OptoBlog

Dan White

Dan has worked at Opto 22 for more than a decade. His Tufts Engineering background, MBA in International Business, and prior industrial controls experience give him a unique edge in automation. Dan enjoys staying active through biking, basketball, skiing – and keeping up with his three young kids!
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Recent Posts

What happened at the ARC Industry Forum?

Posted by Dan White on Feb 19, 2025 7:50:12 AM

If you're in the industrial automation field, you'll want to hear about the annual ARC Forum that keeps you thinking ahead.

If you didn’t make it to the 29th Annual ARC Industry Forum, you missed out. But this blog post will get you up to speed!

Here’s what went down and why this event continues to matter:

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Topics: Events & conferences, Ignition Edge, ARC Forum, Ignition, Inductive Automation

Your Opto 22 toolbox just got bigger with Corso Systems deep dives

Posted by Dan White on Feb 5, 2025 7:28:04 AM

OptoPartner Corso Systems offers detailed resources and tips in their blog to help you get the most out of your groov EPIC and groov RIO edge devices.

If you’re using Opto 22 gear in your automation projects (or even just considering it), you already know the power of groov EPIC, groov RIO, and industrial automation done right. 

But have you checked out the goldmine of content that Corso Systems has put together?

Corso Systems—a problem-solving, people-focused industrial automation firm that helps manufacturers work smarter—has been diving deep into Opto 22 solutions, sharing real-world insights, how-to guides, and integration strategies.

Their blog is packed with useful content that can help you get more out of your Opto 22 groov systems. Start exploring...

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Topics: Node-RED, MQTT, groov EPIC, Ignition, OptoPartner, groov RIO, Corso Systems

Stay in the loop with LinkedIn

Posted by Dan White on Jan 15, 2025 10:01:31 AM

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.

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Topics: Case studies, IIoT, industrial automation, LinkedIn

Looking to improve safety and efficiency in oil and gas sand applications?

Posted by Dan White on Oct 14, 2024 2:21:27 PM

Read how MAC Automation, an IoT Certified OptoPartner, and EnerCorp use Ignition SCADA with groov EPICs and RIOs to automate sand removal and management in oil and gas.

Handling sand in oil and gas flowback systems is both critical and challenging. Left unchecked, sand can damage equipment, leading to leaks and costly system shutdowns. Manual handling of flowback systems exposes workers to hazardous materials, heavy equipment, and high-pressure environments. 

Together, MAC Automation and EnerCorp have automated the dangerous and labor-intensive process.

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Topics: Case studies, groov EPIC, Ignition, OptoPartner, groov RIO, SCADA, oil and gas

Capture remote sites live: Your ICC booth cam view

Posted by Dan White on Oct 7, 2024 12:00:00 PM

See how you can quickly, easily, and cost-effectively capture and publish live images from remote sites to the cloud via MQTT/Sparkplug.

If you couldn’t attend the Ignition Community Conference or want a closer look, here’s your chance to experience it recorded with Opto 22's groov EPIC booth cam.

With the expertise of Alex Marcy from Corso Systems and Jason Hamlin from Inframark, we captured live booth footage using an off-the-shelf, IP-based camera, Ignition Edge, its MQTT Transmission module, and Node-RED, all running on a single groov EPIC.

Check out this one-minute time lapse video.

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Topics: Events & conferences, MQTT, groov EPIC, Sparkplug, Ignition, Ignition Community Conference

What you missed at ICC 2024

Posted by Dan White on Sep 26, 2024 8:08:20 AM

Get a recap of all the adventures that made last week's Ignition Community Conference a memorable occasion for all attendees.

Couldn’t make it to ICC 2024? You’re not alone—but you still have plenty of time to learn before Inductive Automation’s 8.3 release of Ignition—it’s still a few months away. 

This year’s #ICCBreakthrough showcased advancements to the Ignition platform, real-world projects that tackled the same automation hurdles you’re facing every day, and a community of dedicated partners working together to drive the industry forward—starting with your success at the core.

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Topics: Events & conferences, Ignition Edge, Ignition, Ignition Community Conference, Inductive Automation, Ignition Cloud Edition

Hands-on Learning Opportunity with Ignition Edge

Posted by Dan White on Sep 16, 2024 12:06:06 PM

Can’t make this year's Ignition Community Conference? Don’t miss your chance to learn how to collect, model, and democratize OT data with Ignition Edge in a virtual workshop.

Opto 22 is in Folsom, CA this week—ready to rock at ICC 2024. 

We’re looking forward to seeing you there, but if you can’t attend, here’s a great opportunity to stay up on the latest SCADA tech.

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Topics: Ignition Edge, Ignition Community Conference, virtual workshop

Uptime guaranteed with groov EPIC

Posted by Dan White on Sep 5, 2024 1:29:15 PM

OptoPartner Enginuity shares how their engineers ensure reliability and minimize downtime with custom scalable redundancy.

When your operations rely on consistent performance and uptime, you can't afford to be caught off guard by control system failures.

But nothing lasts forever—failures will occur. A robust redundancy system ensures your processes continue running without costly downtime. 

This blog post, written by Daniel Baugh of Enginuity Inc., an IIoT-certified OptoPartner, explores how you can implement effective redundancy solutions using groov products from Opto 22.

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Topics: CODESYS, groov EPIC, OptoPartner, redundancy

Modern Edge Devices Bring Harmony to Disjointed Protocols

Posted by Dan White on Aug 19, 2024 12:44:04 PM

Without disturbing existing systems, edge devices make it easy to convert data from a custom fieldbus into open protocols for digital transformation.

If TCP/IP won the “protocol wars” in the ‘90s, then WHY are you still fighting protocol battles on the plant floor today? Because industrial networks were around long before the internet. As far back as the 1960s, machines communicated via serial networks like RS-232, RS-485, and CAN Bus—with specialized proprietary fieldbus protocols like Modbus, Profibus, and DeviceNet.

Even with TCP/IP on Ethernet, specialized protocols remained. Modbus now has a TCP/IP version, Profibus gave way to ProfiNET, DeviceNet to EtherNet/IP, and even some new ones joined the protocol party.

After the industry demanded interoperability, OPC was born—now OPC UA—a big step toward a unified architecture on OT networks. Meanwhile on the IT side, using HTTP and HTTPS was common. It’s how web browsers—and most of the internet—work today.

MQTT Sparkplug came later. A recently named International Standard, it’s built on efficient, secure, and scalable publish/subscribe communications—a great fit for digital transformation projects and the IIoT.

I want to digitally transform, but my existing machines don’t support all these protocols.
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Topics: MQTT, edge computing, digital transformation, OPC UA

OT SCADA CON—An Engaging and Efficient Format

Posted by Dan White on Jul 29, 2024 12:03:43 PM

Why a first-of-its-kind event is changing the world of SCADA.

Attending the inaugural OT SCADA CON in Houston can only be described as “a breath of fresh air.” I attend a lot of automation industry events, and this one was a hit—thanks in large part to its excellent format.

Informative sessions were kept to 30 minutes—a block of time long enough to highlight each speaker’s real-world experience and expertise, but short enough to keep the audience engaged, attentive, and in some cases, QUITE entertained.

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Topics: Events & conferences, IIoT, SCADA, OT data

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