Wondering how to implement MQTT with groov EPIC? Follow along with this series, starting with basic string publishing.

Ever since ‘00, when the next year rolls around I think, “Welcome to the future!” Every year it feels much truer, and how could 2020 be any less? (UPDATE: 🤦) I’m excited about what we have planned for you this year. Among other things, we’re upping our commitment to MQTT in a big way. Stay tuned for announcements on that in the coming months.

For the moment, though, I want to address the current feature set groov EPIC offers for MQTT, the lightweight pub-sub communication protocol for IoT. With so many ways to do it—via groov Manage, Node-RED, or Ignition Edge—you may be wondering which, if any, is right for your application. In this series, I’m going to look at different scenarios where you might want to use MQTT, then show you how to get started.

Topics: Node-RED, MQTT, EPIC, groov EPIC, groov Manage, MQTT implementation

Watch these new groov EPIC videos for tips on using your Modbus TCP devices with groov View, PAC Control, Node-RED, and Inductive Automation's Ignition software.

Opto 22 engineer Ben Orchard is back in the Opto 22 studio with several new video lessons on communicating to Modbus TCP devices with a groov EPIC processor.

For each lesson, Ben is using a groov EPIC Learning Center (GRV-EPIC-LC) along with a Modbus SATEC P130 power meter, which is measuring the voltage and frequency of the mains power in our studio. 

Topics: Modbus, PAC Control, Node-RED, groov View, groov EPIC, groov EPIC Learning Center, Ignition

Opto 22 speaks up for open-source software.

For this month’s IoT feature in Design World magazine, Opto 22 had the chance to weigh in on the value that open-source software brings to industrial automation.

Some key points for the industry:

• Open source is everywhere in the enterprise and consumer sectors, powering innovation in products, services, and projects we all know.
• Open source changes the economic model for industry, freeing engineers and end users from the trap of vendor
  lock-in.
• Open source accelerates innovation and offers key technologies that empower IIoT growth.

Topics: Node-RED, groov EPIC, Linux, open source software

Learn how tech-based company netDNA automates water management for fracking and water transfer with the help of groov EPIC.

In the oil and gas industry, technological advances like hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and horizontal drilling have caused a boom in exploration and drilling. The initial “gold rush” approach to oil and gas development focused on people resources, with most work done manually.

But now companies are looking to add automation in the field, especially for water pumping and treatment, key ingredients in successful unconventional oil and natural gas production. In an industry with remote, widely separated, and changeable operations, automation and data communications aren't easy.

Topics: Case studies, Oil & gas, Node-RED, MQTT, groov EPIC

See what the final day of Opto 22's factory training looks like from the inside.

As the resident engineer-in-training, I’ve taken on the job of communicating to the outside world what it looks like inside of Opto 22. I’ve started off by giving you a look into the mindset and technologies at work here through the lens of our on-site training. Follow these links if you missed part 1 or part 2 of the series.

Last time I left you hanging right when we were about to get into CODESYS® near the end of Day 2. Today I make good on that teaser, as well as looking at Day 3 content (including Node-RED, MQTT, and the groov View™ graphics library) before Ben and Norma wrap up the class with a lesson on design fundamentals.

Topics: Training, Node-RED, MQTT, CODESYS, groov View, groov EPIC, groov EPIC Learning Center, Factory Training

Documenting the journey from the outside world into the world of Opto: First in a series.

After more than a decade as an automation engineer, I recently joined Opto 22’s marketing group. A few weeks ago, my workday was focused on maintaining the cell culture process automation of a world-class pharmaceutical manufacturer. This system had dozens of distributed controllers and hundreds of devices that worked together to deliver thousands of kilograms of the finest monoclonal antibodies you’ve ever seen. It was big.

What I enjoyed most about my job, though, was helping other engineers succeed. In the early years, I learned pretty quickly that you could take a group of smart people, give them bad tools, callous management, and a ridiculous schedule, and they would fail every time. I did the best I could to fix the managerial and scheduling issues, but the tools were always a limitation.

Now it’s my job to help connect other engineers with the kinds of tools and technologies I wish I’d had. I’m kicking it off with a deep-dive into the first place I visited as a new Opto employee: the training room.

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth your time and money to get some Opto training yourself, I’ll be walking through everything you can expect to experience.

Topics: Training, PAC Control, Node-RED, Ignition Edge, groov EPIC, groov EPIC Learning Center, Factory Training

Pick from three options to fit your time and budget.

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” — Benjamin Franklin

Topics: PAC Control, IIoT, Node-RED, MQTT, Ignition Edge, CODESYS, groov EPIC, HMI, groov EPIC Learning Center, OptoU

Firmware update 1.4.0 is now available for the groov EPIC processor, GRV-EPIC-PR1.

Our engineering team released an exciting new update for groov EPIC this week. Here are some of the highlights.

Topics: Node-RED, Ignition Edge, CODESYS, groov EPIC, software, serial module, OpenVPN

Opto 22 recently returned to the annual ARC Industry Forum in Orlando, Florida with more EPIC news to share.

This year's ARC Forum event focused on "Driving Digital Transformation in Industries and Cities". Attendees had the opportunity to learn about new technologies, practices and standards to help with their business's digital transformation.

Topics: Node-RED, MQTT, Ignition Edge, IEC 61131-3, groov EPIC, software, ARC Forum, cybersecurity

Have you ever been stuck on a coding problem? Unsure of which tool to use for an application? Or if you have the functionality you need to get the job done? Maybe you’ve just got a new system and need a map to help you learn the new features and functionality.

Topics: PAC Control, REST API, Node-RED, MQTT, Ignition Edge, IEC 61131-3, groov EPIC, developer