HMI, OI

These AutomationDirect StrideLinx VPN routers provide built-in firewall protection to isolate machine level LAN and companywide WAN networks, and optional 4G connectivity, enabling cloud-based remote access and simplifying implementation. Courtesy: AutomationDirect
HMI, OI November 7, 2019

Secure remote connections with cloud technologies

Cloud technologies enable remote connectivity for industrial applications, but can introduce security issues unless built from the ground up with cybersecurity in mind. See top five cybersecurity issues to address.

By Jonathan Griffith
FacilityConneX simplifies and speeds up the manual data entry process, making it possible to add and integrate these data points via mobile devices. Courtesy: FacilityConneX
HMI, OI November 5, 2019

Intelligent alarms create actions from noise

Inside process: Alarm management software can decipher raw data, identify critical alarms, locate alarm sources, and provide role-based intelligence for faster resolution.

By Jennifer Grimley
Better control means getting useful information when needed to the right people, for smarter decisions. Intuitive dashboards showing plant parameters provide faster understanding, as shown at the 2019 Honeywell Users Group Americas meeting in June. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology
HMI, OI October 31, 2019

Opening your options: Control system migration

Inside Process: Aging process control systems (PCSs) create nine major problems. There are three good reasons to migrate distributed control systems before obsolescence.

By Satnam Bhogal
Mobile HMIs may be hand-held, or on a cart as shown here, but can serve to widen the area where control and information tasks can be performed, from the central control room to the plant floor. Courtesy: Emerson
HMI, OI October 29, 2019

HMIs enable operations and maintenance collaboration

Mobile interfaces facilitate convergence of operations and maintenance.

By Rich Carpenter
Project execution with a new generation control system: Honeywell Experion PKS Honeywell Integrated Virtual Environment (HIVE) uses Lean project execution principles (the Honeywell LEAP process introduced in 2014), software and networking to decouple control applications from physical equipment, and controllers from physical input/output (I/O) devices. Modular designs allow multiple controllers to form one virtual controller. PKS stands for process knowledge system. Courtesy: Honeywell Process Solutions
HMI, OI October 1, 2019

Control Engineering hot topics, September 2019

Control Engineering's most clicked articles in September 2019 included stories about control system design shift, process control education, model-following control, the evolution of modern manufacturing, and more. Miss something? You can catch up here.

By Chris Vavra
Figure 4: AutomationDirect’s C-more HMI mobile app works securely when used in conjunction with the secure StrideLinx VPN router. It’s also available for Google Android. Courtesy: AutomationDirect
HMI, OI September 20, 2019

Selecting HMI remote access options

Two leading methods exist for establishing mobile human-machine interface (HMI) connectivity; one providing more cybersecurity. See table comparison of remote access HMI connections.

By Jonathan Griffith
HMI servers should support multi-client, multi-server and multi-runtime concepts, providing options for local or cloud-based servers and secure communication protocols, such as OPC Unified Architecture, Automation Device Specification or ADS over MQTT (message queuing telemetry transport). Courtesy: Beckhoff Automation
HMI, OI September 16, 2019

New mobile HMI designs respond to user, device requirements

HMI software should mix elements of web design and controls engineering to create effective operator interfaces for industrial displays and mobile devices of all sizes.

By Daymon Thompson
HMI, OI September 12, 2019

Using web browsers for HMI, SCADA applications

New capabilities in mobile-responsive design make human-machine interfaces (HMIs) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) applications more valuable on the plant floor.

By Travis Cox
Figure 1: Intuitive mobile HMIs allow an organization to take advantage of many positive cultural and behavioral changes related to digital transformation, in part by leveraging the same screens and information as operators use in the control room. Courtesy: Emerson
HMI, OI September 5, 2019

A mobile HMI strategy can lead to digital transformation

Leveraging a mobile human-machine interface (HMI) strategy can help an organization’s digital transformation by improving operations and a company’s overall digital intelligence.

By Danny Strinden and Mariana Dionisio
Creators of ‘smart’ textiles from left, PhD student Xi Tian, Research Fellow Dr Pui Mun Lee and Assistant Professor John Ho, together with seven NUS researchers, took a year to develop the conductive clothing. Courtesy: National University of Singapore/ISSSource
HMI, OI August 31, 2019

Smart textiles improve device connectivity for HMIs, medical applications

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have incorporated conductive textiles called metamaterials into clothing to connect several wearable devices at once, which could be used for human-machine interfaces (HMIs), health monitoring and other medical applications.

By Gregory Hale