HMI
The HMI is the short form of
Human Machine Interface. A (Human Machine Interface) HMI is a user interface or
dashboard. That is a connected machine, system or device to a person. A very
usual HMI that we all see on a regular basis would be an ATM machine. In the
ATM machine, the pushbuttons, and switches allow us to operate the machine to
bring out a certain amount of money. These pushbuttons and switches also allow
us to deposit money.
It is time to say about
Industrial HMIs. In the Industry, without an HMI it would be hard to have a
good automation process. Sometimes a (Human Machine Interface) HMI acts in the
form of a screen, kind of a computer screen. And sometimes they are acts in the
form of a touch screen. If we see HMI regarding Industrial Processes, HMI is
the most common terms of this technology. It is sometimes referred to as:
- Operator Interface Terminal (OIT)
- Local Operator Interface (LOI)
- Man-Machine Interface
- Operator Terminal (OT)
- GUI
In the above, all these are work as
same as HMI.
To operate a machine from HMI,
there is an operator or maintenance man. They add info like pressure,
temperature, process steps, and material counts. For the purpose of
maintenance, HMI connects to PLC logic. And displayed it on the screen for
troubleshooting purposes. This is very time efficient compared to connecting a
computer or laptop every time. In Industry, HMIs can be used to:
- HMI helps in displaying data on the screen.
- It can track production time, trends, and tags.
- HMI takes care of the Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
- It can check the inputs and outputs.
- Reduce training and skill requirements
- Reduce physical or mental stress