Ms Krautgartner, what are the current requirements in terms of visualization?

Lucia Krautgartner: One of the requirements for modern visualization is that the process information is available at any time and any place. In order to reduce downtimes, the machine's application data must be accessible and modifiable at all times - whether directly on site or via remote access. This calls for a platform-independent visualization system that can be operated with high performance on any hardware. Of course, in this day and age, control elements and operating concepts such as we are used to from smartphones and tablets are also required.

How do you meet these requirements with 'VisuDesigner'?

Lucia Krautgartner: Sigmatek uses the web standards HTML5, CSS and JavaScript for visualization. Despite the rapid development of web technologies, these are extremely stable. For example, an HTML page from 25 years ago can still be displayed correctly with the latest browsers. Only a browser is required to be able to consume the user interface created with our 'VisuDesigner' from any end device.
With our engineering tool, you can use the extensive control element library and the browser-based WYSIWYG editor to easily create entire user interfaces without any programming knowledge. Thanks to the openness of VisuDesigner, specialists can easily integrate existing JavaScript code snippets and entire controls, i.e. operating elements, whether from the Internet or self-developed, and seamlessly insert them into the visualization.

Why is the separation of content and layout important to you?

Lucia Krautgartner: Our tool is object-oriented: The separation of program logic and display form is important in order to be able to easily adapt and optimize the interface without having to redevelop the logic. This facilitates maintainability enormously, as the logic no longer needs to be tested.

What about responsive design?

Lucia Krautgartner: We deliberately do not use responsive design, as our focus is on sophisticated operating concepts. The only scaling is when changes are made to the diagonal, as the positioning usually remains unchanged here, thus ensuring recognition value. Thanks to the openness of the system, it is possible to develop a container whose content is positioned or displayed responsively.

Have adaptations been made to the Sigmatek devices for the 'VisuDesigner' interfaces?

Lucia Krautgartner: To ensure a smooth user experience and the best possible performance on our HMIs, we have adapted and optimized an existing HTML5 browser for our needs. The multi-client architecture makes it possible to browse through the screen pages independently of each other. While the system operator observes the process sequence at the machine, the technician can adjust the parameters from the control center. To prevent operating errors, there is a user management system that checks access rights.