December 2025: New OPC UA Standards Shape the Future of Smart Manufacturing

In December 2025, the manufacturing engineering sector saw the release of five pivotal OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) standards—each poised to drive interoperability, efficiency, and data integrity in next-generation manufacturing systems. As Part 2 of a four-part series from iTeh Standards, this article delivers an in-depth look into these standards: what’s new, who must comply, and how the changes will impact smart manufacturing.

Overview / Introduction

The modernization of manufacturing engineering relies on robust, open standards to ensure seamless data exchange, automation, and operational resilience. OPC UA, governed by the IEC 62541 series, has become the gold standard for interoperability in industrial systems, covering data models, communication protocols, security, and service architectures.

This article explores five recently published OPC UA standards from December 2025, detailing the essentials for quality managers, compliance officers, automation engineers, and procurement teams who must integrate these critical updates into their organizations. You’ll learn what each standard covers, key updates in this release cycle, and best practices for implementation.

Detailed Standards Coverage

IEC 62541-10:2025 - OPC Unified Architecture - Part 10: Programs

OPC Unified Architecture – Part 10: Programs

Scope and Coverage: IEC 62541-10:2025 defines the Information Model and behaviors associated with Programs in OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) environments. Programs are reusable sequences of actions running in automation or process control systems, modeled via NodeClasses, Properties, Methods, Events, and state machines.

A major function of this standard is to formalize how program execution is represented in the OPC UA AddressSpace. The standard also provides detailed security considerations and introduces new methods for state transitions, control, and diagnostics. The fourth edition aligns the StateMachine table formats for better consistency with other OPC UA components.

Key requirements and specifications:

• Models all program states and transitions using OPC UA StateMachine.
• Defines standard Program Properties (e.g., Start, Suspend, Resume, Halt, Reset).
• Specifies Program Control Methods accessible via OPC UA Services.
• Introduces enhanced diagnostics with ProgramDiagnostic2.
• Ensures detailed event tracing via AuditProgramTransitionEventType.

Target audience:

• Automation and process control engineers
• Systems integrators implementing OPC UA
• Manufacturing IT/OT professionals

Practical implementation:

• Enables detailed program control and status tracking within automation platforms.
• Facilitates robust state management and diagnostics for reusable operational sequences.
• Supports compliance with enterprise-wide OPC UA integration requirements.

Significant technical changes (2025 revision):

• StateMachine table format now aligned for improved consistency and clarity.

Key highlights:

• Unified modeling of automation programs in OPC UA
• Improved troubleshooting and diagnostics through enhanced event and state representations
• Facilitates standardized, vendor-independent program control

Access the full standard:View IEC 62541-10:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 62541-13:2025 - OPC Unified Architecture - Part 13: Aggregates

OPC Unified Architecture – Part 13: Aggregates

Scope and Coverage: IEC 62541-13:2025 specifies the Aggregates information model for OPC UA. Aggregates process raw and historical data, providing key statistics such as averages, totals, minima, maxima, and other essential metrics used in analytics, monitoring, and control. This release (third edition) is a significant technical revision aimed at improving accuracy, reliability, and compatibility of data aggregation functions.

Key requirements and specifications:

• Defines standard aggregate types (Average, Minimum, Maximum, Total, Standard Deviation, etc.)
• Formalizes aggregate computation rules, bounding values, and status codes.
• Mandates compliance of aggregate computation with status code propagation and quality metrics.
• Includes examples and CSVs for implementation guidance.

Target audience:

• Data analysts in manufacturing IT
• SCADA and HMI developers
• Quality and compliance managers using industrial data

Practical implementation:

• Ensures consistency in computed values for analytics platforms and dashboards.
• Allows cross-vendor interoperability in data aggregation techniques.
• Supports regulatory reporting and data quality compliance.

Significant technical changes (2025 revision):

• Fixes in aggregate computation logic: proper handling of status codes, rounding errors, missing tables, and uncertain data regions.
• Alignment of status code usage in all aggregate types and time intervals.
• More comprehensive documentation and testable definitions for certification tools.
• Clarifications on handling PercentGood and PercentBad data.

Key highlights:

• Enhanced accuracy of aggregate computations
• Improved support for historian and analytics use cases
• Standardized handling of uncertain and bad data

Access the full standard:View IEC 62541-13:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 62541-4:2025 - OPC Unified Architecture - Part 4: Services

OPC Unified Architecture – Part 4: Services

Scope and Coverage: IEC 62541-4:2025 lays out the Service Set model for OPC UA, defining all abstract Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs) between clients and servers. These Services underpin all client-server interactions—covering discovery, security, sessions, node management, subscriptions, monitored items, and event notification.

Whether you are integrating a new OPC UA server, deploying clients across your operations, or ensuring your ecosystem is secure and interoperable, this standard is vital. The fourth edition brings technological enhancements, security updates, and better support for modern authentication and transport protocols.

Key requirements and specifications:

• Abstract definition of all standardized Services for OPC UA interoperability (Read, Write, Browse, Call, Monitor, Subscription, etc.)
• Enhanced security mechanisms, including support for Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)
• Expanded options for certificate management, session authentication, and error handling
• Added service result codes for new operational scenarios (e.g., Good_PasswordChangeRequired)
• Clarified behavior under error and overload conditions

Target audience:

• Industrial automation software developers
• IT/OT security professionals
• System integrators building OPC UA ecosystems

Practical implementation:

• Enables secure, robust, and certified client-server communication
• Supports mandatory and optional service sets for compliance with UP profiles
• Aligns with global best practices for industrial IoT service architectures

Significant technical changes (2025 revision):

• Optional method arguments for Method Call Service
• ECC cryptography support and certificate trust enhancements
• Refined error codes for session, service, and server failure handling
• Improved aggregate result and filter support

Key highlights:

• Broader RPC service feature set for scalable deployments
• Advanced security support and certificate handling
• Futureproof service architecture for next-gen manufacturing systems

Access the full standard:View IEC 62541-4:2025 on iTeh Standards

(Note: Each standard that repeats in the list above points to the same comprehensive coverage and is linked as required for completeness.)

Industry Impact & Compliance

For manufacturing engineering professionals, these OPC UA standards set the baseline for safe, secure, and interoperable production systems. Key areas of impact include:

• Accelerated Industrial Digitalization: Standardized information models enable seamless sensor-to-cloud integration across automation architectures.
• Regulatory Compliance: Demonstrable adherence to IEC/OPC standards is critical for audits, certifications, and global market access.
• Vendor Independence: Unified interfaces and modeling mean easier system upgrades, supplier changes, and legacy migrations.
• Agility in Change Management: Clear program and aggregate models enhance troubleshooting, reduce commissioning time, and pave the way for predictive analytics and closed-loop controls.

Compliance timelines:

• Immediate (upon standard release) for new system development
• Grace periods may apply for existing installations—consult industry and regulatory bodies
• Regular audits advised to ensure continued conformity as updates roll out

Benefits of Adoption:

• Futureproofing investments
• Enhanced operational reliability and transparency
• Simplification of certification and tendering processes

Risks of Non-Compliance:

• Integration and data integrity failures costing time and resources
• Potential exclusion from regulated or certified markets
• Increased cyber risk due to missing or outdated security controls

Technical Insights

A review of these standards reveals several key technical themes and best practices:

• Consistent State and Event Modeling: Unified approach in representing equipment and process state transitions for complex programs (IEC 62541-10)
• Robust Data Aggregation: Rigorous treatment of uncertain and bad quality data ensures accurate metrics underpinning automated decisions (IEC 62541-13)
• Expanded Services Layer: Abstract, future-ready definition of client-server interactions facilitates rapid ecosystem integration and compliance (IEC 62541-4)
• Security as Foundation: Continuous enrichment of security protocols, certificate management, and cryptography aligns with evolving cyber threats

Implementation best practices:

1. Leverage certified software and hardware wherever possible
2. Validate OPC UA compliance using recognized testing and certification tools
3. Regularly review updates to the IEC 62541 series and adapt integration roadmaps accordingly
4. Document internal interpretations of ambiguous requirements to ensure audit-readiness

Testing and Certification:

• Utilize the latest test scripts and sample datasets provided with standards
• Engage with certification bodies early in the implementation cycle
• Implement continuous improvement cycles to catch issues triggered by subsequent standard updates

Conclusion / Next Steps

Robust, forward-thinking standards like IEC 62541-10, 62541-13, and 62541-4 form the cornerstone of smart, secure, and efficient manufacturing engineering today. December 2025’s updates offer both evolutionary improvements and vital new capabilities, ensuring all stakeholders—whether in automation, IT, or compliance—have the tools and frameworks needed to thrive.

Key takeaways:

• Review the specific standard updates relevant to your role and system architecture
• Plan or validate compliance as part of your next integration or upgrade project
• Stay engaged with iTeh Standards for authoritative updates and resources

Ready to strengthen your organization’s manufacturing excellence?

• Explore the latest OPC UA standards on iTeh Standards, and connect with our platform to stay informed and compliant in the global marketplace.