Feature: HMI
enterprise (using IT protocols such as MQTT, SQL and ODBC, or via direct connectivity to cloud services such as AWS or Azure), can be achieved through simple, no-code configuration, again potentially saving significant development effort.
Why source hardware and software together? Of course, there are many suppliers who provide HMI hardware, and others who provide SCADA soſtware, so why buy both from a single vendor? Te answer is because this approach offers many advantages:
1. Reduction in number of vendors to deal with Every vendor that companies purchase from carries a hidden cost. Terms and conditions need to be agreed, quality needs to be audited, orders need expediting, and so on. Sourcing both hardware and soſtware from a single vendor eliminates the costs associated in dealing with a second vendor.
2. Hardware/soſtware compatibility Sourcing hardware and soſtware from a single vendor ensures that the soſtware will run properly. Tis is obviously important at the time of initial purchase, but is even more important once equipment is running in the field. It is a reality of the modern world that soſtware gets patched
for all sorts of reasons. Bug fixes, security updates or simply ongoing development all raise the possibility of introducing an incompatibility with the underlying, deployed hardware. When only a single vendor is involved, these incompatibilities are less likely to occur.
3. Scaleability Oſten, users have a variety of HMI applications, differing both in complexity of the data processing and visualisation requirements, and also the underlying panel size and environmental characteristics. Independent soſtware vendors typically have a minimum
platform requirements that will preclude deployment on the simpler, small panels normally used for single machine control, whilst suppliers of simple machine operator panels rarely offer the comprehensive functionality required for higher order SCADA-type operations. Tis means that engineers need to learn to operate and maintain multiple soſtware packages, again incurring costs for the operator.
Advantech’s HMINavi solution HMINavi is a highly-functional SCADA package, optimised for use within a single-screen HMI environment, which has particular relevance to OT (operational technology) engineers looking for a way to visualise PLC data and integrate it within IT cloud environments and manufacturing systems and soſtware. It is available across a wide range of data panels, panel PCs and industrial PCs, encompassing both general-purpose and specialist application hardware platforms. Tis affords users a consistent environment across a wide range of applications,
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significantly reducing the hidden costs involved where different display packages are used at different points. HMINavi inherits a constantly evolving list of protocol
drivers/device maps for over 500 common devices such as PLCs, allowing easy integration into virtually any process automation environment. When combined with uplink protocols, it can be used as a protocol gateway, translating and passing data between otherwise incompatible peer systems. It can also act as an interface between the OT and IT environments through simple point-and-click configuration. A comprehensive set of dynamic graphics primitives enables
data-rich and intuitive operator interfaces to be built and deployed, whilst displays of real-time trends are also supported to provide visualisation of emerging behaviour. Output operations are well catered for via a range of bi-directional graphic primitives, together with recipe blocks, scheduling, scripting and macro execution. A full alarm package provides operators with proactive
notification of out-of-bounds conditions via a variety of options, together with the ability to go back and analyse the events leading to the alarm condition via a data historian capable of exporting data different formats. Tis combination of classic HMI functionality, coupled to
flexible uplink capabilities and the ability to coexist and share data with other applications running on the same physical HMI hardware, makes HMINavi a compelling proposition for users implementing any of the architectures mentioned here. HMINavi enables the operator panel to become the central hub for all functionality, leading to lower complexity, cost and risk associated with site deployment. Further, the high levels of functionality provided by the no-code configuration environment can save significant development time and cost when creating a system.
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