OptoBlog

Are you battling protocol compatibility on the plant floor?

Posted by Janice Colmer on Nov 6, 2024 9:12:18 AM

New video provides some practical solutions to consider in the age of TCP/IP.

Looking to digitally transform your operations, but your existing machines don't support newer protocols like MQTT or OPC UA?

Don't worry, you're not alone. Legacy industrial control systems are still operating everywhere today. But don't settle or wait for them to fail. 

It's time to learn more about modern edge devices that can bridge the gap between old and new.

This new 1-minute video is a great conversation starter on the topic.

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Topics: Videos, MQTT, groov EPIC, edge computing, groov RIO, OPC UA

The IIoT has never been easier

Posted by Janice Colmer on Oct 30, 2024 11:17:00 AM

New podcast discusses key takeaways and benefits from using open source technology.

Are you thinking about investing in IIoT but don't know where to start? It used to sound like a futuristic concept, but industrial internet of things technologies are here and you don't want to be left behind.

IIoT protocols like MQTT and Sparkplug are becoming more popular for good reason—and an important part of Opto 22's groov EPIC and groov RIO product lines.

Tune in to this new podcast, Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast for a better understanding of the role MQTT, TCP/IP, and VPN play in the IIoT. 

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Topics: IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, MQTT, Sparkplug, podcast, open source

Discover new technologies for the oil and gas industry in Argentina

Posted by Janice Colmer on Oct 14, 2024 11:46:07 AM

Join OptoPartner Weisz Instrumentos for one of the most widely recognized events in the hydrocarbons industry.

The Expo Oil & Gas Patagonia is one of the most important events in the Argentine hydrocarbons industry, bringing together key players from across the sector. With over 150 exhibitors, the expo will showcase the latest developments in production areas. Attendees will discover new products, technologies, and ventures related to the industry.

Join Opto 22's IoT Executive, Rene Gamero, and Weisz engineering staff for live demos of groov EPIC and groov RIO products—and see the important role they are playing in oil and gas applications.

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Topics: Events & conferences, MQTT, groov EPIC, groov RIO, oil and gas, Ignition Cloud Edition

Capture remote sites live: Your ICC booth cam view

Posted by Dan White on Oct 7, 2024 12:00:00 PM

See how you can quickly, easily, and cost-effectively capture and publish live images from remote sites to the cloud via MQTT/Sparkplug.

If you couldn’t attend the Ignition Community Conference or want a closer look, here’s your chance to experience it recorded with Opto 22's groov EPIC booth cam.

With the expertise of Alex Marcy from Corso Systems and Jason Hamlin from Inframark, we captured live booth footage using an off-the-shelf, IP-based camera, Ignition Edge, its MQTT Transmission module, and Node-RED, all running on a single groov EPIC.

Check out this one-minute time lapse video.

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Topics: Events & conferences, MQTT, groov EPIC, Sparkplug, Ignition, Ignition Community Conference

Modern Edge Devices Bring Harmony to Disjointed Protocols

Posted by Dan White on Aug 19, 2024 12:44:04 PM

Without disturbing existing systems, edge devices make it easy to convert data from a custom fieldbus into open protocols for digital transformation.

If TCP/IP won the “protocol wars” in the ‘90s, then WHY are you still fighting protocol battles on the plant floor today? Because industrial networks were around long before the internet. As far back as the 1960s, machines communicated via serial networks like RS-232, RS-485, and CAN Bus—with specialized proprietary fieldbus protocols like Modbus, Profibus, and DeviceNet.

Even with TCP/IP on Ethernet, specialized protocols remained. Modbus now has a TCP/IP version, Profibus gave way to ProfiNET, DeviceNet to EtherNet/IP, and even some new ones joined the protocol party.

After the industry demanded interoperability, OPC was born—now OPC UA—a big step toward a unified architecture on OT networks. Meanwhile on the IT side, using HTTP and HTTPS was common. It’s how web browsers—and most of the internet—work today.

MQTT Sparkplug came later. A recently named International Standard, it’s built on efficient, secure, and scalable publish/subscribe communications—a great fit for digital transformation projects and the IIoT.

I want to digitally transform, but my existing machines don’t support all these protocols.
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Topics: MQTT, edge computing, digital transformation, OPC UA

Industrial edge architecture and cybersecurity insights

Posted by Janice Colmer on Apr 30, 2024 12:13:21 PM

Opto 22's Director of Technical Marketing, Dan White, explains the features and importance of modern edge devices in this new Control Engineering article.

The industrial automation industry is now being driven by the idea of digital transformation and the industrial internet of things (IIoT). Understanding the concepts of edge and cloud technology and how they relate is becoming a necessity.

Opto 22's Dan White does an excellent job of explaining these terms and what it means for you and your future designs and applications. He shares his insights on edge devices, data management and cybersecurity in this newly published article from Control Engineering, "Edge to cloud: Understanding new industrial architectures."

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Topics: MQTT, groov EPIC, cybersecurity, edge computing, control engineering, cloud computing

The move to groov for an IIoT approach in water management

Posted by Janice Colmer on Apr 8, 2024 12:40:30 PM

A new case study explains how Paloma Irrigation and Drainage District bridged the gap between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) for seamless data flow and efficient management.

The Paloma Irrigation and Drainage District (PIDD) has been operating for over 100 years in Gila Bend, Arizona. It provides essential irrigation and drainage services to 30,000 agriculturally diverse acres and nearly 100 homes. More than just irrigation, the PIDD safeguards the environment and upholds the community's water rights.

The PIDD faced several pressing challenges, including high maintenance costs, limited monitoring and control, and inefficient manual operations. These challenges led them to look at industrial internet of things (IIoT) possibilities, which highlighted the need for a more modern, cost-effective, and data-driven approach to water management.

In this case study, read how PIDD bridged the gap between their operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) for seamless data flow and efficient management, propelling them into their SCADA expansion.

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Topics: Case studies, Water & wastewater, IIoT, Raspberry Pi, MQTT, groov EPIC, groov RIO, digital transformation

See live demos of groov EPIC and RIO at ENTELEC

Posted by Janice Colmer on Mar 11, 2024 11:56:13 AM

The upcoming conference in Houston provides opportunities to learn best practices for data mobility and security for today’s industrial cyber environment.

Join us in Houston for this year's ENTELEC Conference & Expo, April 1-4, 2024. It's a chance to explore a complete edge solution for your project using Opto 22’s groov EPIC and RIO products, along with Opto 22 Technology partners Inductive Automation (Ignition Edge), Cirrus Link Solutions (MQTT Modules), and Snowflake (Data Cloud).

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Topics: Events & conferences, Oil & gas, MQTT, groov EPIC, Ignition, groov RIO, Inductive Automation, Cirrus Link Solutions, Snowflake

Elevate your OT data securely to the cloud

Posted by Janice Colmer on Jan 31, 2024 12:37:25 PM

Watch how easy it is to securely connect real-world, OT data to Ignition Cloud Edition.

Good news! Our friends at Inductive Automation recently made all the presentations from the 2023 Ignition Community Conference available for public viewing. 

If you weren't able to join us last September in Folsom, California, then now's your chance to see one of the most attended sessions of the conference. 

In a fast-paced 35-minute demo, Opto 22's VP of Product Strategy, Benson Hougland, walks you through how to use groov EPIC, Ignition Edge, and Ignition Cloud Edition to quickly create scalable, high-performance, cybersecure architectures for democratizing your OT system’s data: Elevate your OT Data Securely to the Cloud.

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Topics: Events & conferences, MQTT, Ignition Edge, groov EPIC, Ignition Cloud Edition

Case Study: Point Energy Partners

Posted by Janice Colmer on Jan 3, 2024 10:09:41 AM

Preventing spills and improving operational efficiency using Opto 22's groov RIO.

Texas-based Point Energy Partners (PEP) specializes in acquiring and developing onshore U.S. oil and gas properties with extensive experience working in major basins across the nation. PEP owns and operates the majority of the gathering and midstream assets for its operations, including its very large water recycling program, which showcases their commitment to sustainable and efficient resource management.

In an industry where every spill carries a hefty price tag, PEP found that the manual and low-tech systems at their water sites were a significant problem. These sites did not have a big budget for upgrades, so most control solutions on the market just wouldn’t fit the bill.

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Topics: Case studies, MQTT, CODESYS, Sparkplug, groov RIO, oil and gas

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