Once a haven for pirates, today Nassau and nearby islands host thousands of tourists.

One essential to keep tourists happy and healthy is fresh water, and most resorts rely on desalination to provide it.

Topics: Case studies, Process control, Water & wastewater, optonews, PACs, Integrators, OptoNews 2017-01-04

Did you miss any of these technical tips?

Now's a good time to review some automation basics—and look ahead to new technologies in our field.

Accuracy and resolution. Specifications for both of these are included for our analog modules. What's the difference?

Sinking and sourcing. What do these terms mean when you're wiring digital DC outputs, and which is the better way to wire? Lots of questions and answers on this one.

Topics: Discrete control, Tips, optonews, I/O, SSRs, Node-RED, OptoNews 2017-01-04, Raspberry Pi, Digital I/O for Raspberry Pi

All of us here at Opto 22 want to THANK YOU for the valuable work you do every day in our industry, for your contributions to the OptoForum, and for your interest in Opto 22 products.

We wish you and yours a happy holiday season and a joyous New Year!

Topics: optonews, OptoNews 2016-12-14

• Think about how much computers have changed in the last 30 years.
• Think about the quantity of data that enterprise data centers (EDCs) process today.
• And think about how facility management priorities have changed to meet rising energy costs.

Now imagine what needs to be done to update a 30-year-old EDC.

Topics: Energy management, Case studies, Videos, optonews, PACs, Building management, Security, REST API, RESTful server, REST, OptoNews 2016-12-14

In the last OptoNews, we showed you how an Excel^® spreadsheet can exchange data with an Opto 22 SNAP PAC using the SNAP PAC controllers' RESTful API (application programming interface).

This time we'll show you how you can use the REST API with a Microsoft^® Access^® database. 

Topics: Videos, Internet of Things, IoT, optonews, PACs, Integrators, PAC Control, API, REST API, RESTful server, REST, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, OptoNews 2016-12-14

It's true: you can use your Raspberry Pi to monitor and control real-world industrial devices.

Reliable Opto 22 G4 digital I/O and SNAP digital I/O now work with your Pi. 

One of the simplest ways to program your Pi may be Node-RED, designed by IBM Emerging Technologies.

Topics: Discrete control, optonews, I/O, Node-RED, G4 I/O, OptoNews 2016-12-14, Raspberry Pi, Digital I/O for Raspberry Pi

UPDATE: This post has been updated to reflect changes in the most recent Raspbian Jessie Lite image (no longer includes Node-RED or node.js) and to use the new Digital I/O for Raspberry Pi Starter Kit for I/O hardware (new code, photos, and video).

The Raspberry Pi^® is an unquestionably powerful computer for just $35. And it really is just that: a computer. That means the Pi is capable of many tasks and perfect for many automation applications.

Couple the Pi to industrial, solid-state digital inputs and outputs, and you can build compelling and cost-effective solutions for commercial and industrial applications, too.

One of the easiest and fun ways to quickly build software applications is with Node-RED, the free, open-source software tool designed by IBM Emerging Technologies and used for wiring together hardware devices, APIs, and online services in new and interesting ways.

However, Node-RED is only included in the full PIXEL GUI version of the Raspbian Jessie Operating System, available from raspberrypi.org. Their latest 2017-07-05-raspbian-jessie-lite.img build for headless operation (no monitor, keyboard, or mouse required) is no longer bundled with either Node-RED or the required software tools node.js and npm.

The purpose of this post is to guide you through creating a headless Raspberry Pi computer with the latest versions of Node-RED, node.js, and npm, building a Node-RED application, and controlling and sensing GPIO connected to industrial digital I/O, quickly and simply. (For a sneak peek at the result of this build, see the video near the end of this post.)

Image: New Opto 22 Digital I/O for Raspberry Pi Starter Kit with Raspberry Pi 3 Computer

Topics: Node-RED, GPIO, G4 I/O, Raspberry Pi, Digital I/O for Raspberry Pi

Did you ever think a Raspberry Pi^® could monitor or control real-world electrical loads like industrial motors, sensors, and pumps?

Well, now it can!

The new Digital I/O Carrier Board for Raspberry Pi (part number OPTO-P1-40P) makes it possible.

Topics: Discrete control, optonews, New products, I/O, IIoT, OptoNews 2016-11-30

If you're looking to connect real-world signals and industrial "things" to Information Technology (IT) systems, cloud software, and mobile devices, you already know Opto 22 products will serve you well.

Topics: groov, Internet of Things, IoT, optonews, PACs, Networking, I/O, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, OptoNews 2016-11-30

What does the new built-in RESTful API in Opto 22 SNAP PAC S-series and R-series programmable automation controllers mean to you?

It means you can use a variety of programming languages to easily access data in the PAC.

Topics: Videos, Internet of Things, IoT, optonews, PACs, PAC Control, API, REST API, RESTful server, REST, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, OptoNews 2016-11-30