EnergyTech Podcast

Welcome back to the Energy Tech Podcast — Jeff and Mike are in the OpSite Energy Control Room for a 2025 year-end review and a 2026 industrial technology outlook.We break down what changed in 2025 (and what actually mattered): the shift from “chatting with data” to acting on data, the rising reality of power + compute constraints, and why most AI projects stall when data governance, lineage, and trust aren’t engineered first.- Then we lay out our 2026 outlook across oil & gas, renewables, manufacturing, and data centers, including:- The move from chatbots → industrial agents (within guardrails) that can trigger work orders, manage routine workflows, and integrate third-party data- Why 2026 becomes the year we stop “trying AI” and start engineering trust (lineage, governance, semantics)- The rise of UNS (Unified Namespace) and DataOps layers as requirements (not buzzwords)- The growing collision of data center demand with grid constraints, off-grid projects, and energy delivery realities- Why liquid cooling becomes mandatory for high-density AI compute — and why “power compute efficiency” matters- Edge computing and small models: keeping critical operations resilient when cloud links drop- A prediction: cybersecurity becomes even more board-level and operationally central in 2026We also share what OpSite is building in 2026 — including a data center/colo sandbox, new edge product coverage, and a Control Room Management mini-series to break down compliance into usable, practical pieces.Drop your 2026 predictions in the comments — and don’t forget to like & subscribe.00:00 Intro — 2025 year-end review + 2026 outlook01:10 Theme: from “chatting with data” to acting on it02:35 2025 macro trends: grid congestion + power constraints03:40 Data centers: PA as a “dark horse,” off-grid momentum06:35 Data as commodity: edge centers, semantics, orchestration08:10 2025 trend: cybersecurity becomes program-level10:05 “Structural reality”: power + compute constraints11:10 AI reality check: trust, governance, data models13:20 2025 pillars: UNS, DataOps, augmentation17:20 Energy Tech Podcast 2025 recap (50 episodes, ICC)19:55 Favorite guests + why they stood out25:15 OpSite 2025 recap: control room build + growth30:20 2026 outlook framework: augmentation → automation35:10 Trend #1: chatbots → industrial agents (guardrails)38:10 Trend #2: SMRs + nuclear/data center convergence39:30 Trend #3: liquid cooling + power compute efficiency42:15 Trend #4: edge computing + cost control43:55 Trend #5: “decision engineer” roles emerge47:05 2026 thesis: stop playing with tech, start engineering trust48:00 OpSite 2026: data center/colo sandbox + new products56:10 Control Room Management mini-series announcement58:45 Quick oil price guess + 2026 cyber prediction1:00:35 Wrap-up + call to actionMusic: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

In this episode of the Energy Tech Podcast, we’re live from ICC 2025 in Sacramento with Matt Steel, Senior SCADA Engineer at Primoris Renewable Energy.Matt shares a practitioner’s view of how Ignition is becoming the de-facto SCADA platform for utility-scale solar and battery storage projects—and what Ignition 8.3 unlocks for scalability, DevOps, and long-term fleet operations.We dive into:- How EPCs and asset owners manage SCADA across dozens of renewable plants- Why nearly every utility-scale solar and storage project uses Ignition- What Ignition 8.3 changes for historians, flat-file configuration, and CI/CD- The challenge of integrating plant-level SCADA with fleet-wide O&M platforms- Using Ignition as middleware and IoT infrastructure, not just HMI- Standard data models, UDTs, and self-deploying Ignition projects- Where AI actually delivers value today in SCADA and controls engineering- Why community, not hype, is the real force behind Ignition’s growthIf you’re working in renewable energy, EPC engineering, SCADA architecture, or industrial DevOps, this episode is packed with real-world insight from the front lines.🎧 Recorded live at Inductive Automation ICC 202500:00 Intro – Energy Tech Podcast live at ICC 202501:05 Matt Steel’s role at Primoris Renewable Energy02:20 How EPCs approach SCADA in utility-scale solar & storage03:40 ICC 2025 “Level Up” theme & conference growth04:55 Ignition 8.3 release and why it matters06:30 Why nearly every renewable project uses Ignition08:00 Integrating plant SCADA with fleet-wide O&M platforms09:40 The need for standard data models in renewables11:30 Ignition as middleware, not just SCADA13:20 UDTs, self-deploying projects, and scaling engineering teams15:10 DevOps, CI/CD, and flat-file configuration in Ignition 8.317:00 Community, Prove-It, and real-world creativity at ICC18:20 AI hype vs. real value in industrial automation20:10 Where AI actually helps SCADA engineers today21:00 Closing thoughts from ICC 2025Music: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

Live from Ignition Community Conference (ICC) 2025, Mike Flores sits down with Al Caceres, Business Development Manager at Avadine, to unpack what real-world digital transformation actually looks like across oil & gas, water, wastewater, agriculture, and manufacturing.In this conversation, Al explains why Avadine operates as a true “dot connector”—bridging SCADA, custom software, databases, APIs, and edge hardware using platforms like Ignition 8.3. The discussion covers why many customers are consolidating tools into Ignition, how edge-native architectures are reshaping automation, and why culture—not technology—is still the biggest barrier to progress.The episode also dives into:- The generational and cultural gaps slowing automation adoption- Why AI excites executives but rarely starts with operations- Where machine learning actually fits today in industrial environments- Avadine’s new Ignition-based Pump-Off Controller (IPO) and early AI integration- What “future-ready” really means for SCADA and operations teamsIf you’re an automation engineer, OT leader, integrator, or operations executive navigating budgets, modernization, and AI expectations—this episode delivers grounded insight without the hype.0:00 – Welcome to the Energy Tech Podcast (Live from ICC 2025)00:42 – Who is Avdine? Role, Markets, and Integration Focus01:46 – First-Time ICC Takeaways & Learning the SCADA Ecosystem03:18 – Why Avdine Is a “Dot Connector” (Not Just a Panel Shop)05:01 – Custom Software, APIs, Databases & Real Integration Work05:33 – Where Ignition 8.3 Fits in Modern Architectures06:18 – Cutting Third-Party Apps by Consolidating into Ignition06:38 – The Real Barrier to Digital Transformation: Culture08:04 – Generational Gaps in Operations & Technology Adoption09:27 – Edge Computing, Mobility & Digital Expectations10:20 – Avdine’s Technology Stack: Opto22, Canary, Tosibox & More10:52 – What “Future-Ready” Means for Integrators11:32 – AI & Machine Learning: Business Excitement vs Ops Reality13:08 – Ignition IPO: AI-Enabled Pump-Off Controller Explained14:31 – Why Integration Matters More Than AI Hype15:50 – What Avdine Is Really Great At16:27 – Closing Thoughts from ICC 2025Music: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

Live from Ignition Community Conference (ICC) 2025 in Sacramento, we sit down with Dave Eifert of Phoenix Contact to break down how PLCnext is reshaping edge computing, open automation, and energy data integration.Phoenix Contact has long been known as a staple inside the control cabinet — but today, they’re moving decisively beyond the panel. In this episode, we explore how PLCnext acts as a true edge gateway, enabling no-code, low-code, and full PLC programming approaches while leveraging open protocols like MQTT, Sparkplug, OPC UA, and Node-RED.We cover real-world use cases across energy management, data centers, manufacturing, oil & gas, and off-grid power systems, including how teams can modernize brownfield systems without touching critical control logic.If you’re exploring edge-driven architectures, open ecosystems, or proof-of-concepts for energy and data infrastructure, this conversation is packed with practical insight.🏭 Phoenix ContactWebsite: https://www.phoenixcontact.comPLCnext Platform: https://www.phoenixcontact.com/en-us/products/automation/plcnext-technology⚙️ Ignition Community Conference (ICC)Ignition Community Conference: https://inductiveautomation.com/iccIgnition Platform: https://inductiveautomation.com/ignition🎙️ Energy Tech Podcast / Opsite EnergyOpsite Energy: https://www.opsiteenergy.com0:00 – Welcome to the Energy Tech Podcast (Live from ICC 2025)0:44 – Dave Eert’s role at Phoenix Contact1:30 – Phoenix Contact’s evolution beyond the control cabinet2:48 – From components to solutions and edge applications3:20 – What PLCnext really is and why it matters at the edge4:07 – No-code, low-code, and full PLC programming explained4:51 – Open protocols: MQTT, Sparkplug, OPC UA & Ignition5:30 – Using PLCnext as an edge gateway in brownfield systems6:12 – PLCnext Store and pre-built edge applications7:00 – Node-RED support and protocol conversion use cases8:05 – Integrating legacy PLCs without disrupting operations8:44 – Energy management, sub-metering & IO strategy9:47 – Data centers, off-grid energy & convergence challenges10:35 – What a Phoenix Contact proof-of-concept looks like11:22 – Field Application Engineers & solution development12:20 – Phoenix Contact’s edge-first future12:50 – AI, MCP, and open ecosystems in automation14:05 – Why community and openness matter going forward15:00 – Closing thoughts & where to find Phoenix Contact at ICCMusic: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

In this episode of the Energy Tech Podcast, Mike Flores sits down with Austin Blake — Director of Data at CNX Resources — for one of our deepest, most comprehensive conversations yet on data quality, machine learning, edge computing, anomaly detection, and what real digital transformation looks like inside a major upstream operator. This conversation pulls back the curtain on how CNX is rebuilding its entire data foundation, streaming real-time operational data from the field, and applying advanced machine learning models to critical equipment like fracture fleets, flowback operations, and multi-stage compressor stations.WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE1. Modernizing Oilfield DataHow CNX moved from siloed spreadsheets to a governed Snowflake data lake with clean, consistent, ML-ready data.2. Real-Time Edge VisibilityHow MQTT + AWS IoT Core deliver sub-second frac, flowback, and drilling data—and how offset-well monitoring helps prevent frac hits.3. Machine Learning That WorksHow CNX built practical anomaly detection models using 1-second SCADA data to improve compressor uptime and maintenance planning.4. AI vs. RealityWhy GenAI won’t fix bad data—and why traditional time-series ML still delivers the most value in oil & gas operations.5. Austin’s Career PathHow a completions engineer became CNX’s Director of Data and what he’s learned about failing fast and delivering real value.Chapters00:00 – Welcome to the Energy Tech Podcast00:16 – Introducing Austin Blake (Director of Data, CNX)00:48 – CNX’s digital transformation and Austin’s role01:30 – Fixing siloed data with a modern Snowflake architecture03:05 – Data governance, medallion layers, and eliminating Excel chaos04:05 – Austin’s background: field engineering → completions → data06:00 – Why completions lacked real-time data historically07:03 – Rise of Python, analytics, and why engineers must learn data08:30 – When CNX realized it needed to fix data before ML12:00 – Why ML fails without clean data13:30 – The well-naming problem in oil & gas15:00 – Misconceptions about AI “orchestrating” bad data16:02 – Aligning drilling, completions, production & midstream around data17:10 – CNX’s edge journey: Red Lion, vendors, and protocol challenges18:30 – Building the edge → AWS IoT Core → MQTT pipeline20:04 – Why sandbox environments accelerate innovation21:30 – Hot vs cold data paths: real-time vs long-term reporting24:00 – Real example: completions dashboards in Grafana25:20 – Preventing frack hits with offset-well observability28:00 – Demo walkthrough: real-time frack visualization32:50 – Why smaller operators can do this themselves34:00 – Building context at the edge (MQTT/Sparkplug)35:20 – Machine learning on compression fleets37:30 – Using 1-second SCADA for anomaly detection39:50 – Deploying ML models + measuring success via uptime42:00 – Austin’s personal approach: iterate fast, fail fast, deliver value44:30 – AI vs ML: what matters in oil & gas47:00 – Closing thoughts + subscribeMusic: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

Live from Ignition ICC 2025 in Sacramento!In this episode, we sit down with Rene Gamero, Industry 4.0 Executive at Opto 22, to unpack what modern edge computing really looks like across energy, distributed generation, and industrial operations.We dig into Opto 22’s long relationship with Inductive Automation, what makes Groov EPIC a true IPC + PLC + HMI platform, and why energy operators—from oil & gas to solar and battery storage—are rapidly adopting an edge-first architecture.Rene breaks down:- Why edge computing is gaining massive traction in oil & gas- The three pillars operators care about: cost, complexity & cybersecurity- How Opto 22 simplifies UDT structure, MQTT/Sparkplug, and standardization- Real-world case study: Half-gigawatt distributed solar deployment across Chile- Why Groov EPIC’s long-term form factor commitment (20+ years) matters- How Opto22’s learning kits and training accelerate POCs and modernizations- ICC 2025 insights: Ignite 8.3 momentum, Prove-It sessions, and community growth- If you’re evaluating edge solutions, upgrading legacy PLC infrastructure, or considering MQTT/UNS architectures with Ignition, this is a must-watch.LinksOpto 22 Website: https://www.opto22.comEnergy Tech Podcast (YouTube): https://youtube.com/@EnergyTechPodcastIgnition ICC: https://inductiveautomation.com/icc⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00 – Intro00:10 – Welcome to the Energy Tech Podcast00:26 – Live at ICC 2025 in Sacramento00:47 – Guest intro: Rene Gamero, Opto 2201:12 – What Rene does at Opto22 & global coverage01:55 – Opto22 + Inductive Automation partnership03:00 – ICC 2025 momentum, growth & first-time attendees04:10 – Why podcasts matter at ICC05:20 – Edge computing in oil & gas06:30 – ICC “level up”: venue, 8.3 release, Prove It sessions07:40 – Energy industry modernization outlook08:45 – Where Opto22 fits: Edge, UDT structure & standardization09:50 – How Opto22 trains OT teams11:00 – Deep dive: Groov EPIC = IPC + PLC + HMI12:40 – Hardware simplicity & expandability14:30 – The “lightbulb moment”: realizing EPIC is a full platform15:20 – Cost, complexity & cybersecurity pillars17:00 – SIL & safety considerations18:45 – Reducing complexity across mixed vendor environments20:20 – Cybersecurity built into EPIC from day one22:10 – Distributed energy case study (Chile solar fleet)24:40 – Standardizing remote generation sites25:40 – Final thoughts & discount for Energy Tech listeners26:05 – Closing remarks – Like & SubscribeMusic: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

Live from ICC 2025 in Sacramento: Greg Sloyer (Industry Principal, Manufacturing at Snowflake) joins the Energy Tech Podcast to break down how OT data from Ignition can flow—with context—into Snowflake using IoT Bridge, MQTT/Sparkplug, and Snowpipe Streaming, then combine with ERP/CRM data for real business outcomes. We dig into Cortex (semantic layer, NLQ, search over manuals/service records), DataOps/DevOps realities, and pragmatic analytics for energy: compression fleets, maintenance, and production trends.GuestGreg Sloyer, Industry Principal—Manufacturing, Snowflake.What you’ll learn- Why ICC 2025 is a “level up”: new venue, Ignition 8.3, PROVE IT- Edge → Cloud: UDT context, MQTT/Sparkplug, IoT Bridge & Snowpipe Streaming- OT + IT together: time series + ERP/CRM for bigger, multi-site problems- PoC fast paths for regional operators (free trials; zero-code landing)- Democratized analytics: run anomaly detection via SQL- Cortex: semantic layer, natural-language questions, and search over manuals & service history- Energy-specific cadence: hourly/daily/7-day moving averages vs sub-ms myths- Fleet view of compressors: MTTR/MTBF, asset health, and market-aware maintenance- When to use Snowpark/Streamlit vs NLQ for quick operator answersLinks & resources• Snowflake for Manufacturing & Energy: https://www.snowflake.com• IoT Bridge (with Cirrus Link): https://cirrus-link.com/• Ignition 8.3 (Inductive Automation): https://inductiveautomation.com/news/inductive-automation-releases-ignition-83• Opsite Energy – Insight-Driven Remote Operations: www.opsiteenergy.com00:10 Welcome to Energy Tech Podcast @ ICC 202500:26 Guest intro: Greg Slayer (Snowflake)00:49 Greg’s role: Industry Principal, Manufacturing01:44 ICC “level up”: new venue & more room for real OT/IT talks02:46 Why ICC 2025 matters: Ignition 8.3 + PROVE IT track03:50 Where Snowflake fits with Ignition & IA04:21 Getting shop-floor OT data into Snowflake (since 2023)05:03 IoT Bridge + MQTT/Sparkplug → OT+IT data together06:01 Edge-first: UDT context, Snowpipe Streaming, zero-code landing07:24 Context that business users understand (units, semantics)08:33 Add sensors/tags → auto-populate in Snowflake for data science09:05 Fast start for regional energy players (trials & PoCs)10:51 Democratized analytics: SQL anomaly detection on time series11:51 Modeling options, right cadence (hourly/shift vs sub-ms)12:42 Snowflake Cortex: semantic layer, NLQ, medallion patterns13:28 Energy cadence: 7-day moving averages, hourly/daily ops15:44 Maintenance reality: dispatch latency & practical “near real-time”16:28 Cortex Analyst & Search: manuals, service records, tech assist19:16 Compression fleet use case: asset health + market signals20:26 Fleet-level KPIs: MTTR/MTBF across sites & vendors21:01 Snowpark & Streamlit vs NLQ answers for ops22:32 “Advanced analytics,” not hype: optimization + ML in Snowpark24:26 Wrap-up, resources & how to try it; Like & SubscribeMusic: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

Live from ICC 2025 in Sacramento, Mike Flores sits down with Esteban Nunes of NV Technologies to talk about what it really looks like to be an Ignition distributor and evangelist across Central and Latin America.They dig into NV's family-business roots in Costa Rica, the decision to move from “comfortable” system integration to full-on Ignition distribution, and the realities of driving digital transformation in markets where access, culture, and infrastructure all look very different from the U.S.If you care about Ignition adoption, distributor strategy, training, and AI/predictive analytics in Latin America, this one’s for you.In this episode you’ll learn:- How a family automation business in Costa Rica evolved into an Ignition-focused distributor- Why NV technologies walked away from “comfortable” multi-vendor integration to bet on Ignition- What it takes to evangelize Ignition in Central & Latin America (culture, access, and government realities)- How training and certifications became NVTE’s door-opener for new customers and integrators- Real stories of integrators and end users discovering Ignition and driving their own projects- Where AI, predictive maintenance, and analytics are actually showing up in customer conversations- Key takeaways from the “Level Up” theme at ICC 2025 and what it means for going beyond SCADAGuestGuest: Esteban Nunes — NV TechnologiesIgnition distributor and evangelist based in Costa RicaSupporting Central America, Dominican Republic, and Colombia with Ignition training, support, and adoptionRecorded: Live at Inductive Automation’s ICC 2025 in SacramentoPresented by: OpSite Energy — Insight Driven Remote Optimization0:00 – Intro & ICC 2025 “Level Up” theme0:40 – Meet Esteban Nunes & NV Technologies1:20 – Family business roots in Costa Rica & early automation work2:30 – From ABB and process control to building NVTE4:00 – Discovering Ignition in 2014: first projects & “game changer” moment5:20 – Engineers who only want Ignition: cultural shift inside NVTE6:30 – From integrator to Ignition distributor in 20208:00 – Why leaving the “comfortable” multi-vendor model was necessary9:30 – Evangelizing Ignition: brand awareness, critical mass, heavy lifting10:40 – Territory overview: Central America, Dominican Republic, Colombia11:30 – Cultural and governmental barriers vs the U.S. market13:00 – Working with visionary integrators vs those who stay “comfortable”14:30 – Giving time away: pilots, POVs, and letting customers “see it work”15:50 – Training as the main door-opener: local teams, multinationals, support17:40 – APIs, SAP connectivity, and the push toward AI integrations18:40 – Customer conversations about AI, predictive maintenance & analytics20:00 – Key takeaways from ICC 2025 & what “Level Up” means beyond SCADA20:45 – Closing thoughts & subscribe call-to-actionUygar Duzgun “Fast Life” courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

Recorded live at Inductive Automation’s ICC 2025 in Sacramento, we sit down with Magnus McHune (HiveMQ) to unpack what it really takes to scale MQTT, build a unified namespace (UNS) that sticks, and bridge the OT/IT divide without blowing up cost or complexity. We dig into HiveMQ’s roots in connected vehicles, why manufacturers are standardizing on MQTT + UNS, what “leveling up” looks like with Ignition 8.3 and new Ignition module work, and how to think about cost, complexity, and cybersecurity as your data volume 10× or 100×. We also touch on HiveMQ Pulse (context + ontology for industrial data) and practical start-up patterns (K8s/VMs, clustering, QoS, topic design).You’ll learn:• How to design MQTT topics/payloads that scale• When open source hits limits—and where enterprise support fits• Architectures for edge ↔ site ↔ central clusters• Why outbound-only MQTT + TLS simplifies security models• How context/semantics (Pulse) unlock AI/ML valuePresented by OpSite Energy — Insight-Driven Remote Optimization.Links & resources- OpSite Energy: https://www.opsiteenergy.com- Energy Tech Podcast: https://www.opsiteenergy.com/all_podcast- HiveMQ (MQTT platform): https://www.hivemq.com- Ignition by Inductive Automation: https://inductiveautomation.com- Learn about HiveMQ Pulse: https://www.hivemq.com/solutions/ 00:00 Intro (Energy Tech Podcast @ ICC 2025)00:35 Guest intro — Magnus McHune, HiveMQ01:55 What a Principal Architect actually does (customer-driven R&D)02:40 Origins & verticals: automotive → manufacturing, data centers03:55 MQTT + Unified Namespace as the backbone04:50 “Level up” at ICC: Ignition 8.3, venue, Prove-It flavor05:35 HiveMQ x Ignition: modules in development & why06:20 Moving up-stack: data context, semantics, and insights07:20 Building for scale: edge, site, central; reliable data movement08:25 Common scaling pitfalls (topic design, payloads, QoS, support)10:05 From OSS POCs to supported platforms (avoiding tech debt)12:00 The flywheel: once UNS is live, use cases multiply13:10 Getting started fast: containers, K8s operator, clustering15:00 Bridging OT/IT & business needs with MQTT + extensions16:40 Services & support: solutions, professional services, 24/718:05 The big three: cost, complexity, cybersecurity19:30 Data-center patterns & data federation21:05 Security story: TLS, auth, one-way outbound connections23:10 Where AI/ML fits: pipelines today, context with HiveMQ Pulse24:45 MCP & tool-calling—what to watch next26:30 Wrap-up & where to learn more

In this episode, Flexware Innovation’s Eric Mormon joins us on the show floor in Sacramento to talk Ignition 8.3, Spark MES, edge architectures, UNS/MQTT, real-world DataOps, and where AI/ML/MCP actually create value in manufacturing. If you care about turning plant data into competitive advantage—without locking yourself into a black box—this one’s for you.GuestEric Mormon — Solutions Architect, Flexware Innovation (Premier Ignition Integrator). Eric helps design scalable MES and SCADA solutions using an open, native-Ignition approach with the Spark MES framework.What you’ll learn- Why ICC 2025 feels different: venue, Ignition 8.3, and the PROVE IT track- Spark MES: bottleneck visibility, downtime drivers, target vs actual, part-level issues- Open vs. closed MES: designing systems that conform to your process (not the other way around)- Edge to UNS: PLC skills + Ignition Edge + MQTT for clean, actionable data- Tackling legacy/trapped data with a robust tag model and standards- Empowerment over dependency: frameworks, training, and front-end tools non-programmers can use- DataOps in the real world: on-prem vs. cloud, secure movement, and when sub-ms matters- DevOps for Ignition: Git workflows, deployments, change management, scalability- AI/ML/MCP: value-first use cases (NLP for config, reporting assist, interoperability)Links & resources• Flexware Innovation – https://www.flexwareinnovation.com/• Spark MES - https://sparkmes.io/sparkmes-overview-a-smarter-mes-built-on-ignition-for-oee-traceability-inventory-more/• Opsite Energy – www.opsiteenergy.com00:00 Intro00:10 Welcome to Energy Tech Podcast @ ICC 202500:34 Guest intro: Eric Mormon, Flexware Innovation01:00 Flexware’s Ignition journey & team growth01:37 Who we serve: energy, water/wastewater, data centers & more02:55 ICC “Level Up” theme & new Sacramento venue03:28 Ignition 8.3, PROVE IT track, and why we’re here04:19 What “Level Up” means to Eric & the industry05:01 Leveling up at Flexware: partners, practices, customer experience05:52 New Integrator Solutions program & Spark MES announcement06:37 What Spark MES solves (downtime, bottlenecks, targets, part issues)07:41 Open, native-Ignition approach—system conforms to you08:15 From PLCs to the edge: Ignition Edge, MQTT & UNS foundations09:41 Unlocking legacy/trapped data & tag model strategy11:23 Becoming one team with the client; empower & enablement13:36 Design principles: extensible, maintainable, perspective-first UX15:56 Not low/no-code—scalable additions without heavy scripting16:56 DataOps choices: on-prem vs cloud, secure movement, streaming needs18:42 Framework 80/20: land-and-expand with an open core19:44 ICC takeaways: Ignition 8.3, UNS, AI, DevOps & Git workflows21:14 AI/ML/MCP: practical value, NLP config, reporting, next steps22:38 Wrap-up & subscribeMusic: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com