Get free online instruction for using the CODESYS runtime engine on groov RIO in the new training series.

A customer favorite in 2023 was the groov RIO 3.5 firmware release. With this release, you could use the groov RIO edge I/O module as a controller with the CODESYS runtime engine onboard.

This was a game changer for many of our customers. Our Director of Technical Marketing, Dan White, even shared one of the first applications taking advantage of the new RIO 3.5 features in this CODESYS Tech Talk with Costa Farms.  It illustrated how the addition of CODESYS has transformed groov RIO into a full-fledged Edge PLC, opening up a world of possibilities for automation and control.

Now you can get a better understanding of how this new feature can work in your application by following along with some brand-new lessons on OptoU—Opto 22's free online training site. 

Preventing spills and improving operational efficiency using Opto 22's groov RIO.

Texas-based Point Energy Partners (PEP) specializes in acquiring and developing onshore U.S. oil and gas properties with extensive experience working in major basins across the nation. PEP owns and operates the majority of the gathering and midstream assets for its operations, including its very large water recycling program, which showcases their commitment to sustainable and efficient resource management.

In an industry where every spill carries a hefty price tag, PEP found that the manual and low-tech systems at their water sites were a significant problem. These sites did not have a big budget for upgrades, so most control solutions on the market just wouldn’t fit the bill.

Did you watch all of the 10 most popular videos on the Opto 22 YouTube channel in 2023?

If you're one of the over 27,000 subscribers who follow the OptoVideo channel on YouTube, you have first access to all the new video content we produce. Whether it's a new Node-RED developer video, product overview, or a technical how-to workshop, you get it all.

So what topics proved most useful (and popular) with our viewers last year? Let's review Opto 22's Top 10 Videos of 2023.

A year in review of the most popular topics and discussions on the OptoForums.

Let's talk for a moment about our fantastic Opto 22 forum fans. The OptoForums host an amazing community.

It seems that only a very small number of industrial automation manufacturers run their own public forums. Some community-supported efforts have sprung up to backfill the need for a place where like-minded folks can gather, but there is something special about having a place that is, well, for lack of a better term, "factory supported."

Why is that a big deal?

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

Did you get in on the holiday fun earlier this month and get your groov EPIC holiday ornament? There's still time to watch Opto 22's holiday video and see how you can score your own mini 3D EPIC.

It's been a treat to hear how everyone is utilizing all the features the groov EPIC system has to offer. 

The Opto 22 team would once again like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season, as well as keep you informed of this month's holiday schedule.

The first step toward reducing your energy spend is to analyze your utility bill.

In my previous blog post, “Why Consider Energy Monitoring” I proposed that acquiring data was essential to any project targeted at reducing an organization's energy spend. I also touched on how the electric utility bill for industrial users can be complex.

If you are considering monitoring your energy and power, a good first step would be to get a hold of and understand that bill. I thought I would analyze and share my thoughts on Opto 22’s bill, as it is probably very similar to the one for your industrial or commercial facility.

The Eclipse Foundation recently announced the Sparkplug international standard achievement.

Sparkplug, the MQTT specification that enhances the way your Opto 22 groov systems communicate and operate, has achieved the ISO/IEC 20237:2023 International Standard Status. It’s a significant milestone in the IIoT world, particularly for Opto 22 and our users. As you know, Opto 22 adopted Sparkplug years ago because of its reliability, efficiency, and plug-and-play functionality in modern IIoT architectures. It’s nice to see the rest of the industry accepting and adopting this groundbreaking tech.

Watch how Opto 22's Terry Orchard is designing and spreading some EPIC holiday cheer this season.

As we near the end of 2023, the Opto 22 team would like to extend our warmest wishes and gratitude to all our customers, dedicated OptoPartners, and distributors for making it a successful year. We 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. But we'd like to give you a token of our appreciation on a slightly smaller EPIC scale. Watch and see what our busy technical content creator, Terry Orchard, has been cooking up for the holidays.

Take your groov View HMI to the next level!

Are you building HMI screens to use with your groov EPIC (GRV-EPIC-PR1 or GRV-EPIC-PR2) or groov Server for Windows (GROOV-SVR-WIN-BASE)? We can help! We've just debuted a new section of the Opto 22 website where you can find all your SVGs, PNGs, GIFs, product images, and logos in one convenient location.

Learn more about the Opto Memory Map Protocol—a powerful method of interacting with Opto 22 controllers

OptoMMP works with everything from SNAP PAC brains to the latest groov products. Let's go over some of the basics about what OptoMMP is and how it works.

In my last blog post I showed how easy it can be to work with OptoMMP using tools built right into groov Manage. To add to that resource, this follow up provides an overview about what OptoMMP is, how it works, and why you might want to make use of it.