Inductive Conversations Podcast

In this new segment of How'd You Get Here, Kevin McClusky chats with Arnell J.  Ignacio to discuss Kevin's professional journey. They talk about Kevin's early experiences at Inductive Automation to where he currently is now. Kevin also shares insight of the early days at Inductive Automation, what makes IA such a unique place, his journey at Inductive Automation, and much more. We also get a peek into Kevin's interests and what he is excited about.

In this new installment of How'd You Get Here, Paul Scott sits down with Arnell J. Ignacio to take a trip back in time to explore Paul's professional journey. They talk about Paul's early experiences at Inductive Automation to where he currently is now. Paul also shares insight about what it is like to work at Inductive Automation, what makes IA such a unique place, her journey at Inductive Automation, and much more. We also get a peek into Paul's interests and what he sees for the future.

Rafey Shahid from Qanare Engineering joins Don Pearson to talk about the influence  that Inductive Automation and Ignition has on his career. Rafey shares his early days of integration, how he found Ignition and its impact on his business, and the relationships he has developed over the years. Rafey and Don also discuss the challenges and opportunities Rafey has faced and what the future looks like for Qanare Engineering.

Peggie Wever joins Arnell J. Ignacio to talk about her professional journey at Inductive Automation. In this discussion, they explore Peggie's experiences from the early days all the way to her current role. Peggie also shares insight about what it is like to work at Inductive Automation, what makes IA such a unique place, her journey at Inductive Automation, and much more. We also get a peek into Peggie's interests and what she sees for the future.

Jason Waits talks with Arnell J. Ignacio about his professional journey at Inductive Automation. In this discussion, they explore Jason's experiences from the early days all the way to his current role as Chief Information Security Officer. Jason also shares what it is like to work at Inductive Automation, what makes IA such a unique place, his journey to becoming the Chief Information Security Officer, and much more. We also get a peak into Jason's interests and what he sees for the future.

Jake Hall, also known as the Manufacturing Millennial joins David Grussenmeyer for a great discussion on the outlook on education within the manufacturing industry. They dive in and discuss the effects of the OT and IT convergence in manufacturing, the new generation of manufacturing engineers, and how education is evolving to meet today's manufacturing needs. Jake and David also talk about the challenges of education and how the pandemic revealed opportunities in manufacturing.

Kathy Applebaum joins Arnell J. Ignacio to talk about her professional journey at Inductive Automation. In this discussion, they explore Kathy's experiences from the early days all the way to her current role as Software Engineering Department Manager. Kathy also shares insight about what it is like to work at Inductive Automation, what makes IA such a unique place, her unusual journey to becoming Software Engineering Department Manager, and much more. We also get a peak into Kathy's diverse interests and what she envisions for the future.

Arnell J. Ignacio of Inductive Automation sit down with guests from Blentech, 4IR Solutions, NetApp, OnLogic, DMC, Flexware, NV Technologías, Streamline Innovations, Qunare Engineering, Vertech and Automation Professionals LLC. In this podcast Arnell and guests dive into what it is like being back in-person at ICC, the challenges and accomplishments during the pandemic, what to look forward to at ICC, and the future outlook of the industry.

Colby Clegg joins Arnell J. Ignacio to talk about his professional journey at Inductive Automation. In this discussion, they explore Colby's experiences from the early days all the way to his current role as CEO. Colby also shares insight about what it is like to work at Inductive Automation, what makes IA such a unique place, his journey to becoming CEO, and much more. We also get a peak into Colby's interests and what he envisions for the future.

Jeff Winter from Microsoft joins Don Pearson for an interesting discussion on the forces that drive Digital Transformation. They will dive in and discuss the forces of consumer demand and government investment into manufacturing. Jeff and Don will also talk about the power of innovation, the ongoing impact of artificial intelligence, and how to harness the never ending stream of data. You may access the video version of the podcast here.

Doug Dudley from Inductive Automation chats with Joanna Cortez about the biggest event for Inductive Automation, the Ignition Community Conference. This year's ICC is in-person as well as virtual. In this podcast, Joanna and Doug will discuss the origins of ICC and the planning and implementation of the conference. They will also talk about the evolution of the Build-a-Thon and how Discover Gallery has grown. Last but not least, Joanna and Doug will discuss the key element of the conference: the community. Register for ICC 

IA's very own Don Pearson sits down with Arnell J. Ignacio to explore the people-driven aspect of Digital Transformation. They discuss how Digital Transformation is more than just implementing technology and why motivated professionals are so important to its success. Don and Arnell also talk about the Digital Transformation effect on company culture, the processes people adopt, challenges people face, the business implications, and the business value.

Daniel Voit and Keith Weerts of Blentech join Paul Scott to discuss the importance of context when it comes to data. They dive into how Daniel and Keith started on this path to unlocking the power of food production data, how Ignition played a crucial role in their development, and how companies can fully utilize their equipment in a short amount of time. For a video version of this podcast which includes screen demonstrations, watch here. 

Remus Pop from Riveron chats with Don Pearson about the meaning of Digital Transformation, Industry 4.0, and IIoT and the business value of the technologies developed for these initiatives. They further discuss the challenges and obstacles of implementation, how companies are handling global disruptions, and the outlook of our industry and the agents of change leading the charge.

Thomas Wilson and Ben Lester from Factory Technologies sit down with us to discuss  their experience with Inductive Automation and Ignition. They cover aspects of how Factory Technologies went from starting with legacy products all the way to using the latest software. They elaborate on the importance of Inductive University and training to staying on the cutting edge, and how being able to say yes to projects is refreshing for them and their customers. Lastly, they discuss how everything that Inductive Automation offers allowed Factory Technologies to build a better business.

Ray Sensenbach, Steve Kulaga and Paul Scott from Inductive Automation sit down with us to talk shop regarding the deeper meaning of design and why it is important to our team. They also talk about the breakthrough impact and the bright future of the Perspective Module, and how we are empowering our users to elevate their industrial visualization projects.

Todd Ebright and Nate Kay from Martin CSI join us to talk about their journey with Discover Ignition that led them to winning a Firebrand Award, and they share a new project that incorporates Ignition Edge technology and Opto 22 to meet the diverse needs of customers. They discuss their approach to digital transformation projects, the input customers are looking for, and the hurdles they faced along the way. They also dive into some major trends they're seeing in machine vision applications, security, Perspective, accessibility, data storage, private cellular networks, utilization of new technologies, and greenfield projects.

On this episode, we have the pleasure of bringing David Greenfield, Director of Content/Editor-in-Chief of Automation World/PMMI Media Group, together with Don Pearson to discuss the future of automation in manufacturing. David shares his insight on the evolution of MRP into what we know as ERP today. Don and David also discuss the rise of IIoT and the progression of cloud services, how Ethernet got a foothold on the manufacturing floor, and the great potential that mobile devices and mobile-responsive screens have to offer. David also shares his insights about a subject that is near and dear to him: robotics.

In this episode, members of Inductive Automation's “house band,” The IA Department of Funk, share behind-the-scenes stories and shenanigans from the writing, recording, and filming of their original song and music video, “Champion,” for the ICC 2021 Build-a-Thon. We also dive into how their music has evolved over the years, why it's important for ICC and Inductive Automation, and where it may head in the future. Download Champion: https://soundcloud.com/inductiveautomation/champion

Gary Mintchell from The Manufacturing Connection joins Don Pearson to give us his insights on the trends he's seeing with as-a-service software solutions and the specific value they bring from both the IT and OT perspective. Gary shares the importance of the cloud in relation to edge computing in the industrial space and designing your architecture to get the best of both worlds. They discuss how to utilize OT and IT together to solve common problems, debate whether MQTT and OPC UA are in competition or complementary, explore the areas which companies should focus on in their journey to digital transformation, and make predictions about AI and machine learning. Gary also takes a memory about meeting our founder Steve Hechtman when Steve was still an integrator.

Inductive Automation's very own Annie Wise joins us to discuss the benefits, successes, and importance of our International Distributor Program. We hear about how the program got off the ground, the story of our first distributor, what territories currently have partners, and how the program has grown over the years. Annie shares what qualities we look for when partnering with new distributors and tells us about the new international track at the 2021 Ignition Community Conference.

David Hostetter from SCS Engineers and Dennis Siegel from Waste Management join us today to talk about the unique processes and challenges within the waste management industry, from residential to the engineering and life cycles of landfills. We discuss how operational improvements are being made in this essential service and its environmental footprint. They dive into the 24/7 maintenance and monitoring of landfills, adjusting to changing conditions in real-time, reducing cost, generating renewable energy, improving the health and safety of operators, and being proactive in a changing world. We also hear about an Ignition-based solution called Connected Landfills that is improving connectivity, mobility, and visualization by using data science to facilitate better decisions.

Vikram Kumar, President and CEO of AVG Automation, offers some incredible insight into the world of Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0 technology. In this wide-ranging interview, Vikram surveys  the evolution of manufacturing from the invention of the PLC to the present and beyond, looking ahead at which industries and applications will be critical over the next 5-10 years. Our discussion covers the perception of Industry 4.0, overcoming resistance to change, and the considerations organizations need to make when implementing new technologies, as well as the benefits of AI and machine learning to manufacturers. We also explore how the pandemic has accelerated the evolution of Industry 4.0 initiatives and showed how a lack of Digital Transformation can disrupt the supply chain. Plus, Vikram defines what Industry 4.0 and Digital Transformation mean in the context of adopting a better approach to business.

We are excited to welcome Rob Valent from ATS Global — one of our top-performing integrators. We discuss the reach ATS has providing automation products and services to a variety of industries and being an independent solution provider for accounts worldwide. Rob shares the success of their global Ignition rollout, having the most Ignition certified engineers worldwide, and a unique pharma project in Denmark that ties into the pandemic. We also discuss having a dialogue with the customer to truly understand their needs and deliver the best value possible.

Networking and security experts from TOSIBOX share their insights about industrial and operational networking in many different verticals, including building and traffic automation. They share some of the most common pain points in cybersecurity and building global networks, discuss successful IT/OT convergence, and automating networking to make secure remote access much easier. We learn about securing OT networks, take a more technical dive into technology standards for automating infrastructure, and hear a story of a joint project with an oil and gas customer.

Eclipse Foundation Executive Director Mike Milinkovich joins us for a discussion all about open source development. We discuss mastering the art of open source to complete digital transformation, the requirements to foster successful software collaboration, providing the infrastructure to enable development in the community, as well as some common misconceptions surrounding open source. Mike also shares his predictions for 2021, and discusses the trends that are having the biggest impact on developers including IoT solutions, edge computing, privacy, and AI. Plus, learn more about the Sparkplug working group, open hardware, and how the community can get involved.

Today we are learning all about Inductive Automation’s University Engagement Program with David Grussenmeyer, who is our University Engagement Manager. We will discuss the ins and outs of this educational outreach program including the vision, early stages, current initiatives, curriculums, what we provide to institutions, and how this program benefits the next generation of engineers. We also dive into building partnerships through the program, share a real-world success story, look into the future for universities, and share how integrators can get involved.

We’re joined by John Miller and Daniel Coffelt from The Integration Group of Americas to discuss their real-world projects in water/wastewater and oil & gas. We’ll hear about the challenges they overcame to successfully migrate an outdated SCADA system to an updated IIoT platform. We’ll cover utilizing Ignition in the enterprise and Perspective as the user interface, taking an edge-first approach, and partnering up with OnLogic. We’ll learn how these solutions are improving visibility, flexibility, control, and cost savings for companies that provide vital services. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

Today's episode is all about saving time, money, and energy with Ignition, and the challenges industrial professionals can overcome with the unlimited licensing model. We discuss how our guest got introduced to the software, how to utilize Inductive University, and the best ways to transfer problem-solving knowledge to improve the lives of operators. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

We’re sitting down with Ignition developers Carl Gould and Colby Glegg for a behind-the-scenes look at the release of 8.1. They discuss the biggest priorities for 8.1, explain its benefits for new and existing customers, and even talk about features that didn’t quite make the cut. They also discuss how new Perspective Module features will impact the Vision Module. Plus, they give us a glimpse into the future with potential areas where Ignition can do more, features they’re hoping to get into upcoming releases, and predicting areas of focus for 8.2. Listen in for a fascinating interview about Ignition’s past, present and future. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

Today’s guest is Technology Director Mike Walden, who’s here to discuss what New Frontier Technologies is doing to help customers identify and solve security risks during process design, project implementation, and in existing systems. Mike covers the process for building risk mitigation plans, shares the most common mistakes and biggest trends he’s seen in preventing cyber security threats, and offers tips for those struggling with risk management. We also talk about where documentation comes into play. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

We’re talking to Greg Cantlon, the Client & Consulting Leader for Brock Solutions, to discuss driving value and improvements to operations in water & wastewater and becoming a disruptor in the integration industry. We’re discussing building long-term partnerships with customers, the biggest pain points that motivate customers to upgrade their systems, creating a SCADA master plan, minimizing risk, and where Ignition fits in. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

We are joined by Ilan Shaya, an expert in the industrial control system security space. He is here to share his insights on security including the biggest risks to OT networks, the common ways cyber attackers gain access to facilities, finding gaps in the security landscape, and best-practice strategies to protect your organization. Ilan also shares some attack stories, cost-effective preventive measures, current trends in cyber defense, and where cyber security for the OT market is headed. Hear about intrusion detection systems (IDS) solutions, including the Sparta Module that ICS developed. SPARTA Demo Video: https://inductiveautomation.wistia.com/medias/vjajq0ox6b

Today’s guest is Dan Stauft, a professional in the food and beverage industry, who shares his process of discovering Ignition, building upon his skills with the platform, empowering staff, and utilizing Ignition inside his company.  We discuss getting relevant, actionable data from the plant floor and equipment in front of the decision makers in a manner they can understand to make decisions, improve and reduce costs, and increase efficiencies. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

We’re talking to Loe Cameron, a professional in the life sciences industry and a member of the Ignition Cross-Industry Collective. We’re discussing overcoming the pushback against adopting a new software platform, solving automation challenges, introducing new automation solutions into the biopharmaceutical space, creating solutions for the business side with Ignition, and finding wins that everyone can agree on. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

Craig Resnick from ARC Advisory Group returns to discuss some of the biggest trends and challenges in the industrial market right now. We’re tackling new and disruptive technologies, overcoming resistance to change, the rapid growth of edge computing, open standards in automation, early adoption of new technologies, the evolution of virtual and augmented reality, treating cyber security as a journey, leveraging digital transformation, and differentiating factors that have enabled some companies to thrive during the COVID pandemic. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

Texas Automation Systems (TAS) joins us to share an MQTT implementation story for an oil and gas company. We discuss the challenges and successes of starting from scratch to design a new control system with site-to-site communication in a field covering many miles, and making it secure. We’ll hear about the benefits of MQTT, and TAS’ advice for developing an MQTT-based system. We’ll also discuss working with Cirrus Link Solutions, TAS’ growth with Ignition, Core training, and becoming Gold certified. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

Dave Hostetter and Philip Carrillo from SCS Engineers discuss remote monitoring and control solutions that help their customers work smarter and play harder. Hear about the landfill gas-flare management system they developed with Corso Systems, which won an Ignition Firebrand Award and includes a game-changing Systems Startup Shutdown Malfunction (SSM) report. You’ll also hear about SCS’s community outreach, their involvement with Engineers Without Borders, advice about enhancing social media through video production, some cool ways they’re using Ignition Perspective, and their approach to maintaining business success during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

In this conversation, we learn how integrators and engineers are adapting and making quick adjustments through uncharted territory during the COVID pandemic. Prime Controls shares some of their challenges and successes as they strive to stay productive and operational during this time. They discuss dealing with the drop in oil prices, forming an executive committee to process information and establish protocols, utilizing automation tools to enable factory acceptance testing remotely, and how their employees continue to support customer. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

We’re discussing how the COVID 19 outbreak is impacting integration. In this episode, we hear how Premier Integrator DSI Innovations are working remotely amidst the global shutdowns. DSI talks about the impact this pandemic is having on their essential manufacturing customers all over the US. They also share their risk mitigation strategy for keeping staff and customers safe, what they’ve learned through this experience, and provide inspirational words to their staff, customers, and other integrators who are all working through this together. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

Hear from a SCADA and MES specialist with a background in marketing about some different ways to bring those skill sets together to run a successful integration business. We’ll discuss utilizing your engineering team in your content marketing strategies, building trust with your customers, maximizing content, and showing a passion for what you do. You’ll also hear about the exciting shift towards enterprise projects as more industries look to sync their facilities, some upcoming projects for Vertech, and a challenge to “come at us” at the next ICC. Learn more about Ignition at inductiveautomation.com

BONUS Mid-Month episode with Titus Crabb at the Ignition Community Conference discussing the onboarding process for new sales engineers straight out of college, the Inductive University, gaining hands-on experience, and fostering creativity. Learn about a workshop process that increases customers’ satisfaction and confidence by keeping them involved from design to implementation. Hear about some of Vertech’s national rollouts for MES solutions, building a greenfield and in-office brewery, and what it means to be a Premier Integrator. Learn more about Ignition and Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

We're at the Ignition Community Conference talking to Peter Photos, the Chief Scientist and Executive Vice President of Engineering at Streamline Innovations. Hear about the Firebrand Award-winning chemical process developed by Streamline Innovations that removes the highly toxic hydrogen sulfide from natural gas before it gets to the pipelines. Learn how Streamline discovered Ignition, how to pick the right hardware to get the most out of your edge computing systems, how they developed the “HMI stick,” and of course — we’ve gotta talk about French Bulldogs. Learn more about Inductive Automation at inductiveautomation.com

Travis Cox and Arlen Nipper take a deep dive into the world of Digital Transformation and IIoT. They discuss the success of the MQTT protocol, the importance of education in continuing adoption of MQTT, the hurdles companies face when approaching the Digital Transformation, and how a strong ecosystem can achieve a solid IIoT infrastructure. They also touch upon the importance of the Eclipse Foundation, Sparkplug Working Group and much more. Learn more at inductiveautomation.com

This episode covers the biotech industry and the push over the last 20 years to automate facilities as much as possible to increase efficiency, and reduce contamination and batch loss. We discuss the implementation of ISA-S88 standards before they even existed, as well as tips for effective alarm management and running efficient reports that prioritize batch quality. We also give a sneak peek into the future of personalized medicine, monitoring hospitals through the cloud, and more. Learn more at inductiveautomation.com

This episode covers the benefits of moving to platforms, and what that transition means for visualization, and topics like leveraging the latest technologies, augmented reality, accessing documentation, OEE, and empowering operators on the plant floor. We’re discussing computing at the edge, OT-IT convergence, and the challenges of cyber security management. Learn more at inductiveautomation.com

Two episodes in one! Our Ignition OnBoard Program partners from OnLogic (formerly Logic Supply) are talking with us about opportunities in edge computing, hardware development, and the state of the industry from an OEM point of view. Cormac and Johnny discuss bringing solutions to retrofit markets, working with integrators, maintaining a competitive edge, the future of their company after the rebrand, and partnering with Inductive Automation to design industrial solutions. Learn more at inductiveautomation.comCormac joins Lauren Walters live at ICC, and Johnny is coming to us remotely to talk to Don Pearson.

We’re at the Ignition Community Conference talking with two integrators from Corso Systems, the Founder and President Alex Marcy and Senior Systems Engineer Jason Hamlin. They’re sharing experiences from ICC, stories about building a company, getting Ignition Certified, tackling customer needs, managing integrator/vendor relationships, and pushing the limits of new technology. They also share an upcoming oil & gas project, as well as a fun, personal Ignition project. Learn more about Ignition at inductiveautomation.com

The Ignition Cross Industry Collective is made up of a group of professionals who service a variety of industries including food and beverage, forest products, oil & gas, and pharmaceutical. Our guests today include Derek Randall, Dan Stauft, Loe Cameron, and Allen Ray. They are here at the IA headquarters to discuss how people from a wide range of industries can benefit from getting involved with the collective, and respond to challenges that many face from the plant floor to the executive level. Learn more at inductiveautomation.com

Let's talk about how companies can overcome analysis paralysis, and get people to think differently about connecting decoupled data and devices into infrastructure. We're discussing how business leaders expecting IIoT to disrupt operations can have a comprehensive strategy moving forward. Today's guest is Arlen Nipper, the Co-inventor of MQTT. Learn more at inductiveautomation.com 

We are discussing how MQTT got started and how it has evolved over the years. Hear about the big technological developments impacting the industrial sector and what it takes to accelerate the adoption of real IIoT solutions. We’re coming together to combat common problems and major changes within the industry. Today’s guest is Andy Stanford-Clark, the co-inventor of MQTT. Learn more at inductiveautomation.com