Exclusive: HMI with programmable function buttons

Staff -- Control Engineering, 9/1/2006

HMi operator interface from Eaton Corp. has an analog touchscreen and is offered in 4-, 6-, 8-, and 10-in. models.

HMi analog touchscreen operator interface (OI) from Eaton Corp. features programmable function buttons and is available in 4-, 6-, 8-, and 10-in. models. OI can store recipes, historical and alarm data, or transfer data to a USB memory stick. Picture bank uploads and downloads images to and from a PC. Process saves pictures for use in other documents and allows upload of existing pictures to new HMi.

The 4-in. device comes in blue mode or gray scale and the 6-in. unit in blue mode, gray scale, or color version. The 8- and 10-in. units are available with color screens. HMi stores entire applications, so that later editing will not require original source files, and it provides secure password protection. A few keystrokes rescale applications to any size HMi device from 4 to 10-in. If an operator interface is upgraded or downsized later, the screen image can be sized to match that of the new screen with the click of a button.

Macro ability is said to handle even the most complicated applications from simple math, storing and manipulating trends, data, and communications to sending data from one PLC to another. HMi communicates on most any network and with more than 20 PLC brands. It includes an expansive driver list and 2 or 3 serial communication ports. Expansion slot on the back of the unit can be used for connecting to a parallel printer, Ethernet network, or I/O modules. www.eatonelectrical.com Eaton Corp.