OptoBlog

Janice Colmer

Janice has worked at Opto 22 for nearly 20 years and is part of the marketing team that strives to share new and relevant content with the automation industry. She enjoys books, camping, country music, and spending time with family and friends.
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Recent Posts

Unlocking Savings and AI Readiness at Stonehill

Posted by Janice Colmer on Nov 13, 2024 9:04:02 AM

Read important tips for achieving predictive maintenance and energy efficiency in this new case study.

What are some of your current application challenges? Mixed control systems? Differing protocols and interfaces on your machinery? Or are you simply trying to reach predictive maintenance for your operations?

If any of this sounds familiar, then our latest case study can offer some advice.

Stonehill Environmental Partners asked OptoPartner Edge Controls to help them regain their competitiveness in the oil and gas industry—by implementing a new SCADA system that would address their legacy equipment challenges. See what happened next.

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Topics: Case studies, groov EPIC, OptoPartner, oil and gas, groov rio emu, energy monitoring

Top 10 takeaways from ICC 2024

Posted by Janice Colmer on Nov 13, 2024 8:50:57 AM

Flexware Innovation hosts a discussion with Ignition Community members as they reflect on this year's Ignition Community Conference.

Did you attend ICC 2024 in person? Or were you able to livestream the 3 days of action-packed learning about Ignition software? The Opto 22 team shared some highlights from this year's event and a behind-the-scenes perspective on how the famous ICC Build-a-Thon panels were designed.

Now you have another opportunity to review the most significant Ignition product announcements and hear how Ignition could be the missing piece needed in your industrial applications.

Tune in to the upcoming webinar hosted by Flexware Innovation: Top 10 Takeaways from ICC 2024.

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Topics: Events & conferences, Ignition, Ignition Community Conference, webinar, Cirrus Link Solutions

Are you battling protocol compatibility on the plant floor?

Posted by Janice Colmer on Nov 6, 2024 9:12:18 AM

New video provides some practical solutions to consider in the age of TCP/IP.

Looking to digitally transform your operations, but your existing machines don't support newer protocols like MQTT or OPC UA?

Don't worry, you're not alone. Legacy industrial control systems are still operating everywhere today. But don't settle or wait for them to fail. 

It's time to learn more about modern edge devices that can bridge the gap between old and new.

This new 1-minute video is a great conversation starter on the topic.

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Topics: Videos, MQTT, groov EPIC, edge computing, groov RIO, OPC UA

Reimagining road safety

Posted by Janice Colmer on Nov 6, 2024 9:09:06 AM

OptoPartner eBiZolution teams up with local authorities in the Philippines to enhance traffic monitoring systems with groov RIO.

With the rapid growth of vehicles on the road, local authorities in the Philippines faced an increasingly demanding responsibility to keep the roads safe. To address this challenge, they worked with eBiZolution, a leading systems integrator and certified Opto 22 OptoPartner in the Philippines, to create the Motor Vehicle Registration and Enforcement System (MVRES).

In this new case study, find out how eBiZolution leveraged the versatile groov RIO to build a system that enhanced traffic monitoring and improved vehicle safety across the archipelago.

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Topics: Case studies, OptoPartner, groov RIO

Boosting Productivity with Scalable Monitoring

Posted by Janice Colmer on Oct 30, 2024 11:21:22 AM

See how Costa Farms optimized large-scale operations with live production data from groov RIO edge I/O.

Accelerated growth in any industry can result in gaps in production tracking as a business experiences growing pains. Is your machinery interacting with other systems to produce meaningful data? 

Costa Farms had to face this obstacle as it shifted its focus toward optimizing operational efficiency to keep up with large-scale production needs.

See how groov RIO edge I/O came to the rescue in this new case study.

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Topics: Case studies, Node-RED, groov RIO

The IIoT has never been easier

Posted by Janice Colmer on Oct 30, 2024 11:17:00 AM

New podcast discusses key takeaways and benefits from using open source technology.

Are you thinking about investing in IIoT but don't know where to start? It used to sound like a futuristic concept, but industrial internet of things technologies are here and you don't want to be left behind.

IIoT protocols like MQTT and Sparkplug are becoming more popular for good reason—and an important part of Opto 22's groov EPIC and groov RIO product lines.

Tune in to this new podcast, Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast for a better understanding of the role MQTT, TCP/IP, and VPN play in the IIoT. 

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Topics: IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, MQTT, Sparkplug, podcast, open source

Learn more about innovating with Ignition

Posted by Janice Colmer on Oct 23, 2024 8:48:46 AM

Attend an upcoming webinar hosted by Inductive Automation for some inspiration on how you can use Ignition in your projects to solve application challenges.

What takes a controls project from run-of-the-mill to showcase-worthy?  Travis Cox, Inductive Automation's Chief Technology Evangelist, is ready to show you during an upcoming webinar you don't want to miss.

Make plans to attend: The Making of World-Class Control Systems

Travis will be joined by current Ignition customers whose successful applications landed them a coveted spot in this year's ICC Discover Gallery. See what else this webinar has is in store...

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Topics: Webinars, OptoNews 2015-12-02, groov EPIC, Ignition, OptoPartner, groov RIO, Inductive Automation, SCADA

Fostering a local manufacturing community

Posted by Janice Colmer on Oct 23, 2024 8:15:37 AM

October is Manufacturing Month in our hometown of Temecula, CA, and a reminder that manufacturing companies can make a difference in their local communities.

You might have heard Opto 22 is celebrating 50 years this year, but how and where did it start? Why did the company move its headquarters to Temecula, California? 

You'll get some insight and get to know Opto 22 a little better after watching this quick 2-minute video with an up-close look at the factory. See why that "Made in USA" label is an important part of Opto products, and why we're proud members of the Southwest California Manufacturing Council (SCMC).

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Topics: product philosophy, Made in USA, manufacturing

Discover new technologies for the oil and gas industry in Argentina

Posted by Janice Colmer on Oct 14, 2024 11:46:07 AM

Join OptoPartner Weisz Instrumentos for one of the most widely recognized events in the hydrocarbons industry.

The Expo Oil & Gas Patagonia is one of the most important events in the Argentine hydrocarbons industry, bringing together key players from across the sector. With over 150 exhibitors, the expo will showcase the latest developments in production areas. Attendees will discover new products, technologies, and ventures related to the industry.

Join Opto 22's IoT Executive, Rene Gamero, and Weisz engineering staff for live demos of groov EPIC and groov RIO products—and see the important role they are playing in oil and gas applications.

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Topics: Events & conferences, MQTT, groov EPIC, groov RIO, oil and gas, Ignition Cloud Edition

Reduce manufacturing costs with energy monitoring

Posted by Janice Colmer on Oct 1, 2024 12:45:57 PM

Get a step-by-step plan to implement energy monitoring in your facility for immediate cost savings.

Are you ready to start analyzing your energy data to manage and reduce energy costs and consumption? Looking for a straight-forward approach so you can start seeing immediate results?

Automation World's Editor-in-Chief, Dave Greenfield, attended a session at last month's Ignition Community Conference that explained the benefits of energy monitoring and a simple plan to get started. Dave covers the ICC presentation in detail in his latest article, "Energy Monitoring for Manufacturers Gets Easier."

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Topics: Energy management, Automation World, Ignition, Ignition Community Conference, energy monitoring

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