December 20, 2019 – As the groov EPIC platform passes the year-and-a-half mark in its maturity, Opto 22 releases version 1.5.0 of its firmware. This release broadens the palette of visualization and storage options for groov EPIC to suit a variety of applications and hardware.
The embedded groov View server is updated to version 4.2, with functions to create even more dynamic web and mobile HMIs, dashboards, and Andon boards. New shape gadgets allow users to create custom SVG images and animations directly in groov View, and to dynamically change their color and size (height and/or width) based on process variables or on any other data source connected to groov EPIC. This version also introduces tag-driven conditional formatting for other gadgets, allowing users to make elements visible or invisible, as well as change text color and formatting.
These options could be used, for example, to enhance overhead displays for a bottling line by changing the color of text and numerical readouts to reflect line status or quality metrics stored locally in PAC Control, CODESYS, Node-RED, or Ignition. For batch and continuous control applications, users could enhance situational awareness in operator interfaces by creating custom level and range indicators that change height and color in response to level, temperature, pressure, or alarm readings.
With groov EPIC 1.5.0, OEMs can also choose from a broader range of external HDMI monitors and touchscreens, including models from DELL, Hope Industrial, SuperLogics and AIS. This helpsto eliminate Windows PCs and OITs for local viewing and operator interfacing,
