Are you struggling to get your systems on the network with your IT department? Here are some insights on designing a cybersecure controls system that an IT department will know and trust.

The simple action of picking up your cell (mobile) phone and making a call belies the enormous amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to get the protocols and encryption standards approved—so that each phone can connect to the cellular network securely.

If we homemade our own cell phones, it's understandable that the network provider would (and should) quickly become “the department of no,” not allowing us to connect to their network. Many things could go wrong, and they would soon be on the hook for any issues our device might cause.

It really is no different from when we show up at the factory with an Ethernet-enabled PLC and ask our IT department to connect it to the factory network.

They don’t know anything about the PLC! And they have lots of questions...

Don’t miss out on the latest in automation—subscribe to stay updated on insights, tips, and real-world solutions.

Ever feel like you’re constantly chasing the latest insights in automation, IIoT, and industrial tech? I get it—things move fast. That’s why I’m excited to share something we’ve been working on: our brand-new LinkedIn Newsletter.

Upcoming webinar brings together Inductive Automation Solution Partners to show you a live demo of a real-world digitalization application with Unified Namespace (UNS).

Are you wondering how to best proceed in your digital transformation journey? Then please join Opto 22 along with other Inductive Automation Solution Partners for an exclusive webinar. You'll learn how to accelerate and simplify digital transformation through a collaborative, integrated approach.

This webinar will highlight the benefits of using all partners within the Inductive Automation ecosystem:

• 4IR Solutions
• Cirrus Link Solutions
• Sepasoft
• Opto 22

Working together, they'll show you how to achieve seamless digitalization and a Unified Namespace (UNS) with reduced complexity and time. Don't miss this live demo.

Add industry trade events to your schedule this year for more learning opportunities and ways to make your 2025 projects successful.

Looking for educational conferences and seminars to attend this year? Ready to find an advanced solution for your industrial automation application? Start with Opto 22's 2025 event schedule and see if groov EPIC and groov RIO product demos are coming to a venue near you.

First stops will be in Orlando, Dallas, St. Petersburg, and Detroit. For most of these events, we'll be working alongside our technology partner, Inductive Automation. Come see groov product demos in person and in collaboration with Ignition software. 

Get registration and agenda details on upcoming shows, and we hope to see you on the road with us in 2025!

Sending Season's Greetings and keeping you informed of the 2024 year-end holiday schedule.

As 2024 quickly comes to a close, the Opto 22 team would like to extend to you our warmest holiday wishes.

We sincerely appreciate another year of working with you, our outstanding customers and dedicated OptoPartners and distributors. Thank you for your continued business and support.  From the Opto headquarters in Temecula, California, USA, to all our customers and partners worldwide, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season. 

To celebrate, we invite you to watch our holiday greeting video, check our holiday schedule, and most importantly, enjoy this special time of year.

The most popular discussions, topics, and tips of the year from the factory-supported OptoForums.

Is it just me, or are the years flying by faster than ever?

And as if time is not going by fast enough, I’d like to say how much I'm looking forward to writing this blog at this time next year. Why? Let's just say I can't wait to see what our customers put in the groov EPIC container over the coming year!!

But right now, let's recap the EPIC year of 2024 by looking back at the top 5 most discussed and searched topics in the OptoForums.

Check out the popular topics and most-watched videos of the year on OptoVideo—Opto 22's YouTube channel.

Do you find yourself on YouTube when looking for tips or advice on projects? Whether it be for personal hobbies or your job, chances are you've gone down a YouTube video rabbit hole—and gotten some great advice.

For the past several years, programmers, engineers, technicians, and other industrial automation professionals have gotten help from the video content created by Opto 22 developers and engineers. Are you one of the almost 30,000 OptoVideo subscribers? They, along with other YouTube users, have contributed to the over 3 million video views the Opto channel has received so far.

So what videos have proved to be most valuable this year? Let's take a look at Opto 22's Top 10 Videos of 2024.

Tune in to this month's IntegrateLive! virtual workshop to see how groov RIO can help you get actionable insights from legacy equipment in record time.

Legacy equipment has earned its place in your operations—built to last, reliable as ever, and still getting the job done. But for all its dependability, these systems often have one glaring flaw: they’re data blind.

You can’t manage what you can’t measure, and with legacy systems, it’s like trying to navigate with a compass in a GPS world. They generate valuable data, but getting it out and putting it to use? That’s another story. Adding sensors, upgrading infrastructure, or even attempting to connect these systems to modern data platforms often comes with prohibitive costs, long timelines, and significant operational disruption.

Join Benson Hougland from Opto 22 and Graeme Welton from Flow Software in the latest IntegrateLive! Virtual Workshop (Dec. 18 at 11 am EST) as they tackle adding data acquisition, machine monitoring, history, and trending capabilities to unconnected legacy equipment for immediate ROI.

Make plans to attend ProveIt!—a first-of-its-kind conference that aims to prove to manufacturers the viability of IIoT solutions.

ProveIt! is where industry leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts converge to explore the latest advancements in digital transformation and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies through education and application.
 
How is this event different? Vendors have to show more than flashy sales & marketing... they have to PROVE IT! 

Opto 22 is a proud sponsor, exhibitor, and participant in the first ProveIt! event, hosted by 4.0 Solutions. This conference is tailored for manufacturers, Can you join us for this ground-breaking event in Dallas, February 18-20, 2025?

2025 offers you a chance for hands-on edge controller instruction & tips for choosing the best programming options for your control applications.

In-person training sessions at Opto 22 headquarters help you expand your skill set and find easier ways to meet your application challenges. The 2025 groov EPIC Premium Factory Training class schedule has been announced, so don't miss your chance to get first pick of the class dates you'd like to attend.

Learn system components and configuration, networking capabilities, diagnostics, troubleshooting, and communication methods that you can apply to your own industrial automation application. You might just build a complete solution before you leave! And now is the time to reserve your spot.

See what this week's groov EPIC training experience was like, then register to join us for the next class! We've also included a short video to give you a preview of what you can expect.