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