Research was undertaken to gain a better understanding of Control Engineering subscribers’applications and needs regarding HMI software.
Research was undertaken to gain a better understanding of Control Engineering subscribers’ applications and needs regarding HMI software. Among those involved with HMI software, 52% do so for in-plant requirements.
• Forty-two percent of respondents note both continuous and batch manufacturing as their primary application.
• Virtually all respondents have color and/or alarm summary capabilities in their current HMI software. Trending and animation are also popular graphics capabilities.
• Seventy-six percent of those surveyed employ touch screens with their current HMI software. Keypads and flat panel displays round out the three most popular input features.
• Microsoft Windows XP and 2000 are the most common operating systems among those involved in HMI software.
• The majority of respondents have open network and/or OPC connectivity in their current HMI software.
• For 42% of survey participants, HMI software upgrade frequency is driven by the need for features in the upgrade. Twenty-three percent upgrade with every new release, while 20% never upgrade once their HMI software is installed and operational.
• Close to two-thirds of those surveyed do not use a web interface to view/monitor HMI information.
• While the current user base for wireless capabilities is 19% of respondents, it will grow to 66% over the next 2 years.
• Eighty-seven percent of survey participants require upgrades and patches from their HMI software vendors. Training is needed by more than two-thirds.
• Forty percent of respondents indicate their HMI systems help support regulatory requirements.
• Half of respondents purchased HMI software from Rockwell Software in the past 12 months. Wonderware registered the second highest market penetration at 24%.
• Fifty-nine HMI software packages was the average number each respondent purchased in the past 12 months. This equated to average spending per respondent of $174,652. Survey results indicate demand for HMI software will grow over the next year. Adding new capacity and software upgrades are common reasons cited for this growth. However, Control Engineering is the only publication that can tap into all of this buying power. For example, 55% of Control Engineering subscribers responding do not receive IAN, and 66% do not receive Control Design.
