Ignited: Striking Industrial Automation Conversations

This episode addresses one of the most pressing challenges in digital transformation and industrial automation: the critical shortage of skilled controls and SCADA engineers. Recorded live at the Ignition Community Conference (ICC) 2026, hosts Travis and Tom discuss what is driving this workforce gap, what it costs integrators and end users when positions remain unfilled, and how the pipeline of new engineering talent can be strengthened. The conversation also highlights the launch of Cognify Connect, a purpose-built platform designed to connect Ignition-certified engineers directly with the organizations that need them.

Guest: Kianni Brown

Most industrial operations have alarms, but far fewer have a standardized approach for what happens next when an incident occurs. Between detection and resolution, response workflows frequently break down—leading to unclear ownership, misdirected alerts, and recurring issues. In this episode, Travis and Tom sit down with Brooks Korfhage and Celine Mbanasor from IGear to discuss turning alarms from noise into structured action. They explore how pairing Ignition with IGear's SQUEAKS platform orchestrates incident response, matches the right responder to the right issue, and turns real-time operational data into continuous improvement insights.

Guests:

Brooks Korfhage (IGear)
Celine Mbanasor (IGear)

The ICC Build-a-Thon is the ultimate test of speed and skill, where two Premier Integrator teams build live in front of the community for the orange blazer. In this ICC 2026 episode, Travis and Tom sit down with finalists Evelyn Stodghill (BW Design Group) and Brendan Peck (Prime Controls). They reflect on surviving the summer elimination challenge, tackling the 16-hour Opto 22 data center panel build, and being the very first engineers to build with Ignition 2027; putting its new AI features and charting tools to the test under real deadline pressure.

Guests:

Evelyn Stodghill (BW Design Group)
Brendan Peck (Prime Controls)

Most manufacturers have more data than they know what to do with, yet none of it speaks the same language or reflects how the factory actually operates. When operational issues arise, teams are often left calling specific individuals who hold critical system relationships entirely in their heads. In this episode, Travis and Tom sit down with Jeff Knepper and Graeme Welton from Flow Software, alongside Ryan Crownover from Vertech, to explore what it takes to build an industrial data architecture that goes beyond basic connectivity and dashboards. They discuss how a true knowledge model maps real-world relationships between assets, processes, people, systems, and events, fundamentally transforming raw operational data into actionable enterprise intelligence.

Guests:

• Jeff Knepper (Flow Software)

• Graeme Welton (Flow Software)

• Ryan Crownover (Vertech)

Traditional industrial historians often struggle to scale across modern, multi-site enterprise environments without introducing support risks or performance bottlenecks. In this episode, we talk with Mike from Tiger Data and Colby from Inductive Automation about their joint partnership designed to deliver an enterprise-grade time-series data backend for Ignition. They share the story behind TimescaleDB's open-source adoption, the production challenges of running unsupported databases in mission-critical manufacturing, and how their new commercial solution provides high availability, enhanced Hyperfunctions, and scalable deployment options from edge to cloud.

Guest: Mike Freedman (Tiger Data / TimescaleDB) & Colby Clegg (Inductive Automation)

Over 1,900 engineers, integrators, executives, and builders gather at ICC 2026 in Sacramento, California, for what is shaping up to be the biggest Ignition Community Conference ever. To hear what the community is actually thinking, Travis and Tom set up a live studio right at the conference to interview eight community members across various backgrounds. Asking every guest the same set of questions, this episode captures unfiltered insights into why people keep coming back, what caught their attention this year, and what they love and look forward to in the world of Ignition.

Guests: Alicia Lomas (Lomas Manufacturing Consulting), Adrienne Meyer (CSIA), Daniel Wainberg (Contel Smart Energy), Uma Bangalore (EY), Cédric GROC (2GI Technologie), Elizabeth Hill Reed (DMC), Phil Turmel (Automation Pros).

Digital transformation initiatives rarely fail because of the software, they fail because the underlying data structure wasn't built to scale. In this episode, Travis and Tom talk with Dylan DuFresne, Co-Founder and Chief Architect at Abelara, about building industrial architectures designed for long-term viability. Dylan shares a practical, field-tested perspective on the Unified Namespace (UNS) as a core strategy rather than a buzzword, explaining how true data ownership, proper context, and bridging the gap between execution and strategy separate successful manufacturers from those left with disconnected systems.

Guest: Dylan DuFresne (Co-Founder & Chief Architect, Abelara)

Connecting plant-floor hardware is a solved problem; the real challenge is making that data act intelligently. In this episode, Travis and Tom sit down with Remus Pop, head of Concept Reply's industrial AI practice, to discuss his "Factory Brain" architecture. Remus explains why simply building dashboards isn't enough, how knowledge graphs bridge the gap between raw data and contextual intelligence, and how emerging tools like MCP and large language models are transforming plant operations. Discover why setting up robust data infrastructure on Ignition today is the key to unlocking AI tomorrow.

Guest: Remus Pop (Industrial AI Practice Lead, Concept Reply)

Deploying Ignition once is one thing. Deploying it across hundreds of sites around the world, keeping it running, pushing updates to every location simultaneously, and making it financially sustainable in the cloud is an entirely different challenge.

In this episode, hosts Travis Cox and Thomas Burke sit down with James Burnand from 4IR Solutions to unpack what enterprise-scale Ignition architecture actually looks like in practice. James breaks down a real-world, cloud-first deployment 4IR manages for a major global manufacturer, exploring how to maintain agility, keep operations reliable, and innovate without creating enterprise-wide chaos.

Guests: James Burnand from 4IR Solutions

Great software isn't just about functionality, it's about how effectively a human can use it when it counts. In this episode, Travis and Tom catch up with Julio Velasco, founder of IO SCADA and former Inductive Automation design engineer who helped establish early visual standards for the platform. Julio shares his core philosophy on operator-first HMI design, the technical responsibility of building clean industrial interfaces, and how his work training the next generation at the Volt Institute is helping close the industrial skills gap.

Guest: Julio Velasco (Founder, IO SCADA)

For decades, batch processing in complex industries like pharma, chemical, and food production has been held back by rigid, locked-down systems. In this episode, Travis and Tom join Polaris Automation's CEO Scott Cooke and SVP of Product Development Mark Merino to discuss breaking free from legacy MES constraints. They explore how building flexible solutions on Ignition, like their Chordata framework, allows manufacturers to scale faster, modernize iteratively, and organize plant data so it's genuinely ready for AI. Plus, they dive into a real-world case study with PPG to show what this transition looks like on the factory floor.

Guests: Scott Cooke (CEO) & Mark Merino (SVP of Product Development) — Polaris Automation

What happens when an integrator stops just using software and starts pushing it past its conventional limits? In this episode, Travis and Tom sit down with Alex Marcy, CEO of Corso Systems and long-time community trailblazer, to explore the cutting edge of industrial automation. Drawing on 15+ years of hands-on platform experience, Alex breaks down the reality of scaling a business around Ignition, the practical implementation of Unified Namespace (UNS), and how he’s leveraging the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to bring real-world AI applications to the plant floor today.

Guests: Alex Marcy

Raw data isn't the problem for modern factories, it's accessibility. When critical information stays buried inside closed, legacy systems, scaling AI and enterprise automation becomes nearly impossible. In this episode, Travis and Tom sit down with CESMII’s CEO John Dyck and Chief Technology Architect Jonathan Wise to tackle the push for open, interoperable manufacturing standards across the U.S. They discuss how pairing open frameworks like SM Profiles and the i3X API with Ignition gives plants full ownership of their data model; turning isolated metrics into enterprise-wide insights. Stick around to the end for a step-by-step roadmap on where your facility should actually begin.

Guests: John Dyck (CEO) & Jonathan Wise (Chief Technology Architect) — CESMII

What does it actually take to grow as an Ignition engineer?

In this episode, Travis and Tom sit down with three engineers from MartinCSI—Todd Ebright (10+ years of experience), Kierstyn Neumeier (custom components & energy challenges), and Matthew Excoffon (freshly Gold-Certified)—to trace the full arc of the career path. From surviving the early learning curve and leaning on the Inductive Automation forums to building award-winning, high-performance projects, they share what the craft of industrial software engineering really looks like on the front lines.

Guests: Todd Ebright, Kierstyn Neumeier, and Matthew Excoffon (MartinCSI)

For decades, industrial automation was dominated by proprietary, vendor-locked control systems — but that's changing. In this episode, we sit down with Don Bartusiak to explore the journey of Open Process Automation (OPA), from its origins as an industry response to vendor lock-in to its current state as a real, deployable standard reshaping process control.

Guest: Don Bartusiak - President at Collaborative Systems Integration

The industrial automation industry has a talent challenge. The question is who is doing something about it — and how.

Travis and Tom sit down with David Grussenmeyer, Director of Strategic Alliances, and Annabelle Haley, Educational Engagement Program Manager at Inductive Automation, to explore the company's commitment to building the next generation of industrial automation professionals. From donated Ignition licenses and free Inductive University training to a purpose-built OT curriculum and the beloved Build-a-Thon at ICC, Inductive Automation has built one of the most comprehensive academic engagement programs in the industry.

David and Annabelle share how the program evolved — including a pivot away from direct university outreach toward a more effective model built through integrators and ecosystem partners — how institutions like Clemson are doing remarkable things with the platform, and what it means to certify not just students but faculty. The call to action here is not passive: whether you are an end user, integrator, or vendor, you have a role to play in connecting students to this industry, and this episode will show you where to start.

Guests:

David Grussenmeyer — Director of Strategic Alliances, Inductive Automation

Annabelle Haley — Educational Engagement Program Manager, Inductive Automation

What happens when a small automation team at a legendary guitar manufacturer decides to build something extraordinary? You get a story that will inspire every engineer in industrial automation.

Travis and Tom welcome Tyler Robertson, Automation Manager at Taylor Guitars, for one of the most unique and compelling conversations in Ignited's first season. Taylor Guitars is not just a manufacturer — it is an ESOP, a sustainability leader, and an organization deeply committed to the craft behind every instrument. Tyler walks through how a lean engineering team used Ignition to say yes to nearly every production request that came their way, from automating neck pressing and quality scanning to enabling smarter, data-driven decision making across the factory floor.

The conversation also explores how Taylor is navigating the very real challenges of an aging workforce and the preservation of institutional knowledge, and what their builders-first mentality means for how they approach enterprise technology. Travis had the privilege of visiting Taylor's facility in January as part of Inductive Automation's Industry Immersion program — and the story he found there was too good not to share.

Guest:

Tyler Robertson — Automation Manager, Taylor Guitars

AI in industrial automation has generated more hype than almost any technology in recent memory. But what is actually happening on the plant floor — and what does it take to move from data collection to genuine intelligence?

Travis and Tom welcome Jeff Winter, VP of Commercial Strategy at Belden and one of the most recognized voices in smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0. Jeff serves on the boards of ISA and MESA and as an advisor to CESMII, bringing an unusually clear-eyed perspective on where the industry actually stands versus where the conversation says it is. The discussion covers the real state of AI adoption in OT, why so many organizations are sitting on mountains of data they still cannot act on, and what data contextualization actually unlocks.

The conversation also gets into the security implications of a more connected plant floor, the human side of automation and what AI means for the operators and technicians who have built careers around these systems, and how Belden's own journey from a cable company to a digital infrastructure powerhouse mirrors the transformation the broader industry is navigating.

Guest:

Jeff Winter — VP Commercial Strategy, Belden

Good software doesn't just solve today's problems — it anticipates tomorrow's. In this episode, we explore how the architectural decisions made in industrial automation today will determine how flexible, scalable, and resilient systems are for years to come.

Hosts Travis and Tom sit down with Kevin McClusky, Chief Technology Architect at Inductive Automation, for a wide-ranging conversation about how OT architectures have shifted over the past decade and where they need to go next. Kevin draws on years of co-leading Inductive Automation's Sales Engineering division, helping create the iconic Build-a-Thon, and working closely with the Distributed Architecture Working Group (DAWG) to unpack what's driving the biggest changes in SCADA — and how Inductive Automation builds its product roadmap around the real challenges integrators and end users face.

The conversation spans big-picture industry trends and ground-level practicality: What has caused the most significant architectural shifts in SCADA? What is the current state of industry standards, and why does DAWG matter? And what does Kevin see on the horizon that has him most excited about the future of industrial systems?

Guest:

Kevin McClusky — Chief Technology Architect, Inductive Automation

Most people know Ignition as a powerful platform for manufacturing and infrastructure — but this episode reveals something far bigger. Travis and Tom sit down with David Grussenmeyer and the remarkable Liliya Valihun to explore how Inductive Automation's Community Impact program is enabling people to use Ignition as a tool for solving deeply human problems.

The conversation covers how Inductive Automation is supporting mission-driven organizations creating real-world change — and how Hebron Soft has been at the forefront of that work. Liliya and her team built a comprehensive system to help manage homeless services, then made it open source — not as a business strategy, but as a moral decision. They also developed a prosthetic arm using the Ignition platform, a project that earned them the prestigious Firebrand Award at ICC.

From there, the discussion turns to the Hebron IT Academy — a bold initiative training the next generation of technology builders in Liliya's community — and URI, a new and ambitious project from Hebron Soft that signals just how high the ceiling can go when purpose-driven people get access to the right tools.

Guests:

David Grussenmeyer – Director of Strategic Alliances, Inductive Automation

Liliya Valihun – Director of Global Programs & AI Localization, Hebron Soft

Data centers are no longer just IT infrastructure — they're becoming some of the most complex, process-controlled facilities in the world. In this episode, we explore how explosive growth in data center demand is reshaping what it means to be an OT engineer, and why the tools of modern software development are now essential on the plant floor.

Hosts Travis and Tom sit down with Jason and Keith to unpack how the surging demand for data center capacity is driving a fundamental shift in OT architecture. What was once the exclusive domain of IT — DevOps practices, containerization, and Kubernetes — is rapidly becoming standard equipment for industrial software engineers.

The conversation moves from big-picture trends to ground-level practicality: What does a DevOps approach actually look like in an OT context? Why is Kubernetes the natural evolution after virtualization? And how do these technologies apply even if you're not operating at hyperscale?

BW Design Group is a premier Ignition integrator with deep expertise in the data center space.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/barry-wehmiller-design-group/

https://github.com/design-group

Guests:

Jason Rhodewalt — Managing Partner, Control System Integration

Keith Gamble — Director of Software Engineering, BW Design Group

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Data in Motion — MQTT, Sparkplug B, and Why the Edge Changes Everything

What happens when you need to move data across an entire enterprise — reliably, efficiently, and at scale — without drowning in network traffic or proprietary middleware? That's where MQTT and Sparkplug B come in.

Travis and Tom sit down with Benson Houghland, VP of Products at Opto 22, and Arlen Nipper, co-inventor of MQTT, to trace the protocol's origins in satellite telemetry all the way to its role as the backbone of modern industrial data infrastructure. The conversation covers event-driven vs. polling architectures, what a real MQTT/Sparkplug deployment looks like, and why edge compute changes everything.

IN THIS EPISODE

1. MQTT + Sparkplug B is the architecture for scalable industrial data movement. Data moves when it changes, not on a timer — and Sparkplug B gives that data a standardized structure enterprise systems can actually use.

2. The Unified Namespace becomes real with MQTT and Sparkplug B. Together they provide the event-driven backbone for a true single source of truth across your operation, with Ignition at the center.

3. Edge compute is now an architectural requirement. Resilience, millisecond decisions, and offline operation — Ignition Edge, MQTT, and Sparkplug B make it all possible without vendor lock-in.

GUESTS

Arlen Nipper — Co-inventor of MQTT; Sparkplug B specification contributor

Benson Houghland — VP of Products, Opto 22