New video just added to the Node-RED developer playlist covers a simple API flow using daily weather data as an example.

Node-RED is an extremely powerful tool that we’ve featured many times on this blog and our YouTube channel, and one very common use of Node-RED is to use application programming interfaces or “APIs” to move data between devices and/or services that would otherwise be totally disconnected.

To help you get started using APIs with Node-RED if you’re unfamiliar with these tools, we’ve just made a new video about how to build a simple API flow using an example web service for daily weather data.

Get everyone on the same page with data tools that help you distinguish the signal from the noise. Tor Eriksen of Clarify explains how.

Monitoring energy use is a simple first step to decreasing costs and improving operations.

A manager usually doesn’t approve a major expenditure without a detailed accounting of where the money is spent. So why isn’t energy typically accounted for in the same way?

On the OT (Operational Technology) side of manufacturing, process, and other industrial facilities, energy is often a fixed, overhead cost. The plant manager or machine operator is responsible for performance metrics like throughput and quality, while the energy bill is paid by someone in the accounting department. The implication of this lack of energy visibility is often operational costs that are higher than necessary.

Tune into this recent Manufacturing Hub podcast where Opto 22's Benson Hougland discusses how control systems have changed over time and what the future looks like.

In today's world of industrial automation, podcasts, webinars, online forums and communities are playing a vital role in educating engineers and keeping them informed of the latest technologies. The Manufacturing Hub podcast is growing in popularity and has become a great resource for all levels of automation professionals.

Use your PLC programming experience to program groov EPIC.

Ready to write a control program for your groov EPIC, but not sure how to get started? With three options to write your control program–PAC Control, the easy-to-learn flowchart language, the Linux-based Secure Shell (SSH) to run your custom program, and CODESYS, an IEC-61131-3 compliant language–which do you choose?

Take a closer look at the new EPIC I/O  module (GRV-IVAPM-3) and get up to speed on how to install and configure it for your power monitoring applications.

Hopefully, you caught the recent blog post that announced our new 3-phase groov Power Monitoring module (GRV-IVAPM-3). In this next blog post, we’ll take a closer look at this module to help you get up to speed on how to install and configure it for your power monitoring applications.

Ringing in 2022 with some new additions to the OptoPartner program.

As our network of system integrators continues to grow, we're looking forward to an exciting year of new projects and applications that these Opto 22 experts bring. We value these new members as they have proven their engineering expertise and in-depth understanding of Opto 22 hardware and software and use it to help customers find their ideal automation and IIoT solutions. As usual, we asked our new partners to give a quick overview of their company to share on our website.

Which products are affected, and how to update your affected systems

Opto 22 engineers have addressed the Log4Shell/Log4j vulnerability recently reported in news media this week. Firmware and software updates for affected products are now available. Opto 22 urges you to apply these updates immediately, regardless of whether you're using groov View.

The Log4j vulnerability affects all products running groov View software, including: 

• GRV-EPIC-PR1, GRV-EPIC-PR2
• GROOV-AR1, GROOV-AR1-BASE, GROOV-AR1-SNAP
• GROOV-AT1, GROOV-AT1-SNAP
• GROOV-SVR-WIN, GROOV-SVR-WIN-BASE, GROOV-SVR-WIN-SNAP

Please see this Opto KB Article (KB90085) for more details.

Please note that the following Opto 22 products are NOT affected:

• groov RIO (GRV-R7-MM1001-10 and GRV-R7-MM2001-10)
• SNAP I/O brains, SNAP PAC controllers, and the PAC Project software suite
• Legacy products including mistic, Optomux, FactoryFloor, and others 

Seasons Greetings from Opto 22 as we look back on the year 2021.

As we reflect on another year, we want to convey our deepest appreciation to all our customers, distributors, partners, and loyal Opto users. We are grateful for your support and commitment to Opto 22 products, and we promise to continue to innovate and provide cutting-edge solutions to you in 2022.

Let's take a moment for a quick year-in-review.

Get a recap of the most searched topics and popular OptoForum posts of the year.

Let’s take a look back at 2021 through the eyes of the OptoForums. You remember last year's top 5, right?

For starters, we had almost 200 more people sign up this year over last. (Y-Axis below is the number of daily sign-ups).