What is HMI?

What is HMI?

Human-Machine Interface (HMI) is a pathway for exchanging information between man and machine. HMI SCADA involves any user interface that enables a human to control and operate machines, systems or devices. It's often seen in industrial settings, taking the form of screens or panels that permit manipulation of processes.

HMIs (Human Machine Interfaces) and GUIs (Graphical User Interfaces) both have similar characteristics, however they are not identical. HMIs take advantage of the visualization capabilities available in GUIs to produce desired outputs.

Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) are used in industrial settings to provide operators with an easy and efficient way to interact with complex machines. This allows them to control, monitor, and troubleshoot operations quickly and effectively.:

• Visually display data
• Keeping track of production time, analyzing statistics & trends, and organizing products by tags are all important tasks that can help streamline the manufacturing process.
• View KPIs
• Keeping track of data input & output from machines should be monitored in order to ensure accuracy & efficiency.
• And much more

Plant-floor operators can use Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) to effectively check and control temperature in industrial tanks or to view the status of pumps and other machinery. Just as HVAC systems enable you to easily adjust the temperature in your home, HMIs provide a user-friendly interface for plant-floor operators to monitor their work environment.

HMIs are essential components of machines, computers and tablets, which provide users with meaningful feedback on the functioning and status of the machines. They come in multiple forms such as built-in screens or computer monitors, but ultimately aim to give an overview of the machine's performance and progress.

What Industries Use HMI?

HMI technology is an integral part of many industries & businesses. It provides an efficient way for companies to interact with their machines and make sure that production processes are running at peak efficiency.

Industries using HMI are:

• Energy & Power
• Food and beverage
• Manufacturing
• Oil and gas
• Water and waste water
• And more

HMI Scada are a crucial part of different roles within the workplace, such as operators, system integrators and control system engineers. These professionals use HMIs to track performance, observe anomalies and interpret data in order to make decisions & troubleshoot issues.

Use Cases of HMI

Humans can use Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) to get data from PLCs & sensors and display it for further analysis. HMIs are an important part of the automation process as they allow users to access vital information. HMIs can be used for a variety of purposes, ranging from monitoring & tracking to more complex operations, like powering off machines and increasing production speeds. Depending on how they are structured and implemented in the system, their level of capability varies.

HMIs (Human-Machine Interfaces) are used to boost the industrial process by making data more accessible and organized. This allows personnel to monitor operations quickly and accurately. HMI technology is an effective way of getting insightful data information in the form of visuals, diagrams, graphs & charts. It also enables operators to better manage alarms and to connect with multiple system solutions like SCADA, ERP & MES from a single place.

In the past, personnel had to keep a close eye on mechanical operations and manually record their availability on paper or whiteboards. With Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) linked to Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs), real-time data can be displayed instantly and allow for more efficient management. Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) technology enables organizations to eliminate the need for outdated practices and significantly reduce potential problems arising from lack of information or human error.

What is the Difference Between HMI and SCADA?

SCADA and HMI are both integral components of industrial control systems, but they serve different purposes. SCADA enables remote monitoring and control whereas HMI provides a graphical interface for users to interact with the system. Often, they are used in tandem to create more efficient industrial operations. HMIs are mainly used for visual communication to help monitor industrial processes, whereas SCADA systems are more powerful as they can collect data and manage control systems. Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) provide an effective communication conduit between the user and the SCADA system. They are not designed to collect & store data or link up with databases, unlike SCADA systems. If you'd like to know more about SCADA, please refer to our article titled - "What is SCADA?"

Developing Real Time and Historical Trends in HMI

Overt the last 10 years, HMI (Human Machine Interfaces) technology has evolved significantly to meet changing operational and business requirements. We are now seeing more advanced forms of HMI being adopted in various industries. HMIs are becoming more advanced and commonly used in a variety of forms, such as high-performance models, touchscreens and mobile devices. Furthermore, traditional HMI models also exist. All these platforms together create exciting new opportunities for equipment interaction as well as data analysis.

High Performance HMIs

There is an increasing trend among operators and users towards high-performance Human-Machine Interface (HMI), which enhances their interactions and helps them save time. HMI design emphasizes efficiency in communication between humans & machines. Highlighting the important indicators on the interface in a simple, yet effective manner is an important design technique that helps the users to identify and address problems quickly & efficiently. It also allows them to make well-informed decisions. High-performance HMIs have indicators that are kept neat and uncomplicated by avoiding any extra visuals or controls. This is further improved through careful selection of elements such as color, size and position to give the best user experience. Get informed on how to construct HMIs that are power-efficient and perform well right here.

Touch screens and mobile devices

With the development of smartphones, new Human-Machine Interface (HMI) options such as touch screens and mobile devices have been introduced. This technology replaces traditional buttons & switches with a physical touch screen that can be tapped to gain access to controls. Touch screen technology is essential for mobile HMI, as it can be used with web-based HMI/SCADA or an app. This provides operators with several benefits, such as easy access to all data and enabling them to monitor operations remotely.

Remote Monitoring & Management

Mobile-based remote monitoring & Management is becoming increasingly popular due to its flexibility and accessibility for both operators and managers. This makes it even easier to keep track of operations from anywhere, anytime.

This feature allows remote engineers to check conditions like the temperature of a warehouse on a handheld device, so that it is no longer necessary for someone to be present to supervise after hours. Remotely monitoring activities on your manufacturing floor from far away may soon become commonplace thanks to the advancements in technology.

Edge and Cloud Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs)

Edge HMIs are becoming increasingly popular, due to the fact that they enable operators to easily access data & visualizations from field devices. Moreover, it's also now common to send data from local HMIs in the cloud for remote access & analysis while still keeping control functions localized.

Looking into the HMIs in the Future

In the near future, experts in engineering are actively researching how to incorporate Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology into visualizing manufacturing processes.

With data playing a pivotal role in modern-day manufacturing, HMI technology stands to gain significantly. Despite having made significant advances in recent times, this technology still has tremendous scope for further growth.