A common challenge of digital transformation projects and IIoT deployments is integrating and sharing data between different systems and services. Many applications become a complex set of integrations between hardware devices and software services. Even with systems based on open architecture, true interoperability can sometimes be difficult.

See what Opto users were talking about as we look back at last year's Top 5 posts on the OptoForums.

There is no question that the Opto 22 forums are very much alive and kicking. The past 9 months of COVID lockdown did not even make the slightest dent in the activity level.

IoT Certified OptoPartner shows us how to quickly retrofit a CNC mill with groov RIO

In a time when automation is driven by increasing connectivity, there is still plenty of everyday equipment that is simply not designed to talk to much of anything. 

This equipment might be full of juicy data—how well it’s working, how much energy it’s using, how often it’s put to work—and leveraging that data to build an OEE or predictive maintenance program is often an untapped source of potential savings.

But what are your options for integrating this kind of equipment? Well, until recently they probably didn’t look very good.

For 40 years, top manufacturers in Food & Bev, CPG and Pharma have called upon Grantek to take on their most complex business and manufacturing challenges. Grantek’s team of professionals located in 17 offices across the globe deliver solutions to complex problems in Smart Manufacturing, Industrial Networking, Automation and Industrial Safety.

Opto 22 system integrators tell their stories in new videos

Many of us are aware of the important role automation system integrators play in the industrial sector. Companies and organizations of all types often look to an outside firm to help design, install or commission their automation projects. Some system integrators are generalists while others have domain knowledge of specific verticals, but ultimately they help combine different devices and machines into an integrated, efficient system. 

Join HiveMQ and Opto 22 for an introduction to MQTT Sparkplug: Plug 'n Play Interoperability for IIoT.

You might recognize HiveMQ as one of the world's leading educators on MQTT. The enterprise-class HiveMQ MQTT broker has been helping companies like BMW, Daimler, Moen, and Acer connect devices to the Internet securely and scalably since 2012. It has made them one of the fastest growing companies in Germany. Opto 22 recently partnered with HiveMQ to demonstrate the power of MQTT/Sparkplug B on products like groov RIO for an upcoming webinar.

The end of 2020 is quickly approaching, and for many it's probably a welcome relief. 

As we reflect on an unusual year, we want to convey our deepest appreciation to all our customers, distributors, partners, and loyal Opto users. We are grateful for your support and commitment to Opto 22 products. Despite the challenges of 2020, we're dedicated to serving you.

Industrial edge computing enables cutting-edge indoor agricultural control and business intelligence.

Indoor agriculture is more than just greenhouses now, and for good reason. As populations grow and food demand increases, supply chains become stressed. By moving agriculture indoors, food production can happen even in the middle of dense towns and cities where many food products are ultimately bound. And unlike Mother Nature, indoor environments can be controlled for consistent, efficient, year-round production.

But as you know, not all automation is alike. Traditional control systems designed for large-scale environments aren’t well-suited to the skillset or budget of many small, indoor grow operations, but on the other hand, more affordable solutions lack centralized integration. Solutions big and small also fail to provide the security, storage, and communication features that could support useful data collection for developing business intelligence (BI).

So when MicroClimates set out to design a scalable automation and BI solution to support the growing indoor ag industry, "we went out to look for the best of breed hardware to put our software onto and that's why we ended up with groov RIO", says Loren West, MicroClimates’s CTO.

Hot on the heels of our recent groov EPIC 3.0 firmware release comes our groov RIO 3.0.1 firmware update.

There are at least 5 exciting additions in this RIO 3.0.1 package, but who's counting?

TL;DR: If you can't wait to get started, here’s the groov RIO Firmware download page to get your firmware update:
https://www.opto22.com/support/resources-tools/downloads/groov-rio-firmware

New resource page gives you one place to find everything you need to know about getting started with MQTT.

You might have heard MQTT mentioned in a previous OptoBlog series, or have seen it included in our groov EPIC and groov RIO product features, and perhaps you've watched a few videos about it in the Opto Video Library. But, do you still have questions? You're not alone. Engineers and automation professionals want to be educated on this popular IoT protocol, and we're here to help.