Ignited: Striking Industrial Automation Conversations

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 board...

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...

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 Au...

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...

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,...

Before you can understand what makes Ignition powerful, you have to understand the standards it's built on. In this deep-dive fireside chat, Travis and Tom welcome Kevin Herron — one of the architects behind Ignition's OPC UA implementation — to decode the world of OPC and OPC UA from the ground up.   This isn't a marketing conversation. It's a technical one. Kevin walks through what OPC actually...

Great software only creates value when people know how to use it. And in industrial automation, where the stakes include uptime, safety, and production output, the difference between a successful deployment and a frustrating one often comes down to the resources behind the platform — not just the platform itself.   In this episode, Travis and Tom welcome Dave Fogle to explore something that doesn'...

Every great podcast starts with a question worth answering. For Travis Cox and Tom Burke, that question is simple: why does industrial automation need this conversation, right now?   In this inaugural episode, your hosts set the stage for everything Ignited is about. Travis and Tom share why they felt compelled to launch the show — the inflection point the industry is at, the gap between what's po...