Four industrial-grade color HMI touch panels

Siemens panels are designed to increase productivity and lower costs; one eliminates need for  separate logic controller.

By Control Engineering Staff March 9, 2009

Four new HMI color touch panels from Siemens Energy & Automation are designed to increase productivity and lower costs. One, the MP 177B, is capable of running Simatic WinAC PC-based control software along with standard WinCC flexible HMI panel software, eliminating the need for a separate logic controller.

Siemens HMI color touch panels come in four models.

The MP 177B is a six-inch touch panel. With its TFT color display and built-in Profinet/Ethernet and Profibus/MPI communication ports, this panel is capable of running control logic and providing HMI screens for an automation system, eliminating the need for a separate logic controller. Designed on the Windows CE operating system, the MP 177B can run many standard PC applications. The new TP 177B four-inch touch panel offers more space for additional graphic objects than traditional 320 x 240 quarter-VGA resolution panels. It supports 480 x 272 pixel widescreen resolution on a bright TFT color display. Additional standard features include four configurable function keys and built-in Profinet/Ethernet and Profibus/MPI communications. Two new Simatic Basic touch panels deliver a low cost, reliable industrial-grade touch panel for simple automation systems. Both the 10-inch model with function keys and a 15-inch XVGA resolution model provide TFT color displays.All Simatic HMI operator panels meet Type 4/4X indoor environmental enclosure ratings and are certified with industry standard agency approvals including cUL US, CE, and C-Tick.

Renee Robbins , senior editor Control Engineering News Desk Register here and scroll down to select your choice of eNewsletters free