Ep. 223 - Inductive Automation Ignition 8.3 New Siemens Driver Kafka Event Streams Historian Kevin M

This week on Manufacturing Hub, Vlad Romanov and Dave Griffith are joined by Kevin McClusky, Chief Technology Architect at Inductive Automation. Kevin shares his journey from computer engineering into the world of industrial automation, his early experiences as an HMI developer, and his leadership roles at Inductive Automation that shaped the direction of Ignition software.

The conversation takes a deep dive into the newly released Ignition 8.3 beta, exploring the core features that matter most for end users, system integrators, and manufacturers. Kevin discusses the new Siemens driver with symbolic addressing, the internal historian powered by QuestDB, the Kafka and Event Streams module, and the new DevOps capabilities with file system storage, Git integration, and automated deployments. These capabilities are set to change how manufacturers design, deploy, and scale automation systems in real-world production environments.

We also preview the Ignition Community Conference (ICC), which is moving to a larger venue this year. Kevin outlines new additions such as the Hub, the CoLab, community design challenges, and the continuation of Prove It sessions. The episode also covers the evolution of the Build-On competition, the growing integrator ecosystem, and Inductive Automation’s continued focus on empowering its community through transparency and collaboration.

This episode provides both a technical and strategic look at where Ignition is heading and why it matters for the future of industrial automation. If you are working on digital transformation, UNS, DevOps for OT, or enterprise-scale SCADA and MES, you will not want to miss this discussion.

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and welcome with Dave, Vlad, and Kevin
02:00 Kevin’s background and entry into industrial software
05:00 Lessons from early HMI and integrator experiences
07:30 The importance of integrators in Inductive Automation’s go-to-market strategy
09:00 Transition into sales leadership and learnings from global customers
13:00 Ignition 8.3 beta release process and development challenges
18:00 Historian improvements and introduction of QuestDB
21:00 The new Siemens driver and why it matters globally
27:00 Use cases for multiple historians and large-scale data performance
31:00 Kafka integration, Event Streams, and IT-OT convergence
35:00 DevOps capabilities in Ignition including Git and deployment modes
41:00 Preview of the Ignition Community Conference and new venue
44:00 The Hub, CoLab, and community-driven sessions at ICC
50:00 Prove It sessions and exhibitor highlights
56:00 The Build-On competition and its evolution
01:01:00 Predicting the future of ICC and Ignition
01:03:00 Kevin’s career advice for engineers and integrators
01:05:00 How listeners can connect with Inductive Automation

References Mentioned in the Episode
Inductive Automation: https://inductiveautomation.com/

Ignition 8.3 Beta Release Notes: https://inductiveautomation.com/downloads/release-notes

QuestDB: https://questdb.io/

Opto 22: https://opto22.com/

HiveMQ: https://www.hivemq.com/

Flow Software: https://flow-software.com/

Sepasoft MES: https://sepasoft.com/

Soba.ai: https://soba.ai/

About the Hosts
Vlad Romanov is an industrial automation consultant, electrical engineer, and founder of Joltek and SolisPLC. With more than a decade of experience in digital transformation and systems integration, Vlad has worked with Fortune 500 manufacturers including Procter and Gamble, Kraft Heinz, and Post Holdings. He is passionate about bridging the gap between IT and OT while helping manufacturers modernize their facilities.
Connect with Vlad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladromanov/

Dave Griffith is a manufacturing consultant and digital transformation strategist who helps organizations navigate technology adoption in automation, data, and operations. With a background in engineering and leadership across multiple industries, Dave focuses on helping manufacturers align technology initiatives with business outcomes.
Connect with Dave: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davegriffith/

About the Guest
Kevin McClusky is the Chief Technology Architect at Inductive Automation, where he has played a key role in shaping the growth of Ignition software over more than a decade. Kevin has led professional services, sales engineering, and product strategy, and now focuses on long-term architecture and technology direction for Inductive Automation. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and is deeply involved in guiding the Ignition community.
Connect with Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmcclusky/

Manufacturing Hub is a weekly podcast hosted by Vlad Romanov and Dave Griffith, covering digital transformation, automation, data, robotics, and the future of manufacturing. Subscribe to stay ahead in the industry.