Interaction with devices is undergoing a radical change in industry, driven by modern HMI technologies, gesture recognition and the control commands of our multi-touch-enabled consumer devices. This change then leads to certain expectations of the functionalities of industrial HMI systems. The graphics of Automation Platform.NExT therefore uses new technologies that create completely new possibilities for the design of user interfaces. "The graphics editor is completely platform-integrated. It enables the development of high-quality graphics libraries without the need for external tools such as Blend or XAML knowledge," explains Markus Stadelhofer, Managing Director of Progea Germany. Drawings, objects and symbols only need to be inserted, linked to the project variables of the data server and configured in their dynamic properties. Users can create new symbols, use powerful power templates, assign styles or import drawings from an XAML-supported graphics editor.

The client side of Automation Platform.NExT is used for data visualization. For this purpose, process screens are defined for visualization, evaluation and interaction with the user. This client-side application of the platform is called Movicon.NExT, which is derived from the traditional Movicon software for operating and monitoring, which has always been Progea's core business. Movicon.NExT shares the platform's address space and has access to all dynamic information (project variables) on the data server. "The possibilities offered by the new layout engine allow effects, transparencies, mirror images, gradations, animations and colors to be achieved on a vector basis that were previously unimaginable in an automation system," says Stadelhofer - "and therefore increase the possibilities of designing your own real-time interfaces according to modern expression and usability criteria." The vector graphics of Movicon.NExT guarantee resolution independence in high quality. It adapts to different screen resolutions without any loss of quality and also enables the best results for the zoom function. In addition, all other graphic formats such as BMP, PNG, JPG and multimedia formats for videos, films and texts are supported.

The characteristic of the WPF/XAML technology is the decoupling of the logical function of an object from its graphic component (style). This allows users to insert and configure Movicon objects in the process screens: By applying a new "style", an object can be given a completely different appearance while retaining its "function" unchanged.

Support for 2D and 3D graphics

One of the most important new features of WPF/XAML technology is 3D support. XAML technology makes it possible to integrate and manage 3D models. Each inserted graphic model (which can also be imported in formats other than XAML, for example in .3DS format) becomes a Movicon object. It can therefore be made dynamic by configuring the 3D animations to which the project variables of the address space can be linked. The user can, for example, color, spatially position or rotate the elements or groups of the 3D model.

At Progea's stand 494 in hall 7, visitors can test the possibilities that Microsoft's HoloLens glasses open up for the HMI/SCADA sector.