33 - How Ignition 8.3 Is Changing Industrial Automation Forever with Colby Clegg
Unplugged: An IIoT PodcastShow Notes
This special episode of Unplugged is brought to you by our sponsor, Inductive Automation and marks our first-ever in-person recording. Join hosts Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes as they sit down live with Colby Clegg, CEO of Inductive Automation, for an in-depth conversation on the future of industrial automation and the evolution of the Ignition platform. Colby shares insights into the upcoming Ignition 8.3 release, a major milestone that wraps up a multi-year vision. The discussion explores powerful new features like source control, deployment modes, and event streaming, while diving into broader industry shifts like the rise of DevOps, smarter data management, and the role of AI within Ignition’s future. You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at the growing Ignition Community Conference (ICC) — including its move to a new venue, the introduction of ProveIT! showcases, and the company’s push to foster a more connected, global community. From stories of Ignition’s early days to lessons in scaling a software company, Colby offers honest reflections on leadership, innovation, and what’s next for the industrial tech world. Whether you're an integrator, end-user, or automation enthusiast, this episode delivers a rare, inside look at where the industry is headed — and how the Ignition ecosystem continues to lead the way. ----- This episode is proudly sponsored by Inductive Automation. Get ready for the premier event in industrial automation — the Ignition Community Conference (ICC), happening September 16–18 in Sacramento, California. ICC brings together over 1,000 industry professionals, 50 expert speakers, and 40+ exhibitors showcasing the latest in automation tech. It’s your chance to dive into powerful sessions, explore real-world solutions, and connect with the brightest minds in the Ignition community. New this year: ProveIT! Showcases – Watch real Industry 4.0 challenges solved live
The Co-Lab Rooms – Meet session speakers, sharpen your skills, and network hands-on
Whether you join in person or via the livestream, ICC is your opportunity to level up, stay ahead, and be part of the future of industrial innovation.
🎟️ Grab your ICC Mate's Rate Ticket ($100 off) or livestream pass at: https://icc.inductiveautomation.com/register?promo=levelUPAU25
Promo Code: levelUPAU25 (This promotion is limited to the first 30 registrants and valid through August 17th, 2025) ---- Connect with Colby on LinkedIn: https://youtu.be/WhdIv8mK_Zk Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-seboa/ Connect with Ed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-fuentes-2046121a/
#ICCLevelUp
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This episode is brought to you by Canary Labs, and Cirrus Link Solutions.
This episode is brought to you by Cirrus Link Solutions and Canary Labs. Cirrus Link: https://unpluggediiot.com/go/cirrus-link Canary Labs: https://unpluggediiot.com/go/canary-labs
Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes sit down with David Ariens (Analytics For Industry / AVEVA) and Willem van Lammeren (Syensqo) to explore why IT/OT convergence fails — and what organisations actually get right when convergence works.
What changes when the assets you operate stop being centralised and predictable, and start being distributed, intermittent and weather-dependent? The old operations playbook breaks — and most digital programmes are still designed for the old one. Dr Hema Wadhwa, Associate, Data & Analytics | Asset Management and Performance at Aurecon, joins Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes to talk about building digital asset intelligence for the energy transition. Hema's career is a live map of that transition: she started as a Floating Systems Engineer in global oil and gas, moved through subsea engineering and power generation operations, and now leads digital strategy and analytics for mixed energy asset fleets. Key topics in this episode: - The unplanned career arc — floating production systems and subsea engineering into renewable operations - "Are you here to take my job?" — what digital transformation actually feels like from inside the control room - Why the solution providers have to evolve, not the operators - One gas turbine versus a hundred wind turbines: why renewable fleets break the old operations model - No standard across vendor SCADA screens and UIs, and what that inconsistency costs - Why there is no AI magic without the data groundwork first — and why selling it that way isn't ethical - Cognitive load: lean frontline teams, PDF report fatigue, and tools that land as a burden - OT/IT convergence and the cybersecurity questions that come with opening it up - OEM warranties and whether asset owners really have access to their own asset data - Recording data when it changes, not on a fixed scan rate - One source of truth, different views per role — data presented so it guides a decision - Predicting failures months ahead: cranes, spares, and turning downtime into planned work - BESS as a trading platform, not just another renewable asset - Why the real cost driver is people, and why it only stacks up if it scales across assets