#HM17 Bridging the OT/IT Gap.

Opto 22 and Dell are exhibiting jointly at the Hannover Messe (24–28 April Hall 8 Stand F31). Products from both companies will be showcased, demonstrating how to integrate and deliver edge computing applications and connect real-world signals and industrial “things” to the digital world of information technology, mobile, and cloud computing.

Delivering Cohesive IIoT Solutions
Converging Operations Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) is a critical stumbling block for many industrial IoT applications. As a Dell IoT Partner Program member, Opto 22 is uniquely positioned in the market to deliver a complementary product solution for connecting real-world electrical devices and signals to Dell’s advanced Edge Gateway line of products. The two companies provide a cohesive solution to bridge the cultural and technology gap between OT and IT.

This combination fuses together an industrially rugged hardware platform, data visualization for mobile and web clients, robust industrial automation protocol support including Modbus/TCP andnOPC UA, and advanced data flow processing through software development environments Node-RED. Combined with the ability to connect multiple data sources including devices, databases, and third-party APIs (application program interfaces), Opto 22 and Dell deliver a single, cohesive, cost-effective, and powerful platform for nearly any IoT or edge computing application.

“We’re excited to exhibit at Hannover Messe with our IoT Solutions Partner, Opto 22, and showcase solutions that provide secure manageability and analytics for edge computing,” said Jason Shepherd, Director of IoT Strategy and Partnerships, Dell. “Working closely with our partners is critical to reducing the fragmentation in the IoT market today.”

Going the Last Mile
Connecting existing industrial assets to IT systems requires translating the electrical signals (voltage and current) in the physical world to the bits and bytes of the digital world. Opto 22, respected worldwide for its 43-year history of product quality and innovation, manufactures the I/O and controllers that translate signals on that “last mile” of the data route.

Designed on open standards and built for harsh industrial environments, Opto 22’s SNAP PAC System integrates hardware and software for industrial Internet of Things, industrial control, remote monitoring, and data acquisition applications. Designed to simplify the typically complex process of understanding, selecting, buying, and applying an automation system, the SNAP PAC System consists of these integrated components:
• SNAP I/O™—analog, digital, and serial I/O modules for wiring directly to field devices, machines, and sensors. Wide variety of signal types; 1 to 32 I/O points per module; most I/O modules are guaranteed for life.
• SNAP PAC brains—intelligent I/O processors for distributed control on Ethernet and serial networks
• SNAP PAC controllers—standalone or rack-mounted industrial controllers with networking options and a RESTful API, or a software-based controller
• PAC Project™ Software Suite—easy-to-use flowchart-based control programming, HMI (human-machine interface) development and runtime, plus optional OPC server, database connectivity software, and software-based controller for PC-based control
• groov—an easy-to-use tool for building and using custom mobile operator interfaces and system dashboards to monitor and control systems and equipment from any web-enabled device.