Operator Interface Terminals Product Research, July 2008

Research was undertaken to gain a better understanding of Control Engineering subscribers’ applications and needs regarding operator interface terminals. See full PDF report. Link to related article.

By Control Engineering Staff July 4, 2008

Read the article that results from this research: Operator Interface Outlook Clear, Bright .

Research was undertaken to gain a better understanding of Control Engineering subscribers’ applications and needs regarding operator interface terminals. Scroll to the bottom to link to the full research report (PDF).

Executive Summary

o Among those specifying, recommending, and/or buying operator interface terminals, 59% do so for in-plant requirements, 21% for a system integrator, and 21% for OEM (resale) requirements.

o Fifty-six percent of respondents currently have 4/4X NEMA-rated features in their operator interface terminals. Fifty-three percent of respondents have 12 NEMA-rated features. Onequarter of respondents also want 4/4X NEMA-rated features in their next operator interface terminal.

o Nearly half of survey participants have serial communications in their operator interface terminals. The next most common communications feature that respondents have is a proprietary network. The most wanted communication feature mentioned by respondents is wireless.

o Results suggest that color and touchscreen are the most common display features respondents already have in their present operator interface terminals. A bright ambient light readability and/or readability at a distance were chosen by over half of the respondents as features they want in their next operator interface terminal.

o Sixty-one percent of respondents have PLC drivers in their operator interface terminals. The operating system / programming software most wanted by respondents is Microsoft Windows XP.

o Seventy-two percent of respondents have alarms / trending included in the operator interface applications / software support. Alarm support and graphics animation are the two most wanted features in their next operator interface terminal.

o Eighty-seven percent of respondents say they have UL certification in their present operator interface terminals. Seventy-two percent want UL certification in their next operator interface terminal. Additionally, results suggest that CE Mark and CSA will experience modest growth as respondents implement their next operator interface terminals.

o 20% of respondents have more than 1,000 I/O points on their typical operator interface application. The most common range for I/O points is 101– 500.

o Sixty-one percent of respondents have purchased operator interface terminals from Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley) in the past 12 months. o Most respondents purchased 1– 5 operator interface terminals in the past 12 months. 8% of respondents purchased more than 50 operator interface terminals. 17% of respondents spent more than $50,000 last year on operator interface terminals. Thirty-four percent of respondents say their purchases of operator interface terminals will increase in the next 12 months.

o Sixty-three percent of respondents purchased more network enabled terminals over the last five years than previously. Results also suggest that total purchases of color, touchscreen, graphic terminals have grown.

Operator Interface Terminals Product Research 2008