Web-Based HMIs: Future Or Fad? HMI Project and KEB Say ‘It’s Here’

The HMI (human-machine interface) is how engineers interact with and monitor the status of automated equipment. Until recently, the HMI was an embedded PC or a panel PC running a special version of an OS and a runtime application connected to a dedicated controller to share process data.

Today, with the integration of HTML 5 and advanced web application programming languages on the panels, HMIs are starting to be developed similarly to web pages, sharing many of the flexibility features afforded by web-based programming.

 

Designing and editing HMI projects on a local machine for remote deployment. Image used courtesy of KEB Automation

 

KEB and HMI Project’s HELIO Software

KEB Automation manufactures control systems, drive systems, motors, and HMIs. In a fitting move, KEB recently teamed up with industrial software developer HMI Project to introduce a new programming suite, the HELIO HMI management system.

The HELIO application allows machine builders and integrators to build responsive and hardware platform-independent HMI applications via modern web technology. Because a web page can be viewed on virtually any browser or any device, developing an HMI on a web page removes most of the dependance on specific hardware.

To develop a web page from scratch, you would likely need to be familiar with HTML, CSS, C#, and even JavaScript, just to name a few. HELIO has removed much of this complexity with a no-code development suite where HMI or even SCADA web applications can be created. Editing and re-deploying web pages can require extensive IT knowledge, but with HELIO, you can edit with live data and directly deploy to the desired target system.

 

HELIO Data Graphic Templates

HMI software design can take months, if not years, to completely refine. Attempting to secure the proper look and feel of visualizations can eat up countless integration hours, and by the time it’s perfected, the production system has already evolved. For this reason, HELIO includes pre-developed HMI templates and frameworks to rapidly speed up the design process. By using the templates, designers can simply configure visualizations and receive results in real-time.

 

Data dashboards can be customized and deployed to many differently-sized screens, granting tremendous flexibility and remote access. Image used courtesy of KEB Automation

 

Data Dashboards

A dashboard is a single page that offers real-time visualizations of data as it is being produced. Proper design of a well-thought-out dashboard takes a significant amount of time. When deadlines are becoming tighter and tighter, it is important to use that time efficiently. The HELIO templates include professional-looking designs that can be used by the user to create interactive dashboards.

 

Managing Multiple HMI Devices

With a web-based system like HELIO from HMI Project and KEB, machine builders can create special screens for supervisors or management teams, displaying only those data points that relate to a specific functional area. For example, a supervisor might need to know part production numbers at the end of a shift, the management team might need to track the OEE for the last shift, and the maintenance team needs to determine what fault caused the longest downtime. These individual screens can easily be created and accessed using a web-based application like the HELIO HMI management system.

In today’s world, a constantly fluctuating workplace results in operators, management, and maintenance personnel needing equal but different access to this data. Creating web applications that have access from virtually any range of devices allows for more user-friendly and flexible equipment selection and management.