Ignition Edge

Inductive Automation, founded in 2003 by systems integrator Steve Hechtman and headquartered in Folsom, California, develops the Ignition industrial software platform. Ignition Edge is its edge-of-network product that adds data collection, syncing and HMI capability to field devices.

Edge comes in two editions: Edge IIoT for data communication and transmission without visualization, and Edge Panel for visualization and control. It offers unlimited tags and device connections for included drivers, MQTT Sparkplug transmission, remote synchronization, scripting and REST APIs at the edge, and a built-in historian with 35 days of storage. Named users of Ignition include Shell, Johnson & Johnson and Sierra Nevada.

• Edge IIoT edition: Publishes device data to an MQTT broker without a visualization layer.
• Edge Panel edition: Adds local visualization and control on top of Edge IIoT.
• Native device drivers: Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Modbus, DNP3, Omron, BACnet and IEC 61850.
• Built-in historian: 35 days of internal storage with alarm notifications and event logging.
• Edge scripting and REST: Scripts and REST APIs run directly on the edge gateway.
• Remote management: Remote EAM Agent Gateway and remote synchronization.

Collecting machine data from mixed-brand PLCs on a Vietnamese production line and publishing it by MQTT to a central plant system. Local HMI and alarming at remote sites such as water or energy stations. Gateway between legacy equipment and cloud analytics.

Unlimited tags and device connections for included drivers keep scaling costs predictable. Native drivers cover Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Modbus, Omron and BACnet. The built-in historian retains 35 days of data locally when links drop. MQTT Sparkplug publishing links legacy equipment to central and cloud systems.

Manufacturers are connecting legacy PLCs and devices to MQTT-based data architectures to feed analytics and cloud platforms. Ignition 8.3 added long-term support and simpler containerization, matching demand for manageable edge deployments in Vietnamese and Southeast Asian factories pursuing digital transformation.

Founded 2003, headquartered in Folsom, California. Ignition 8.3 released September 2025 as a long-term support version. Press release states Ignition is used in more than 140 countries.