One of the biggest questions companies face when surveying IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) technology is where to invest. The IIoT can be a pretty foggy and technologically diverse topic for anyone to understand. And there are so many competing standards out there today that it’s tough to identify which path to take.

But a new platform built upon an open source, extensible framework for IIoT technology called EdgeX was recently announced, and it may be just what the industry needs to part the clouds of confusion and shine some clarity on the IIoT.

Topics: Internet of Things, IoT, PACs, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Node-RED, EdgeX

Join us for a webinar on 27 April, and learn how you can improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) by bridging the gap between your existing industrial assets and the digital world. 

Topics: Webinars, Process control, Food & beverage, Internet of Things, IoT, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Data acquisition

For your industrial systems to join the IIoT, they’re going to need a digital twin.

Maintenance technology and standards have come a long way over the past several decades.

They started with reactive maintenance, where operators would wait for a component in a system to fail and then perform maintenance, replacing the broken part with a new one.

Topics: Internet of Things, IoT, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things

In several previous posts we talked about some of the software technologies automation professionals should put on their radar in preparation for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications.

JavaScript, node.js and Node-RED offer a ton of benefits to those looking to build their IIoT application. Learn more about the Industrial Internet of Things in the State of the IIoT white paper.

Topics: Internet of Things, IoT, PACs, API, REST API, REST, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Node-RED, MQTT

In a previous post, we discussed server-side JavaScript and its use case in IIoT applications. Before server-side JavaScript, applications were written in one language for server-side software and a completely different language for client-side software.

This split complicated application development, because it required having two sets of software developer talents—or even two separate software developers or teams—one for client-side and one for server-side application development.

Server-side JavaScript and the node.js runtime environment have solved this problem.

Topics: Internet of Things, IoT, PACs, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things

We've just released groov Admin 1.570.46, with a new feature some of you have been asking for: the ability to use data from serial devices with your GROOV AR1 Box.

Using a USB-to-serial converter and Node-RED software (included in the GROOV AR1), you can connect RS‑232, RS‑485, or RS‑422 serial devices (2‑wire or 4‑wire) to the groov Box.

Topics: groov, Updates, optonews, Node-RED, OptoNews 2017-04-12

More new graphics for you in the groov SVG Library...

If you use pipes in your groov operator interface, you'll appreciate these new images: pipes, elbows, junctions, simple tanks, pumps, valves, meters, and more.

The images are designed so their parts will line up even when scaled.

Topics: Process control, groov, optonews, mobile, OptoNews 2017-04-12

When you're a smaller water/wastewater treatment district, it can be difficult to fund the SCADA systems you need.

All water/wastewater operations have to be strictly monitored and their data stored for reference, no matter the size of the district. 

Topics: Internet of Things, Water & wastewater, IoT, optonews, Integrators, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Data acquisition, OptoNews 2017-04-12

Opto 22 SNAP PAC controllers and brains both have two Ethernet network interfaces—pretty handy. But do you use them the same way? That's the question we'll answer in this tech tip.

Most devices used on an Ethernet network have one network interface with an RJ-45 connector. But SNAP PAC controllers and EB brains each have two interfaces—two RJ-45 connectors.

However, the two interfaces on controllers and brains are designed for different uses.

Topics: Tips, optonews, PACs, Networking, OptoNews 2017-04-12

As the IIoT continues its widespread adoption, a lot of new IT technologies are quickly being adopted by the industrial automation and process control industries. More and more, industrial assets are becoming Internet enabled and being connected to other digital systems.

Monitoring OEE and KPIs in real time from a mobile device is no longer a pie-in-the-sky application. It’s happening right now, through the convergence of OT and IT.

One of the technologies that’s enabling the IIoT is secure digital communication. And to establish that secure communication, you need to have an authority you can trust that can validate the indentity of devices on a network and on the Internet. You have to trust that the encrypted connection you're using is actually connected to the device you want to talk to, and not to some rogue node trying to breach your network and steal your information.

That’s where Certificate Authorities come into play in the IIoT.

Topics: Process control, Internet of Things, IoT, PACs, Security, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things