As "green" power production from sun and wind increases, electrical grids can find themselves with a big problem: too much electricity at once. 

Solar and wind power generation work when the sun shines and the wind blows. But those hours are not necessarily when electrical demand is highest. 

Topics: Energy management, Case studies, Videos, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, IoT, optonews, Integrators, OptoNews 2016-02-03

You've been hearing about the Internet of Things (IoT), also called Industry 4.0, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), or machine-to-machine (M2M).  

This new, free IoT Primer helps you understand how the IoT will affect your job and your life.

Topics: groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, IoT, optonews, Integrators, OptoNews 2016-02-03

Join us next week in Anaheim, California, for the 2016 ATX West Expo.

The Expo showcases cutting-edge technology in manufacturing automation, and you can get a free pass. 

Topics: groov, optonews, Events & conferences, OptoNews 2016-02-03

If you use PAC Control to develop your control programs, here's a question you may have: What the heck are IVAL and XVAL?

You see these terms in Simulation commands such as IVAL Set Analog Point, and you also see them when you inspect I/O points in Debug mode.

Topics: Tips, optonews, PACs, PAC Project, OptoNews 2016-02-03

If you use high-density 32-point SNAP digital I/O modules, you'll be interested in our latest breakout board: the SNAP-UDC-HDB.

The small footprint of this new board makes it ideal for use in cramped areas. Just 3.32 x 3.95 x 2.27 inches high (8.43 x 10.03 x 5.77 cm), the SNAP-UDC-UDB fits in tight places but still gives you room to wire all 32 points to field devices.

Topics: Discrete control, Machine builder, optonews, New products, Integrators, I/O, OptoNews 2016-01-20

We've just released a new version of groov Build and View, version 3.0e.

This update fixes some issues you may have seen in groov when used with browsers Chrome 48 and Windows 10 Edge 25.

Topics: groov, Updates, optonews, Windows 10, OptoNews 2016-01-20

The Automation World Leadership in Automation First Team Honorees are chosen solely by write-ins from readers, rather than prompted answers from a list of companies.

That's why we feel especially honored that Opto 22 received First Team awards in two categories for 2015: Data Acquisition Hardware and Mobility.

Topics: groov, optonews, I/O, Awards and recognition, OptoNews 2016-01-20

Solid state relays (SSRs) are simple, reliable devices. If one stops working, typically it just refuses to turn on or off.

How do you test it to see if it has failed?

If you're used to testing mechanical relays, you'll find an SSR requires a different testing method: it requires a load.

Topics: Tips, optonews, SSRs, OptoNews 2016-01-20

How do you sense or switch loads up to 3 amps with each of the 32 points on a SNAP high-density digital (HDD) I/O module?

Here's how: the new SNAP-UDC-HDB-G4 breakout board.

Topics: Discrete control, optonews, New products, I/O, OptoNews 2016-01-06

In automation, proportional integral derivative (PID) control loops are common, useful, and tricky to get right. 

Each loop is different and each requires individual tuning for maximum effectiveness.

Now here's a new tool to help you tune your PID control loops: our online PID Control Loop Tuner.

Topics: Energy management, Process control, optonews, Integrators, Building management, OptoNews 2016-01-06