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- So I'm Walker with 4.0 Solutions, Walker Reynolds.
Hey guys, what's up?
So I'm here with Dan White from Opto 22.
So you guys, you'll recognize Opto 22 in the groov EPIC.
We've written about it on LinkedIn, and talked about how
it is a cutting-edge technology.
For those of you that don't know,
the groov EPIC is essentially EDGE computing
and process control in one all encapsulated solution.
So it's the perfect solution for your EDGE applications.
And I just wanted to give Dan a chance to give his
30 second elevator pitch to talk about the technology
itself and any emerging technologies you guys are
currently working on.
- [Dan White] Cool, well yeah, so this is the groov EPIC.
We've got a, like you mentioned, it is a
process controller, PLC type of controller.
So from a programming standpoint on that end we can do
code assists which includes as the IEC 61131 platform,
as well as, we support Legacy Impact Control
which we've been doing since back in the 1980s.
It's also got Ignition Edge embedded on the controller
so we support MQTT, spark plug protocol, also
Node-RED as well for any other database
connectivity type applications
From a hardware standpoint,
dual isolated ethernet ports, an HDMI port as well
to be able to connect to a standard HD monitor as well as
two USB interfaces which support things like
touch screen interfaces, keyboard, mouse,
some serial USB converter type devices, and more.
- Well, what's the use case for the screen on the EPIC?
- Lots of things, so for one, we do
have a built-in screen as you mentioned,
which has access to all of the IO.
The IO themselves as well have touch
pads on them so I can touch on the IO.
It'll bring me directly into the
IO channels for that IO module,
where I can then toggle points
on and off for troubleshooting and testing capabilities.
I've got information on the IO modules including
wiring diagrams, module specifications, details.
This UI is also accessible via a web browser so
any device like an iPad or a phone or a tablet
or a PC can also pull up this same interface.
We can enable and disable the add-on
type softwares like Ignition Edge
or Node-RED through here.
There is built-in information on just about everything.
All the documentation, system docs are in here.
We've got all the system logs accessible here.
You can enable, disable the control engine from here.
Simple things like setting the IP address
which, you know, you used to have to plug in
and wait for a boot request.
Well now you can just pop in here, come into here
and hit configure, and I can set my IP address
as manual DHCP static, however I like.
- The IO, is the IO configurable?
- Each IO module is specific to its type,
so this module is a DC output module, this is a
DC input module, this ones a thermocouple module.
We do have further developments for IO modules
that may have a mixture of sorts.
And we do have some that are configurable within their type.
In other words, an analog input that could be either
four to 20, or zero to 10, or volt, or-
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- So do you have any other
technologies that you want to talk about that are
either in the pipeline or that fit
within the IIoT methodology?
- Well we are developing a future
remote IO module that'll be a lot more
compact, that'll allow power over ethernet, and
a mixed bag of IO for smaller
remote applications that will not require
touch screen in a big large PLC-type interface.
As well, we're always exploring future partnerships with
other software companies that, you know,
may be able to embed their software on our platform
to allow for future connectivity to other
devices, PLCs and so on.
- Two software platforms, that would
be great to go on this unit, so imagine if you had
Flow running on the edge, and imagine if you package
this with Factory Studio also.
So just a couple things I want to point out.
So, I did ask a couple of questions
before we decided to shoot the video which is there
is a quad core processor on here.
One of the common question that comes up is,
is the process control and Edge computing isolated?
The answer is yes.
They're isolated through core management so the
process control is managed through one or two
cores of its own that are isolated and the Edge PC
is running on one or two cores that are also isolated.
This unit here as you said, $2,000 around, give or take?
- Roughly between two and 3,000
for something like this.
- So that's the price point
for this unit which is incredibly competitive.
An incredibly competitive price point and I'm
excited to see this remote IO unit as it comes out.
Do you have guys have any idea, the next year?
- Probably within a year.
- So within a year we can expect
to see the new remote IO module.
I just want to say thanks Dan for taking
the time to talk with us. - Yes, me too.
If you guys want to see
the groov EPIC you can either check it out
on our LinkedIn page or go to opto22.com
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