The technologies used at the human-machine interface in industrial automation technology are following those in consumer electronics with a certain delay. This makes the operation of machines and systems more convenient and enables functions to be implemented that were unthinkable just a few years ago. Around ten years ago, for example, Apple fundamentally changed the cell phone market with its multi-touch technology. Today, this technology of iPhones and iPads has not only arrived with competitors in the mobile phone market, but also in the industrial environment.

Multitouch increases safety

Schubert System Elektronik, for example, has also developed multi-touch systems for industrial environments. With its systems from the Prime Cube series, the medium-sized company enables users from the machine and plant engineering and medical technology sectors to develop modern and user-friendly operating concepts. Today, multi-touch technology is a matter of course, even if critical and safety-relevant applications can usually only be operated using buttons.

Multitouch technology can also offer an additional plus in safety during operation: Depending on the function, the developer can decide whether it may be triggered with simple touch operation or only with multi-finger operation. While navigating within menus or scrolling through documentation can be done safely with simple touch operation, the increased safety of two-finger operation should be required when activating a machine function. The multi-touch recognizes up to ten fingers at the same time and thus enables safe inputs - unintentional operating errors are effectively avoided. The developer of the Human Machine Interface must always weigh up the aspects of safety, ergonomics and user-friendliness. Multitouch technology has now become widely accepted - over 90% of new projects are based on it.

Protection for up to 55 inches

Schubert has also adapted trends from consumer electronics in the field of display technology: Televisions and computer screens are becoming ever larger and have ever better resolution. In order to be able to implement the combination of touch technology and large screen diagonals in an industry-compatible manner, fundamental development work was initially carried out. A great deal of expertise has been built up in laminating the displays and selecting the appropriate sensor technology and the right parameter settings, from which users benefit in projects today. One of the key requirements for industrial environments is a high degree of protection. IP65 is usually required to protect the hardware from dust and moisture in a production hall, for example. The combination of a high degree of protection and large display diagonals is not so easy to fulfill.

This is made possible by a special frame profile, which offers the appropriate protection for display diagonals of up to 55 inches in the Prime Cube series. The resolutions of the displays are also keeping pace with developments in the television sector. HD resolution or even 4K UltraHD are available for many models in the Prime Cube series. The high-resolution displays enable detailed visualization of machine statuses, for example.

User interface from the modular system

The screen therefore offers more and more space for the user interface of the machine or system. For machine tools in particular, this opens up numerous possibilities that can be realized with the so-called HMI framework. The original CNC applications from the major manufacturers are generally still based on an aspect ratio of 4:3 and a low resolution. As the displays use the 16:9 format common in the consumer sector and also offer a high resolution, a lot more information can fit on the screen.

The HMI framework uses the large-format displays to show additional information.

© Schubert System Electronics

The HMI framework integrates the NC visualization into the user interface in such a way that, on the one hand, the original user interface of the controller manufacturer is displayed and, on the other hand, extended functions are included in the free space of the 16:9 display. One option is to show the image of a workspace camera, for example, which makes the set-up process easier for the operator. Other programs can also be integrated into the operating panels with the HMI framework; for example, connections to an ERP system such as SAP can be implemented. Other examples include file management, databases or tool management.

The touch functionality also enables application-specific soft keyboards for various NC controllers such as those from Siemens or Fanuc. This technology provides the operator with more functionality without the need for cumbersome switching between different windows. The flexibility of the system also makes it easy to adapt the screen for left or right-handed operators, for example. The operating concept also supports the implementation of Industry 4.0 concepts, as consistency can be established from the machine to the company management level. Paperless production, remote access to the machine and remote maintenance are just some of the possibilities this opens up.

The inside of the devices

The hardware inside the devices from the Prime Cube series is based on proven IPC technology. Depending on the application requirements, special industrial mainboards are equipped with single, dual or quad-core processors, from the simple Intel Atom or AMD Fusion to the 5th generation Intel Core i7. This means that sufficient computing power can be provided for practically any conceivable application at the human-machine interface. For example, even complex visualizations can be executed together with control tasks on one system. The hardware architecture is optimized for high energy efficiency and allows the CPU and system cooling to work without a fan over a wide temperature range. The user has a wide range of storage options: from CF, HDD and SSD to raid systems. The devices in the Prime Cube series are equipped with numerous interfaces (Profinet, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, DVI-I, VGA, S-ATA, DP, Mini PCI-E fullsized, RS232/422/485, SSE-Link), which guarantee seamless integration both into the communication within the machine or system and into the IT environment. Schubert uses high-quality components with long-term availability for all systems.

Modern human-machine interface concepts are also in demand in today's industrial environment. Users expect user-friendly operation, as they are used to from other areas - such as cell phones, tablets or navigation systems. Touch operation, large screen diagonals with high resolution and innovative menu navigation meet the operator's expectations. However, the experts at Schubert System Elektronik are aware that the technologies already in use today are by no means the end of developments. The specialist for human machine interface systems is already working on future technologies such as gesture and voice control.

Author: Dr. Jörg Lantzsch is a specialist journalist at the Dr. Lantzsch agency.