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OPC UA Experts in Germany

to build secure industrial systems, matched in minutes with vetted freelancers

Hire experts who connect machines, production software and cloud services through OPC UA, design information models and integrate PLC, SCADA and MES environments. FRATCH matches you quickly with precise, vetted and available freelancers.

Meet FRATCH Experts in Germany, who have recently used OPC UA

Verified expert

Jens R.

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Technical Product Owner

Kerpen
Jens R.

Last position:

Platform Architect & Senior Developer at Direct client, industrial measurement technology, medium-sized company

  • Technical leadership across hardware, firmware, and software teams; scope: hardware/firmware team (4 people) and leadership group (5 people)
  • Consolidated and documented a product family that had grown over more than 15 years and aligned it with CRA compliance — from the bare-metal I/O module to the cloud interface.
  • Provided the most important customer product with the essential requirements and architecture documentation within two months — for a firmware landscape that had grown over more than 15 years. It now supports the customer’s modernization strategy.
  • Established a monthly reporting line to the supervisory board and executive board within three months: nine meetings since 12/2025. The report itself is versioned and built from the CI pipeline; it is based on automatically collected activity and release data instead of assessments.
  • Built a container-based CI/CD infrastructure from scratch: cross-compilation, host tests, and documentation builds in one continuous pipeline.
  • Introduced declarative QA gates for DevOps and development artifacts — from the start using lefthook instead of pre-commit, executed in a dedicated container image.

Technologies used: arc42, req42, tpo42, docToolchain, PlantUML, ArchiMate, C4 model, ADR, C, C++ (GTest), CMake, Bare Metal (ARM Cortex-M3/M7), OCI containers, Jenkins, lefthook, Prometheus, Grafana, SBOM, CRA, OPC, SCADA, PLC integration, IPv6 migration, Zero Trust, Sociocracy 3.0, Cynefin

Verified expert

Martin W.

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Founder | Hands-On Consulting for Digital Transformation, Industry 4.0 & Interim Management

Hamburg
Martin W.

Last position:

Smart Manufacturing & Production Improvement Implementation at Food & Process Manufacturing

  • Identified operational improvement opportunities together with production, engineering and management teams.
  • Prioritized use cases according to measurable operational value rather than technology availability.
  • Developed solutions around production performance, OEE, quality, traceability, reporting and process transparency.
  • Translated operational requirements into required machine data, interfaces, information models and application requirements.
  • Defined target architectures and integration approaches for heterogeneous brownfield production environments.
  • Moved prioritized use cases from workshop and concept stages into concrete implementation projects.
  • Coordinated manufacturing, OT, IT and technology stakeholders during implementation.
  • Established reusable approaches to scale successful solutions beyond individual machines or pilot areas.
Verified expert

Matthias S.

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Software Developer and Consultant

Böblingen
Matthias S.

Last position:

Software Developer and Consultant at CLADE GmbH

  • Analysis of the existing CAN communication between microcontrollers
  • Analysis of the sensors used and the measured values collected
  • Planning the CAN messages for transmitting the measured values
  • Iterative adjustment of the microcontroller code to the new CAN messages
  • Cross-compilation from x64 to arm64
Verified expert

Burhan D.

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Experienced IT and AI Architect

Niederkassel
Burhan D.

Last position:

Enterprise Architect & Solution Architect at DB Netz AG

With project PRIZMA, DB will modernize its infrastructure on the one hand, and develop a fail-safe IT landscape on the other hand, which can be restored quickly and securely in case of a disaster.

  • Capture current architectures of existing systems as well as methodical consulting and development of target architectures
  • Deepen and maintain the building plan / target IT landscape
  • Implement technical architecture concepts & architecture descriptions
  • Implement migration concepts for updating and further developing the platform and information systems
  • Assess submitted improvement suggestions as part of the project
  • Capability management: identify capability gaps, develop target visions, and support transformation planning within the enterprise architecture.
  • Create a compatibility matrix of the components in use and compare dependencies of specific versions
  • Create an IT concept for extending the platform with the following topics: hardware and software requirements, security, licensing, high availability, load balancing, backup & recovery, update strategy, monitoring integration, etc.
  • Coordinate with business architects as well as technical architects from the cross-functional architecture area of the PRISMA program for the topics (backup, Active Directory, monitoring, Citrix, and business applications ...)
  • Status meetings and alignment of project planning with the Release Train Engineer / Project Manager
  • Advise the Release Train Engineer / Project Manager in identifying project risks
  • Advise the System Architect Engineers in steering the implementation of the concept
  • Implement the IT concept
  • Document the infrastructure

Label: MS Project, LINUX, Windows, ORACLE, Java, REST, SharePoint, Microsoft Exchange, UML, Enterprise Architect, BPMN, AZURE, AWS, V-MODEL, Micro Service, VisualStudio, SAP S/4HANA, SCRUM(SAFE), ESB (TIBCO), Python, Innovator, LeanIX (TOGAF), Ansible, Ansible Tower, Ansible Automation, ROBOT, SpringBoot

Verified expert

Yusuf C.

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Senior Software Engineer C# | C++ | Java | JS | Microservices | Vert.x | OSGI | IoT | Hardware | MQTT

Würselen
Yusuf C.

Last position:

Senior Software Engineer at LeiKon GmbH

  • Development of scalable backend applications with C#/.NET and Java
  • Design and implementation of distributed microservice architectures
  • Development and integration of REST APIs for industrial applications
  • Development of modern web applications with React, Angular, and TypeScript
  • Implementation of MQTT-based communication solutions
  • Integration of industrial protocols such as OPC UA and Modbus TCP
  • Development of batch, process control, and HMI components
  • Containerization and deployment of applications with Docker
  • Conducting code reviews and supporting architecture decisions
  • Close collaboration with product owners, QA, and interdisciplinary teams
  • Analysis of business requirements and implementation of technical solutions
  • Further development of existing software architectures with a focus on maintainability and performance

Technologies: C#, .NET, ASP.NET Core, Java, C++, React, Angular, TypeScript, Vue.JS, MQTT, OPC UA, Modbus TCP, Docker, GitLab, MariaDB, MySQL, Linux

Verified expert

Emil O.

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Automation & Software Engineer | Industrial Automation

Emil O.

Last position:

Automation Engineer In House at Prevas AB

Working as an Automation Engineer in Prevas' in-house engineering team. My primary assignment involves developing and expanding ABB 800xA SCADA systems for a large-scale data center project. Responsibilities include SCADA graphic design, alarm management, system integration using OPC UA and Modbus, testing, verification, documentation, and commissioning support. In addition, I contribute to PLC and HMI development projects using Siemens, Rockwell, and ABB platforms and provide 24/7 remote support for industrial customers.

  • ABB 800xA & ControlBuilder/ AC800M
  • Rockwell Studio 5000 Logix Designer
  • Siemens TIA Portal
  • ABB 800xA
  • Remote Support
  • Troubleshooting hardware/software
Verified expert

Robert K.

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Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division "Databases, Operations & Support" (DOS)

Idstein
Robert K.

Last position:

Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division "Databases, Operations & Support" (DOS) at Landwirtschaftliche RentenBank

  • Technical leadership and further development of a team of 28 IT staff (internal & external) in the areas HelpDesk/HelpLine, RHEL (Red Hat), MUREX (trading system & applications), SAP basis operations
  • Managing external service providers (including FI-TS for SAP basis operations)
  • Personnel, resource and budget planning for the IT department and projects
  • Introducing and establishing regular communication formats (weekly status meetings, team and cross-department meetings)
  • Ensuring application operations in a hybrid environment (Windows/Linux with database and web/application servers)
  • Supporting transformation projects to modernize the application landscape (e.g. DevOps approaches)
  • Setting up and implementing a digital IT procurement for hardware & software (e.g. with DELL)
  • Developing and managing the "IT Operations DOS" department based on corporate strategy
  • Preparing management reports & decision papers on IT projects, optimization potential and automation opportunities
  • Representing the department in the advisory boards of the Rentenbank and ensuring regulatory compliance (BaFin §44, GDPR, BSI, MaRisk)
Verified expert

Ljubomir O.

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Senior Test Automation Engineer | QA Engineer

München
Ljubomir O.

Last position:

Senior Software Test Engineer at Keil KTM GmbH

Temporary employment

  • System black-box integration tests (BBIT, IVVQ): Execution of regression, release, acceptance, and compliance tests for safety-critical brake control units in the rail industry
  • Software test application & integration: Runtime configuration of software components and libraries, validation of interfaces, configuration dependencies, and component interactions
  • Test automation (FEAT framework): Co-development and further development of an automated test framework for test execution, reporting, and result analysis
  • Functional safety (SiL4, FuSi): Ensuring compliance with safety requirements, traceability and coverage, as well as standards compliance according to EN50126/28/29
  • Test automation for communication components: Configuration and validation of fieldbus (CAN) and Ethernet-based TCMS data communication interfaces (TRDP and CIP)
  • Requirements analysis & shift-left (PTC Windchill ALM): Analysis of software and system artifacts to identify gaps, ambiguities, and redundancies early in the SDLC
  • Test design & test case development: Derivation of test conditions, coverage strategies, and implementation of data-driven test cases (DDT), including reusable test data fixtures
  • CI/CD & automation (Python, PowerShell, Jenkins, SVN): Automation of build, test, and HIL deployment processes as well as integration into CI/CD pipelines
  • Test data & configuration management (XML): Maintenance and adaptation of XML test vectors and system configurations with automated integration into test environments
  • Non-functional testing: Execution of performance and load tests to assess stability and system behavior
  • Agile development & defect management (JIRA, Confluence): Participation in Scrum teams, test coordination, review of test artifacts, as well as defect tracking and root-cause analysis
  • Error analysis & debugging (CANoe, CANalyzer): Analysis of errors and message flows across multiple system layers (application to bus)
  • Model-based analysis (UML, Enterprise Architect): Specification of SUT/SOW and support for systematic test control
  • Process & test documentation: Creation of integration and test documentation according to internal quality and certification requirements
Verified expert

Saqib J.

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Senior Solution & Software Architect · Interim IT Lead · AI/Agentic AI, Cloud, .NET

Erlensee
Saqib J.

Last position:

AI Developer / AI Engineer (Lead) at KOM4TEC GmbH

  • Conceptual design and implementation of modular AI assistants for sales and business processes in the Microsoft ecosystem (Agentic AI, Copilot extensions)
  • Frontend architecture and development with React + TypeScript for embedded chat and assistant surfaces (streaming UI, hooks, React Query, OpenAPI clients)
  • Enterprise-level agent development: reusable skill/agent library, MCP server, review and compliance gates
  • LLM integration into the user experience: Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI, tool use, RAG pipelines, prompt engineering, guardrails
  • Architecture and code review consulting as well as mentoring in the AI development team
  • Integration with Microsoft Graph, Power Platform, and Azure services
  • Technologies: React, TypeScript, Anthropic Claude, OpenAI, MCP, RAG, Microsoft Graph, Power Platform, Azure
Verified expert

Youness R.

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Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Automation Technology | Self-employed Entrepreneur

Neuss
Youness R.

Last position:

Communication modernization and recipe management between S7-300, S7-1500 and WinCC V7 at Siemens AG

  • Consulting and development of suitable communication concepts between S7-300 and S7-1500, taking the existing PROFIBUS infrastructure into account
  • Technical support for connecting the S7-300 controllers to the existing recipe data block of the S7-1500
  • Assisting in the development of the communication sequence for recipe access (read, write, acknowledge, status handling)
  • Configuration of S7 communication (PUT/GET)
  • Creation and adaptation of WinCC V7 scripts (C scripts and VBS scripts) for WinCC-based recipe management
  • Development, optimization, and integration of recipe processes into the existing WinCC project structure
  • Commissioning of the new communication interfaces and recommissioning of the recipe logic on existing systems
  • Creation of technical documents: communication sequences, functional descriptions, commissioning documentation
Verified expert

Jorge M.

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Data Expert

Würzburg
Jorge M.

Last position:

Technical Lead / Fractional CTO at Würth GmbH

I designed and developed an AI-powered multi-tenant platform on Azure that transforms SAP process recordings into technical documentation, presentations and automated tests, processing over 15,000 process recordings for enterprise customers like Würth. I owned the architecture, the production releases and the DevOps setup. I also designed a multi-tenant system with SSO and role-based access on Azure. Implemented an MCP Server with Dynamic OAuth Authentication.

Main Tasks:

  • Sprint planning and feature preparation
  • Design the multi-tenant platform architecture (FastAPI, SQLAlchemy, PostgreSQL row-level security for tenant isolation)
  • Develop AI pipelines with Prefect for transcription (Azure Speech API), document generation and SAP screen-recording analysis (Claude, gpt-4-mini)
  • Design and implement an MCP server to expose tenant knowledge to LLM clients (Claude), with async retrieval and reranking
  • Implement LLM cost tracking, rate limiting and client pooling for Anthropic/OpenAI/Azure OpenAI endpoints
  • Set up CI/CD: Docker images to Azure Container Registry, GitHub Actions, Azure Static Web Apps, Alembic migrations in containers
  • Manage production releases and execute live data migrations for enterprise customers
  • Define engineering standards and architecture patterns for the team

Environment: Azure / Azure Foundry / Python / FastAPI / Prefect / React / PostgreSQL

Verified expert

Giuseppe A.

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Software, AI & Automation Architect

Germering
Giuseppe A.

Last position:

Embedded Software Developer at Inheco

  • AI Integration (LLM & RAG): Design and build of an internal intelligent RAG system (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) based on LLMs, n8n, and vector data for the automated analysis of technical documents and error logs.
  • Design & Implementation: Design of a robust RS-232/UART communication interface for an SBC-based embedded device to control medical shaker systems.
  • Architecture & Protocol Design: Implementation of a highly maintainable software structure (OOP, SOLID) and definition of hardware-close, resilient communication protocols including multithreading and advanced error handling.
  • Quality Assurance & DevOps: Test automation using xUnit, integration tests directly on the hardware target, and maintenance of technical documentation according to strict medical technology standards via Azure DevOps.

Label: C#, .NET, LLMs, RAG, n8n, RS-232, UART, Multithreading, async/await, xUnit, gRPC/protobuf, Blazor, MudBlazor, EF Core, Visual Studio 2026, Azure DevOps

Verified expert

Kusay T.

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Engineer

Rülzheim
Kusay T.

Last position:

Freelance System & Software Architect - DNA-Extraction Robot at QIAGEN GmbH

  • System and software architecture for the QIA-symphony Connect DNA-extraction robot in Life Science / IVD automation.
  • Designed features and control logic for extraction, pipetting, lysis and eluate modules using C++, PLC/ST (Beckhoff IPC / TwinCAT 3) and model-based concepts.
  • Delivered ISO 13485-oriented requirements, architecture, unit/integration/regression tests and DHF/VEP/VER/TCL documentation.
  • Used Polarion, Jira, Confluence, Azure and AI-assisted documentation to improve traceability and engineering efficiency.
Verified expert

Thomas S.

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Automation Technology Lecturer

Munich
Thomas S.

Last position:

Automation Technology Lecturer at HWK Munich and Upper Bavaria

  • Training professionals in PLC technology, pneumatics, control engineering, and KUKA robots
  • Creating scripts for Siemens systems: STEP 5, STEP 7, TIA Portal, WinCC
  • Creating scripts for pneumatics, control engineering, and KUKA robot programming
  • Serving on the examination committee for quality assurance in vocational training
  • Training and certifying over 500 professionals

Discover over 15,000 top freelancers

Statistics of experts using OPC UA

Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.

Experience

22 years

OPC UA experts in Germany have 22 years of professional experience on average.

Position duration

3.1 years

OPC UA experts in Germany stay in a single position for 3.1 years on average.

Positions per freelancer

15

OPC UA experts in Germany have completed 15 positions on average over the course of their careers.

Top business areas

Information Technology, Product Development, Quality Assurance

OPC UA experts in Germany have gathered most of their hands-on project experience in Information Technology, Product Development, and Quality Assurance.

Top industries

Manufacturing, Information Technology, Automotive

OPC UA experts in Germany are most in demand in Manufacturing, Information Technology, and Automotive.

Certification focus areas

Information Technology, Operations, Business Intelligence

OPC UA experts in Germany earn their certifications most often in Information Technology, Operations, and Business Intelligence.

Bachelor's degree or higher

89%

89% of OPC UA experts in Germany hold at least a Bachelor's degree.

Master's degree or higher

49%

49% of OPC UA experts in Germany hold at least a Master's degree.

Doctorate

7%

7% of OPC UA experts in Germany have a doctorate (PhD).

Certifications per freelancer

3

OPC UA experts in Germany hold 3 professional certifications on average.

Most common languages

German, English, Spanish

OPC UA experts in Germany most often speak German, English, and Spanish.

Speak two or more languages

100%

100% of OPC UA experts in Germany speak two or more languages.

Based on our profile pool as of 19 Sep 2026.

Daily rate distribution

0 10 20 30 40
20 of the OPC UA experts in Germany charge less than €800 per day.
25 of the OPC UA experts in Germany charge between €800 and €1200 per day.
2 of the OPC UA experts in Germany charge between €1200 and €1600 per day.
2 of the OPC UA experts in Germany charge €1600 or more per day.
<€800 €800-​1200 €1200-​1600 €1600+

The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this technology in Germany are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range.

Average rates of experts in Germany using OPC UA

Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.

1000
750
500
250
Rate comparison chart
Daily rate avg. 833 €

The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.

1000
750
500
250
Rate comparison chart
Median rate 800 €

The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.

Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 19 Sep 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.

OPC UA experts industry focus

See which industries our matched freelancers work in most often — every figure is calculated live from the freelancers on FRATCH.

  • Manufacturing (82%)
  • Information Technology (79%)
  • Automotive (57%)
  • Education (34%)
  • Energy (34%)
  • Healthcare (32%)
  • Transportation (30%)
  • Professional Services (25%)

Please note that freelancers can work across multiple industries, so percentages overlap.

About the technology

Industrial connectivity

OPC UA, short for OPC Unified Architecture, is a platform-independent communication standard for exchanging industrial data securely. It connects machines, PLCs, sensors, SCADA systems, MES software and cloud services while preserving context such as units, states and relationships. Unlike older OPC Classic interfaces, it supports modern networks, multiple operating systems and structured information models.

Systems and use cases

Companies use OPC UA to make production data available across equipment and business systems. Typical projects include:

  • Connecting PLCs and industrial controllers to SCADA or MES
  • Building machine-to-cloud and edge-to-cloud data pipelines
  • Modeling assets, production states and maintenance information
  • Integrating robotics, historians and manufacturing applications

The standard fits discrete manufacturing, process industries, energy, logistics and building automation where reliable machine communication matters.

Ecosystem and tooling

OPC UA projects can involve servers, clients, gateways, subscriptions, monitored items and companion specifications. Professionals work with SDKs such as the OPC Foundation stacks, open62541, Unified Automation libraries and vendor-specific toolkits. They also handle namespaces, certificates, user authentication, encryption, discovery and interoperability testing across heterogeneous equipment.

When specialists help

Freelance expertise is useful when a company needs to connect legacy assets, standardize data from different vendors or move plant information into analytics and cloud environments. Specialists can assess an existing architecture, select suitable client and server components, define an information model and deliver a tested integration without disrupting production. In Germany, projects often combine remote design with on-site commissioning and coordination with plant teams.

Delivery and adjacent skills

Strong professionals understand both the protocol and the operational setting around it. They may bring experience with PLC programming, industrial Ethernet, SCADA, MES, MQTT, REST APIs, databases, Kubernetes at the edge or cloud services. Good delivery includes clear namespace design, robust reconnect behavior, secure certificate handling, logging, performance checks and documentation that operators can maintain.

How to assess quality

Ask candidates to explain how they would model a machine, manage certificates and recover from a lost connection. Review evidence of interoperability work across vendors rather than relying only on familiarity with an SDK. A capable OPC UA specialist separates protocol concerns from application logic, tests subscriptions under realistic loads and communicates clearly with automation, IT and production stakeholders.

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Frequently asked questions

Key details about OPC UA, drawn from the questions we get asked most.

OPC UA is used to exchange structured, secure data between machines, PLCs, SCADA, MES, historians and cloud services. It helps companies connect equipment from different vendors without tying the data flow to one operating system or hardware platform.

OPC Unified Architecture provides rich information models, built-in security and client-server as well as publish-subscribe communication. MQTT is a lightweight messaging protocol and can work well for event transport, but it does not define industrial semantics on its own. OPC Classic relies on older Windows-oriented technologies and is less suitable for modern cross-platform deployments.

A strong OPC UA specialist often understands PLCs, industrial Ethernet, SCADA, MES and database integration. Experience with MQTT, REST APIs, edge computing, certificates and cloud services is useful when plant data must reach analytics or enterprise applications.

The required depth depends on the assignment. A simple client connection may need focused integration knowledge, while a plant-wide rollout calls for experience with information modeling, vendor interoperability, security, commissioning and operational support. Ask for comparable deliverables and clear examples of production troubleshooting.

OPC UA architecture, namespace design, software configuration and test planning can often be handled remotely from Germany. Hardware access, network troubleshooting and commissioning may require on-site work, especially when machines are isolated from corporate systems or production downtime must be controlled.

A capable OPC UA professional should understand application certificates, trust lists, signing, encryption, user authentication and role-based access. They should also be able to explain certificate renewal, endpoint selection, firewall rules and how security decisions fit the plant network.

Review the information model, namespace structure, error handling, reconnect behavior and monitoring approach. A well-built OPC UA solution documents assumptions, tests interoperability with the actual devices and exposes meaningful data rather than simply forwarding raw tags.

Before working with OPC UA, clarify the available server interfaces, device vendors, network boundaries, required data, security policies and commissioning constraints. German industrial projects may also involve plant access procedures and collaboration between automation, IT and production teams, so communication and documentation are essential.

The average hourly rate of freelancers in Germany who have used OPC UA in their recent projects is 104 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 833 € based on an 8-hour working day.

Of the freelancers in Germany who have used OPC UA in their recent projects, 89% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 49% hold at least a Master's degree, and 7% hold a doctorate.

On average, freelancers in Germany who have used OPC UA in their recent projects have 22 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 3.1 years.

The most common languages among freelancers in Germany who have used OPC UA in their recent projects are German (100%), English (96%), and Spanish (20%).

The most common industries among freelancers in Germany who have used OPC UA in their recent projects are Manufacturing (82%), Information Technology (79%), and Automotive (57%).

The most common business areas among freelancers in Germany who have used OPC UA in their recent projects are Information Technology (96%), Product Development (89%), and Quality Assurance (77%).

Main locations of FRATCH Experts, who have recently used OPC UA

Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.

Berlin Hamburg Munich Cologne Frankfurt Stuttgart Dusseldorf Leipzig Dortmund Essen Bremen Dresden Hanover Nuremberg

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