Take a look at using built-in Ignition software with groov EPIC in week 9 of the groov Manage series.

Here's a quick look at how you can run Ignition or Ignition Edge on the groov platform, using the groov Manage menu option.

Opto 22 has partnered with Inductive Automation for over 6 years now, and groov EPIC was the first hardware platform to onboard the Ignition Edge program. This natural partnership has been a real success story for both sets of customers the world over.

See what's behind the Ignition button on the groov Manage menu.

The groov Manage Ignition page is very simple. Choose between running full Ignition or Ignition Edge, enable it, and when it's enabled, you'll see a link to open the gateway.

The version of Ignition that is running on the groov device is exactly the same as you would download from the Inductive website. Opto does not modify or customize the software at all. This is important as there are no surprises or "gotchas." If you are a veteran user, you will be right at home, and if you are just starting out, then everything you learn from either Inductive University or OptoU will apply.

Not sure if Ignition is exactly the right tool for the job you have in mind? No problem. Inductive Automation includes a full-featured two-hour trial mode. You can build out your full project, testing every aspect over many days if needed, and you simply need to restart the trial after each two-hour period. This is great as the groov device will keep running and communicating as it's intended, so you can really test out the whole platform end-to-end and be sure everything is going to work just as you require. Once you find it checks all the boxes, simply purchase your Ignition Edge 8 license from Opto 22, (or your Inductive Automation reseller for full Ignition), and you are up and running, no re-dos required.

One of the main uses for running Ignition Edge on a groov device is to liberate legacy PLC data from the factory floor. A lot of customers don’t want to rip and replace their siloed but fully functional controllers—nor should they. By utilizing the many drivers that Ignition offers, they can tap into the production data those controllers contain and, in a very controlled and cyber-secure manner, move the data to other services as needed, often via OPC UA or MQTT Sparkplug.

Ignition Edge includes drivers for Allen-Bradley Logix, SLC, PLC-5, and MicroLogix. For Siemens PLCs, S7-300, S7-400, S7-1200, and S7-1500. A Modbus/TCP driver is also in there, which of course would cover a truly massive range of industrial devices of all different types. You can then purchase other driver modules and connect with other devices, just as you can add other cloud connector options to move your data into cloud services from AWS and Azure—all from your groov EPIC or groov RIO MM2 device.

I think it's prudent to make a quick comment about running full Ignition on any of the groov devices. As our own Terry Orchard likes to say, "With great power comes great responsibility." Sure, running full Ignition is as simple as a dropdown option box and an upgraded license (and added cost), but that does not mean it's the default option or should be your automatic go-to. The CPU and memory requirements of Ignition vs. Ignition Edge should be considered as part of your first steps in deciding which version to run. Edge devices are naturally more resource-constrained than their heavy iron server-class brothers. Having the option to run the right application at the right location is the key.

If you need some guidance, Inductive Automation or the Opto 22 pre-sales team would be more than happy to review your application requirements.

Opto 22 is a proud partner with Inductive Automation. Running Ignition Edge on the groov EPIC or RIO MM2 has helped thousands of customers be successful in their automation projects. And the groov Manage menu makes it a simple button press to start using Ignition.

Check back in with the OptoBlog next week to see how easy it is to run and manage Node-RED on your groov device.

And remember, you can watch all 12 groov Manage button features at one time in this groov Manage Complete Overview video.

Till then.
Cheers Mate,
-Ben