Recorded live from Inductive Automation’s ICC 2025 in Sacramento, host Mike Flores sits down with Jap Johal from QCA to discuss how Ignition is transforming bulk handling, terminal automation, and the next generation of industrial data systems.

Jap shares insights into:

- QCA’s work as a software architecture and integration firm specializing in bulk terminals and automation

- How Ignition’s partner ecosystem and MQTT/UNS data models enable better visibility and interoperability

- The rise of “digital expectations” in industry—why operators now want Amazon-like ease in control environments

- Future-ready ideas like local LLM agents, data-driven operations, and AI-powered insights for industrial efficiency

Links:

🔗 QCA Systems: http://www.qcasystems.com/

🔗 Connect with Jap: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jap-johal/

🎧 Energy Tech Podcast: https://opsiteenergy.com/all_podcast

🔗 OpSite Energy: https://opsiteenergy.com/

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Chapters:

00:00 – Intro and Welcome from ICC 2025

00:30 – Jap joins from QCA: first impressions of ICC

01:15 – Partner ecosystem and collaboration in Ignition

02:45 – “Level Up” theme: the Prove It sessions

04:00 – What QCA does and Jap’s role as a software architect

05:00 – How Ignition integrates across client systems

06:30 – QCA’s focus on bulk handling and terminal automation

07:50 – Using MQTT for flexible, scalable data movement

08:40 – From HMIs to data dashboards and insights

09:40 – The challenge of fragmented data and networks

11:30 – Future vision: LLMs and AI-driven root cause analysis

13:00 – Moving beyond dashboards to conversational analytics

14:00 – The “digital expectation” in industrial operations

15:00 – Building trust through successful automation projects

16:00 – The role of AI, MCP, and Ignition in modernization

17:40 – Gaining trust through data and results

18:30 – Jap’s final takeaway from ICC: community collaboration

19:00 – Closing and outro

Uygar Duzgun “Fast Life” courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com