HMIs get Smarter to Improve User Experience with Packaging Machines
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HMI, Human-Machine Interface, is a channel of interaction between the operator who monitors the machine and the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). HMI is a smart tool to replace manual works with switches, dials, and other electrical controls with graphic representations[1] to improve the operator’s user experience with the machine and to carry out indications such as stop, adjustment, function settings, configurations, etc.
In the sector of packaging automation and packaging machinery, programmers and electrical engineers are contributing to improving the user experience with their packaging machines by designing smarter HMI and incorporating intelligent functions and control systems.
In this article, we talk about what are the recent innovations with HMI to make the operation of packaging machines smarter than ever.
Topics: Human-Machine Interfaces, Smart Control with Packaging Machines, Industrial Automation
How does HMI work?
An HMI, or Human Machine Interface, is essentially a user interface that connects an operator to a machine, system, or device. In the sphere of industrial automation, the HMI is a critical component of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system that enables humans to interact with and control automated processes such as manufacturing and production lines, or other processes requiring control or tuning.
The interaction of HMI with other devices such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), drivers, motors, and other machinery relies on digital and analog communication protocols. These include standard industrial automation protocols such as MODBUS, and PROFIBUS, or more updated Ethernet-based protocols like PROFINET or EtherNet/IP.
- Interaction with PLC: The PLC receives information from connected sensors or input devices, processes it, and triggers output(s) based on control parameters. The HMI reports this information visually to users and allows them to control the parameters. This two-way interaction enables the HMI to serve as a window into the PLC, enabling clear visibility of its operation.
- Interaction with Motors: Motors in automation processes are often responsible for the physical activity, such as moving mechanical parts. With servomotors, the HMI can provide information about motor status like speed, torque, or position, and the operator can submit commands to control these parameters.
- Interaction with Drivers: Drivers are electronic devices that control and regulate the operation of the motors. Data from the PLC can be projected on the HMI, allowing the operator to see the status of the driver and any diagnostic errors. Therefore, the operator can promptly address any fixes if required.
The Essentialness of HMI for Packaging Machines
In the packaging industry, Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) play an important role in boosting productivity, ensuring quality, and enhancing operational efficiency when they are integrated with machines such as automatic box packaging and cartoning machines to carry out a plethora of functions.
Packaging machines integrated with HMIs can be programmed to perform a wider range of packaging configurations, among which the most well-know function is called the recipe – the function to preset sizes and formats within the HMI and to realize the changeover with just a touch. Smart cartoners with motion control technologies are already available with such functions to accommodate various box sizes with fast changeover so that the end user can expect a shorter downtime between shifts. To put it in a word, the utilization of HMIs in packaging machines is not merely a trend but a necessity in today’s fast-paced, consumer-driven marketplace.
User-Friendly Functions with HMI
From the most basic reconfiguration of speed, controls through HMI are now getting more and more intelligent and can even contribute to production efficiency.
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HMI Assisted Format Changeover
The HMI-assisted format changeover is slightly different from the fully automatic format changeover which is supported by the combined ingenuity and incentive of software design and servo control technology.
Recipe Penel of HMI by ÉLITER Packaging Machinery
While the conventional approach is to deal with a bunch of screws, sprockets, and gears, the HMI-assisted format changeover offers an interface panel after having taken a choice of one of the recipes preset and given in the HMI, the software then will display a layout with indications given on which part to deal with and how much adjustment should be done.
The operator should click on the panel to confirm the completion of the adjustment of each part until it is able to pass the panel to complete the fast size changeover.
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Visualization to Facilitate Settings
Courtesy of HMI Project GmbH [2]
Visualization through HMI can enhance the efficiency of monitoring and controlling the complex processes and functions involved in the operations. Such advantages with visualized control are far more user-friendly than the conventional way of dealing with mountains of buttons while the operator must bear in mind the functions of each one.
In general, visualization covers a lot of aspects including:
- SCADA and its control system
- Functions configuration with improved intelligibility
- Barrier-free for operators from all background
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Service Manual and Support Incorporated HMI
Tired of browsing through mountains of papers? Manufacturers in the field of packaging machinery are now incorporating service and operation manuals into the HMI, together with tutorial videos for the operator’s immediate reference.
The supportive content incorporated operation through HMI reduces the chance of mistake in operation and get operators supported to the maximum level during their work.
Context-sensitive help guarantees rapid access to information whenever required. The reduced and consistent design provides the information volume in a compact form so that important process values are communicated directly and comprehensibly. Ensuring that the operators are supported optimally in their work.
Radical Technology Advancement – More towards Users
Apart from the mentioned some kind of the most basic innovative functions with the latest HMI revolution, there are more possibilities that engineers in the industry are looking to achieve:
- 3D representations
- Incorporated with Mixed Reality
- Multi-Touch Implementation [3]
- Resistance to the harsh environment
- etc.
The ultimate goal of all these shoots given is the comprehensible and structured overall impression and operation with HMI to facilitate the overall experience a packaging machine can deliver to the end user.
Citations
- [1] Introduction to Industrial Control Systems and Operations, Eric D. Knapp, Joel Thomas Langill, in Industrial Network Security (Second Edition), 2015,
- [2] New Rovema HMI – The Smart Solution for Packaging Machines, HMI Project GmbH, https://hmi-project.com/en/projects/rovema
- [3] HMI Advances: Is There a Perfect HMI for Every Packaging Machine? Eric Reiner
