the explicit definition of test cases is out of scope. The edition also clarifies that Profiles and ConformanceUnits are managed in a public database referenced by the standard.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of OPC UA Profiles and their purpose for conformance testing.
• Structure and value assignments for Profiles and ConformanceUnits used in certification.
• Identification of functionality that can only be tested in lab environments versus tool-based testing.
• Reference to external/public database management of Profiles and ConformanceUnits (Profiles are no longer embedded directly in the printed document).
• Compatibility and alignment with other parts of the IEC 62541 OPC UA series (Profiles reference capabilities described in core parts 1–6 and access-specific parts).

Typical use and users

This standard is used by OPC UA product developers, device and automation-system vendors, system integrators, test laboratories, and certification bodies to determine which features of an OPC UA application are within specified Profiles and how conformance testing should be structured. It is also a reference for QA teams and organizations preparing products for OPC UA certification.

Related standards

IEC 62541-7 is part of the IEC 62541 series (OPC Unified Architecture). Closely related parts include: Part 1 (Overview and concepts), Part 2 (Security Model), Part 3 (Address Space Model), Part 4 (Services), Part 5 (Information Model), Part 6 (Mappings), Part 8 (Data Access), Part 9 (Alarms and Conditions), Part 11 (Historical Access), Part 14 (PubSub), and other parts in the series that define specific access models and features used by Profiles. Users should consult the relevant core and access parts when applying Profiles.

Keywords

OPC UA, Profiles, Conformance, ConformanceUnits, OPC Unified Architecture, testing, certification, IEC 62541, automation, industrial interoperability.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: IEC 62541-7:2025 (St IEC 62541-7:2025) is Part 7 of the IEC 62541 OPC Unified Architecture series and defines Profiles used for grouping OPC UA functionality to support testing and conformance assessment.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the value and structure of OPC UA Profiles, identifies functionality that is testable (including functionality that requires lab testing), and specifies how Profiles and ConformanceUnits are organized and referenced (managed via a public database rather than embedded in the printed text). It does not define individual test cases.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: OPC UA implementers, device manufacturers, system integrators, independent test labs, and certification authorities use this part to determine conformance requirements and to prepare for product testing and certification.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: This is the current (fourth) edition published 16 December 2025 and it cancels and replaces the previous (third) edition from 2020.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — IEC 62541-7 is one part of the multi-part IEC 62541 series that defines OPC Unified Architecture; other parts address core concepts, security, address space, services, information models, mappings, access models, PubSub, and additional function-specific parts.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: OPC UA, Profiles, ConformanceUnits, certification, testing, interoperability, IEC 62541.