The key to maximising productivity in many industrial settings is to ensure you have the right connections between machinery and operators. To achieve this, you need suitable HMIs (human machine interfaces). As one of the leading providers of HMI programming in the UK, we can offer lots of help here. Our goal is to deliver solutions that will provide harmony as well as efficiency and value for money.

Defining the operator

When you are designing a HMI, whether it is a simple control panel with push buttons or a complex board, you must keep the operators in mind. They are the end user and need to be able to use it effectively. The last thing you want is to provide HMIs that will confuse them or make it impossible to do their job.

What you must do here is think about how knowledgeable the operator will be. Will they have expert knowledge or be a passive user? The more they know the more complex the HMI can be. It could feature multiple levels of interfacing so that the user can do more when they interact with equipment. However, if the user will only have rudimentary knowledge, the system may need to be more simplistic.

As well as the knowledge of the user, it is important to think about their physical needs. Panels will need to be comfortable and easy to use, even for experts. Therefore you must make the HMI ergonomic and easy to navigate. As part of this you must also think about any special needs the operator may have.

Safety is also a vital consideration. The system should not be hazardous to use in any way. Part of this will be ensuring the layout is safe. It must also be able to provide any necessary feedback the user may need. That means it should include alarm sounders, lights, and even alert prompts if necessary.

Let us handle your HMI programming and more

IRS Consultants Ltd understands the impact that good and bad HMIs can have on various operations. We support clients and work to deliver the very best solutions. Thanks to our extensive knowledge and involvement in an array of industries, we can provide HMI interfaces and control panels that are efficient and meet the user’s needs.

So, if you are thinking about HMI programming and control panel design, speak to us. We can provide all the help you need and create interfaces for all types of PLCs and more.