Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast

Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes
  • 4.6 (5)
  • Technology
  • Updated Weekly

Join industry experts Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes on "Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast", powered by PLCnext Technology, as they explore the fascinating world of the Industrial Internet of Things. Discover the latest trends, debunk common myths, and gain insights from leading voices in IIoT. From seasoned professionals to those new to IIoT, you'll learn about practical applications and cutting-edge innovations driving digital transformation. Tune in for thought-provoking discussions and engaging interviews, making complex topics accessible and interesting.

  1. 1d ago

    Native PLC Communication & Why OPC-UA Is Wasting Your CPU

    Every IIoT project starts the same way: you need data out of a PLC. The standard answer is OPC-UA — but what if that protocol is overloading your PLCs, eating bandwidth, and costing you thousands in upsized hardware? In this episode, Christofer Dutz — creator of Apache PLC4X and CEO of ToddySoft GmbH — joins Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes to explain why speaking the native tongue of your PLCs is faster, cheaper, and more efficient than wrapping everything in OPC-UA. Chris shares how PLC4X pulled 2,600 data points every 200 milliseconds at just 2–3% CPU overhead — compared to OPC-UA choking at 200 data points every two seconds on the same hardware. The conversation covers the origin of PLC4X (a "JDBC for industrial automation"), the not-invented-here syndrome that created today's protocol mess, why open-source adoption in OT is still painfully slow, the role of Apache IoTDB as a time-series storage engine handling 1.5 billion insertions per second, and Chris's new commercial venture ToddySoft — bringing production-grade Rust-based drivers to platforms like Inductive Automation's Ignition. Whether you're an automation engineer drowning in protocol adapters or an IT architect trying to bridge the OT gap, this episode is packed with practical insight from someone who has spent a decade making PLCs talk. Connect with Christofer on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christoferdutz Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/phil-seboa Connect with Ed on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ed-fuentes Sign up for the Unplugged newsletter: unpluggediiot.com/newsletter Learn more about ToddySoft: toddysoft.com Learn more about Apache PLC4X: plc4x.apache.org

  2. Jul 28

    Flowfuse Expert: Scaling Applications

    In the final part of our FlowFuse mini-series on Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast, Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes close out with Kristopher Sandoval of FlowFuse on what happens once you can build fast: how do you scale, govern and standardise industrial applications across plants, lines and teams? Kristopher explains why Expert doesn't replace developers — it removes repetitive setup so engineers can focus on operational problems, business logic, architecture and deployment strategy. We cover scaling via FlowFuse pipelines (build once, roll out to hundreds of devices), granular RBAC that persists across instances and sites, air-gapping and data sovereignty for regulated environments, and the bring-your-own-key/model future. The throughline: without FlowFuse's governance, versioning and standardisation, AI-generated apps just become technical debt. Chapters: - 0:00 — Welcome back: the changing role of industrial teams- 1:00 — Expert removes repetitive setup; engineers focus on operational problems- 5:00 — Augmenting vs replacing developers- 9:00 — Enterprise governance: self-hosted, BYOK, guardrails- 12:00 — Scaling across teams and sites with FlowFuse- 15:00 — Advice for closing the application gap today- 17:00 — Learning segment- 18:00 — Closing and outroConnect - Kristopher Sandoval (FlowFuse): https://www.linkedin.com/in/krsando/ - FlowFuse docs: https://flowfuse.com/docs - Phil Seboa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-seboa/ - Ed Fuentes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-fuentes-2046121a/ FlowFuse is a proud sponsor of Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast. For more Info about Flowfuse Expert visit https://flowfuse.com/ #IIoT #NodeRED #FlowFuse #Governance #Scaling #IndustrialAutomation #ITOT

  3. Jul 14

    FlowFuse Expert in Practice: From 4,000 Data Points to Actionable Insights

    In Part 2 of our FlowFuse mini-series on Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast, Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes get practical with Kristopher Sandoval from FlowFuse. We move from “what is the application gap?” to what it looks like to close it on the shop floor. Kristopher walks through real operational use cases—OEE dashboards, shift handover workflows, quality validation, and asset monitoring—starting with the operational problem and then showing the working application. We also dig into the technical mechanics: how FlowFuse Expert turns plain-language requirements into Node-RED nodes and flows, updates to the immersive editor in FlowFuse 2.30, and the governance layer (snapshot comparisons, change review, and deployment management) that helps teams keep changes production-ready. Anchor use cases (agreed with FlowFuse) OEE: “Build me an OEE dashboard for three production lines with downtime tracking and shift comparison.” Shift handover: “Create a shift handover workflow where operators log production issues, actions taken, and outstanding risks.” Quality validation: “Create a workflow that validates production data and alerts operators when thresholds are exceeded.” Asset monitoring: “Create a dashboard showing machine status, downtime, and maintenance alerts.”Draft chapters (confirm after split) 0:00 — Welcome back: real operational use cases 1:00 — Shift handover, quality validation, asset monitoring, Modbus-to-UNS 5:00 — From operational problem to working application 9:00 — Technical mechanics: how Expert translates needs into flows 13:00 — Immersive editor improvements in 2.30 16:00 — Governance: snapshot comparisons, change review, deploymentConnect Kristopher Sandoval (FlowFuse): LinkedIn (TBC) FlowFuse docs: https://flowfuse.com/docs Phil Seboa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-seboa/ Ed Fuentes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-fuentes-2046121a/Disclosure: FlowFuse is a proud sponsor of Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast. #IIoT #NodeRED #FlowFuse #OEE #ShopFloor #IndustrialAutomation #ITOT

  4. Jul 3

    53.Closing the Industrial Application Gap with Kristopher Sandoval

    In this first episode of a 3-part FlowFuse mini-series on Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast, hosts Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes sit down with Kristopher Sandoval of FlowFuse to unpack the application gap in industrial operations — the growing distance between how many applications industrial teams need and how fast their developers can build them. Kristopher explains why so many operational workflows still live in spreadsheets, local scripts and one-off dashboards, and how the Node-RED → FlowFuse → FlowFuse Expert stack is changing the equation. We cover what FlowFuse Expert actually is — an AI co-pilot that builds industrial applications on a Node-RED workspace from a plain-language description — why it's built on MCP (Model Context Protocol) for real industrial context instead of generic LLM guesswork, and how it can compress tasks that once took 10–20 hours down to around an hour, without replacing the operators and OT engineers who know the plant best. If your team has more ideas than capacity to build them, this episode is about closing that gap. Chapters 0:00 — Intro and guest welcome 3:00 — The application gap in industrial operations 6:00 — Where workflows live today: spreadsheets, scripts, manual processes 10:00 — Who feels this gap most? 12:00 — From operational need to working application (OEE dashboard) 16:00 — Iterating with Expert and availability 0:00 — Intro and guest welcome 3:00 — The application gap in industrial operations 6:00 — Where workflows live today: spreadsheets, scripts, manual processes 10:00 — Who feels this gap most? 12:00 — From operational need to working application (OEE dashboard) 16:00 — Iterating with Expert and availabilityConnect Kristopher Sandoval (FlowFuse): https://www.linkedin.com/in/krsando/ FlowFuse docs: https://flowfuse.com/docs Phil Seboa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-seboa/ Ed Fuentes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-fuentes-2046121a/Newsletter Sign up: www.unpluggediiot.com/newsletter FlowFuse is a proud sponsor of Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast. #IIoT #NodeRED #FlowFuse #IndustrialAutomation #ITOT #ManufacturingTech #OEE

  5. Jun 16

    52. The Thinking Factory: How AI Is Giving MES a Brain with Francisco Almada Lobo

    What does it take for AI to actually deliver on the factory floor? In this episode, we explore why most manufacturing AI pilots never make it to production, and what changes when you get the data architecture right. Francisco Almada Lobo, CEO and Co-Founder at Critical Manufacturing, joins Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes to discuss MES as the foundation for manufacturing AI, why context beats compute, and what regulated industries need before they can trust AI in production. Key topics in this episode: What MES is and why it keeps expanding beyond process controlWhy Audi's 100+ AI initiatives failed to scale to production"Fat events": enriching IoT data with MES context for AI workloadsDesign-time AI vs runtime AI in regulated manufacturingThe first FDA warning letter for unauthorized AI useWhy this technology revolution gives no time for adjustmentThis episode is proudly made possible by FlowFuse. FlowFuse is the industrial application platform that helps operations, maintenance, and IT teams connect any machine, move data between systems, and scale industrial applications across sites. It is built on Node-RED, with the security and governance you need for real production environments. Learn more at flowfuse.com. Connect with Francisco on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/falmadalobo Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/philseboa Connect with Ed on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/edfuentes Learn more about Critical Manufacturing: criticalmanufacturing.com Book mentioned: "Agentic Artificial Intelligence" by Pascal Bonnet

  6. Jun 2

    51 - First Principles: De-Risking Industrial Technology and Championing Sovereign Manufacturing with Howard Sachs

    Howard Sachs joins Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes to discuss how de-risking industrial technology, championing sovereign manufacturing, and first-principles leadership are shaping Australia's industrial future. Key topics in this episode: Why de-risking matters more than product specifications in industrial salesHow the Dulux Industry 4.0 project succeeded through collaboration and leadershipAustralia's sovereign manufacturing challenges and the COVID-19 vaccine pushPockets of innovation across traditionally conservative industriesWhy mentorship from every direction accelerates learningConnect with Howard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hsachs/ Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philseboa/ Connect with Ed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edfuentes/ Learn more about Universal Automation Solutions: https://universalsystems.com.au ------

  7. May 13

    50 - Why Factory AI Fails Without a Data Foundation with Alexander Kruger

    Most industrial AI projects fail before they produce anything useful. The models are ready, the dashboards look great, and the executive presentation landed. But on the shop floor, nobody can get clean data out of the PLC without calling the vendor. The missing piece is a data foundation. Alexander Kruger, co-founder and CEO of United Manufacturing Hub (UMH), joins Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes on this episode, powered by PLCnext Technology, to explain why factory AI stalls without the right infrastructure underneath it, why boring technology beats shiny platforms, and how open source tooling is putting data ownership back in the hands of the people who run factories. Key topics in this episode: Why most factory AI projects fail at the data layer before they reach the model layerHow UMH went from systems integration with McKinsey to building open source data infrastructureThe five-step process for connecting machines, modeling data, and serving it to applicationsWhy Kafka and Postgres beat purpose-built IoT platforms for long-term reliabilityHow containers and Kubernetes solve high availability problems OT has wrestled with for yearsThe open source bet on forerunner power users who change organizations from within-------------------------------- This episode is proudly made possible by PLCnext Technology PLCnext Technology is the ecosystem for industrial automation consisting of open hardware, modular engineering software, a global community, and a digital software marketplace. Learn more at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.plcnext-community.net/news/synergy-edge-cloud/⁠⁠⁠ -------------------------------- Connect with Alexander on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-krueger/ Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philseboa/ Connect with Ed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edfuentes/ Learn more about United Manufacturing Hub: https://umh.app

  8. Apr 29

    49 - The Human Context Hidden Behind Industrial Data You Can't Ignore with Bob van de Kuilen

    Most industrial data projects fail before they start. The data is clean, the tools are connected, and the dashboards look great. But nobody can explain why the production line dropped 12% last Tuesday. The missing piece is human context. Bob van de Kuilen, CEO and co-founder of Thred, joins Phil Seboa to explain why knowledge graphs fill the gap that the Unified Namespace leaves open, and how pairing them with AI turns weeks of troubleshooting into minutes. Key topics in this episode: Why machine context alone cannot make industrial data meaningfulHow knowledge graphs go beyond UNS to connect cross-functional perspectivesA hydraulic failure diagnosed in three minutes instead of two weeksThe knowing-doing gap that keeps factories stuck despite having the right toolsWhy throwing an LLM over raw data without a knowledge graph causes hallucinations --------------- This episode is proudly made possible by PLCnext Technology PLCnext Technology is the ecosystem for industrial automation consisting of open hardware, modular engineering software, a global community, and a digital software marketplace. Learn more at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.plcnext-community.net/news/synergy-edge-cloud/⁠⁠ --------------- Connect with Bob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-van-de-kuilen-a531403/ Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philseboa/ Connect with Ed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edfuentes/ Learn more about Thred: https://thredcloud.com

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4.6
out of 5
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About

Join industry experts Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes on "Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast", powered by PLCnext Technology, as they explore the fascinating world of the Industrial Internet of Things. Discover the latest trends, debunk common myths, and gain insights from leading voices in IIoT. From seasoned professionals to those new to IIoT, you'll learn about practical applications and cutting-edge innovations driving digital transformation. Tune in for thought-provoking discussions and engaging interviews, making complex topics accessible and interesting.

Information

  • Creator
    Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes
  • Show Website
    Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast

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