OptoBlog

Understanding Your Industrial Electricity Bill

Posted by Arun Sinha on Dec 6, 2023 7:00:00 AM

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.

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Topics: Energy management, IIoT, Data acquisition, digital transformation, power monitoring, groov rio emu, energy monitoring

The Art of the Possible: Collaborative data management

Posted by Josh Eastburn on Jan 18, 2022 3:12:56 PM

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

Clarify helps people turn data into good decisions

Last year, Opto 22 had the opportunity to showcase some amazing partner collaborations like our webcast with HiveMQ and Canary. The open automation ecosystem continues to explode with potential, so this year we wanted to bring you even more.

Throughout 2022, we’ll explore what’s possible when you pair Opto 22 hardware with other open automation tools. This series will include some heavy-hitters you might be familiar with as well as some new names. Hopefully at least one will turn on a lightbulb for you!

Our first guest is Tor-Inge Eriksen of Clarify, a time-series visualization platform that helps users quickly turn data into information. Tor, take it away!

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Topics: Node-RED, Data acquisition, groov EPIC, machine data, groov RIO, system integration, Art of the Possible, open source

Recognized as a 2021 Leader in Automation

Posted by Janice Colmer on Feb 23, 2021 9:19:54 AM

The results are in from Automation World magazine's 10th annual Leadership in Automation program.

Opto 22 has once again been recognized as a First Team supplier in automation for 2021. Hundreds of Automation World subscribers cast their votes during the past year which required them to write-in their ballot choices with unaided recall. Over two dozen categories were featured, representing a wide variety of automation technologies, software, and products used by today's manufacturing professionals across the discrete, batch, and continuous process manufacturing industries.

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Topics: PACs, Awards and recognition, mobile, IIoT, Data acquisition, groov EPIC, HMI, Automation World

New OptoPartner Video - Meet Martin CSI

Posted by Arun Sinha on Jan 12, 2021 7:00:00 AM

Martin Control Systems Inc. helps customers with common challenges

In our latest OptoPartner video, Nate Kay, Sr. Project Engineer with Martin CSI says the most common challenges faced by customers are tight schedules, plant shutdowns, budgets and working on legacy equipment. While Martin CSI offers standard control engineering services, they also have specialty areas including safety, machine vision and data collection.

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Topics: Data acquisition, MQTT, Ignition Edge, Ignition, system integrator, digital transformation, OptoPartner video

Votes are in! Opto 22 recognized as Leader in Automation for 2020

Posted by Janice Colmer on Jan 20, 2020 11:43:54 AM

The results are in from Automation World magazine's 9th annual Leadership in Automation program.

Opto 22 has once again been recognized as a First Team supplier in automation for 2020. Hundreds of Automation World subscribers cast their votes during the past year which required them to write-in their ballot choices. Over two dozen categories were featured, representing a wide variety of automation technologies, software, and products used by today's manufacturing professionals across the discrete, batch, and continuous process manufacturing industries.

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Topics: Energy management, PACs, Awards and recognition, mobile, IIoT, Data acquisition, groov EPIC, HMI, Automation World

Next-gen industrial communications solve networking problems

Posted by Garrick Reichert on Oct 1, 2018 8:00:00 AM

Working in systems integration often means putting on many hats. Sometimes you can just fulfill your normal duties of designing, building, and commissioning a controls/automation system.

But then other times you find yourself thrown into the mix as the sales estimator—asked to come up with a budgetary number for a project—or you’re deemed the “IT” person for a project.

Being designated the “IT” person can be a difficult road to navigate. Often you’re not truly an admin on any given network, but you’re asked to perform the duties of an admin.

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Topics: groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, IoT, Integrators, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Data acquisition, MQTT, EPIC

What gets measured, gets managed... gets improved

Posted by Garrick Reichert on Sep 11, 2018 11:19:00 AM

The adage “what gets measured, gets managed” is an old one[1], and I had heard it many times, but a director of mine in a previous job put a new spin on it: “What gets measured, gets managed, gets improved.”

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Topics: groov, Internet of Things, IoT, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Data acquisition, MQTT, EPIC

Welcome new OptoPartner, Merlin CSI

Posted by Janice Colmer on Jul 19, 2018 8:00:00 AM

With over 25 years of experience in industrial controls and automation and a focus on the future, Merlin CSI offers valuable expertise and the vision to help with your applications. We're pleased to add them to our growing list of IoT Certified OptoPartners. 

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Topics: Process control, groov, Internet of Things, IoT, PACs, Integrators, I/O, PID loop control, Node-RED, Data acquisition

groov EPIC webinar, when you want it

Posted by Janice Colmer on Jul 10, 2018 2:20:02 PM

Would you like to know more about the new groov EPIC system?

Now you can, on your own schedule.

  • Learn how to simplify your automation and IIoT projects.
  • See how to improve security and performance, with minimal reliance on IT personnel.
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Topics: Webinars, groov, Internet of Things, IoT, Machine builder, OEM, New products, Integrators, Security, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Data acquisition, EPIC

Outbound! Monitor OEM machinery with little to no IT involvement

Posted by Dan White on May 10, 2018 7:00:00 AM

Day in and day out, I work alongside machine builders who share a common problem: Once equipment has been shipped to a customer site, it is quite difficult to ensure that it is running properly and being adequately maintained.

I once heard the phrase, "even a Cadillac will fail prematurely if you drive it into a brick wall." Premature failure of the machinery (regardless of whose fault) can tarnish the image of the manufacturer, lead to increased warranty costs, and create tension between OEMs and end users.

But how do I (the machine builder) get access to the control system if it is operating inside a customer’s firewall? 

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Topics: Remote monitoring, Machine builder, OEM, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Node-RED, Data acquisition, MQTT, EPIC

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