(/)

Call Us 1-800-266-7798 (tel:+1-800-266-7798)  |  Schedule a Demo (/products/ignition/demo) (https://ind

Download
Product Pricing Resources Partners Support About Ignition
(/) (/downloads/)

RESOURCES (HTTP://WWW.INDUCTIVEAUTOMATION.COM/RESOURCES) / ARTICLES

(HTTP://WWW.INDUCTIVEAUTOMATION.COM/RESOURCES/ARTICLE)

What is HMI?

5 minute read
 Screens courtesy of Tamaki Controls (http://www.tamaki.co.nz/) (middle, right)

HMI Defined

A Human-Machine Interface (HMI) is a user interface or dashboard that connects a

person to a machine, system, or device. While the term can technically be applied
to any screen that allows a user to interact with a device, HMI is most commonly
used in the context of an industrial process.

Although HMI is the most common term for this technology, it is sometimes
referred to as Man-Machine Interface (MMI), Operator Interface Terminal (OIT),
Local Operator Interface (LOI), or Operator Terminal (OT). HMI and Graphical User
Interface (GUI) are similar but not synonymous: GUIs are often leveraged within
HMIs for visualization capabilities.

In industrial settings, HMIs can be used to:

Visually display data

Track production time, trends, and tags
Oversee KPIs
 Monitor machine inputs and outputs
And more

Similar to how you would interact with your air-conditioning system to check and
control the temperature in your house, a plant-floor operator might use an HMI to
check and control the temperature of an industrial water tank, or to see if a certain
pump in the facility is currently running.

HMIs come in a variety of forms, from built-in screens on machines, to computer

monitors, to tablets, but regardless of their format or which term you use to refer to
them, their purpose is to provide insight into mechanical performance and
progress.
 HMI for Applied Tech Systems (ATS) that displays and monitors work orders for an airplane-production floor at a university facility. This screen s
orders (top half of the screen), KPIs (bottom left), and OEE (bottom right).

Who Uses HMI?

HMI technology is used by almost all industrial organizations, as well as a wide

range of other companies, to interact with their machines and optimize their
industrial processes.
Industries using HMI include:

Energy
Food and beverage
Manufacturing
Oil and gas
Power
Recycling
Transportation
Water and waste water
And many more

The most common roles that interact with HMIs are operators, system integrators,
and engineers, particularly control system engineers. HMIs are essential resources
for these professionals, who use them to review and monitor processes, diagnose
problems, and visualize data.

Common Uses of HMI

HMIs communicate with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and input/output

sensors to get and display information for users to view. HMI screens can be used
for a single function, like monitoring and tracking, or for performing more
sophisticated operations, like switching machines off or increasing production
speed, depending on how they are implemented.
HMIs are used to optimize an industrial process by digitizing and centralizing data
for a viewer. By leveraging HMI, operators can see important information displayed
in graphs, charts, or digital dashboards, view and manage alarms, and connect
with SCADA and MES systems, all through one console.

Previously, operators would need to walk the floor constantly to review

mechanical progress and record it on a piece of paper or a whiteboard. By
allowing PLCs to communicate real-time information straight to an HMI display, HMI
technology eliminates the need for this outdated practice and thereby reduces
many costly problems caused by lack of information or human error.

What is the Difference Between HMI and SCADA?

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and HMI are closely related,
and often referred to in the same context since they are both part of a larger
industrial control system, but they each offer different functionality and
opportunities. While HMIs are focused on visually conveying information to help
the user supervise an industrial process, SCADA systems have a greater capacity
for data collection and control-system operation. Unlike SCADA systems, HMIs do
not collect and record information or connect to databases. Rather, HMI provides
an effective communication tool that functions as part of, or alongside, a SCADA
system. For more information on SCADA, see our page, "What is SCADA?
(https://inductiveautomation.com/what-is-scada)"
Developing Trends in HMI Technology

In the past decade, changing operational and business needs have instigated
interesting developments in HMI technology. Now, it’s becoming more common to
see evolved forms of HMI such as high-performance HMIs, touch screens, and
mobile devices, along with more traditional models. These modernized interfaces
are creating more opportunities for equipment interaction and analysis.

High-Performance HMIs

Operators and users are increasingly moving toward high-performance HMI, a

method of HMI design that helps ensure fast, effective interaction. By only drawing
attention to the most necessary or critical indicators on the interface, this design
technique helps the viewer to see and respond to problems more efficiently, as
well as make better-informed decisions. Indicators on high-performance HMI are
simple, clean, and purposely cleared of any extraneous graphics or controls. Other
design elements, like color, size, and placement, are used with discretion to
optimize the user experience. Learn more about designing high-performance
HMIs here.

Touch Screens and Mobile Devices

Touch screens and mobile HMI are two examples of technological advances that
have emerged with the advent of smartphones. Instead of buttons and switches,
modernized HMIs allow operators to tap or touch the physical screen to access
controls. Touch screens are especially important when used with mobile HMI,
which is either deployed through web-based HMI/SCADA or via an application.
Mobile HMI offers a variety of advantages to operators, including instant access to
HMI information and remote monitoring.

Remote Monitoring

Mobile-friendly remote monitoring allows greater flexibility and accessibility for

operators and managers alike. With this feature, an offsite control system engineer
can, for example, confirm the temperature of a warehouse on a portable device,
eliminating the need for onsite supervision after working hours. Soon, checking in
on a process on your factory floor while being miles away from the facility won’t
seem like anything out of the ordinary.
Edge-of-Network and Cloud HMIs

Edge-of-network HMIs are also in high demand because they allow operators to
access data and visualization from field devices. Additionally, it is becoming more
common to send data from local HMIs to the cloud, where it can be accessed and
analyzed remotely, while keeping control capabilities local.

Peering into the Future of HMI

On the horizon, leading engineers are even exploring ways to implement

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to visualize manufacturing
functions.

As data takes on an increasingly essential role in manufacturing, the future looks

very bright for HMI. This technology may have come a long way, but its potential
for growth remains virtually limitless.

Posted on August 10, 2018

SHARE /

FACEBOOK (http://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://www.inductiveautomation.com/resources/article/wha

You Might Also Like

 Want to stay up-to-
date with us?
Sign up for our weekly News Feed.

Email address

Sign me up

By clicking "Sign me up," you agree to the Terms of Use (https://inductiveautomation.com/termsofuse), and the submission and
processing of your data. Your privacy is very important to us. We will never sell or rent your information. Privacy Policy
(https://inductiveautomation.com/privacypolicy)

Product Pricing Resources Partners Support About

PLATFORM SOFTWARE PRICING LIBRARY INTEGRATORS GET HELP COMPANY

Ignition Ignition Pricing All Resources Integrator Help Center About Home
Overview (/pricing/ignition) (/resources) Program (/support/home/) (/about)
(/ignition) Strategic Articles (/integrators/join)
User Manual Who We Are
Unlimited Partner (/resources/article) Find an (https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/)
(/about/who-
Licensing Modules Case Studies Integrator Forum we-are)
(/ignition/unlimited) (/pricing/ignition#strategic- (/integrators)
(/resources/casestudy) (https://forum.inductiveautomation.com)
Customers
Universal partner- (/about/customers)
modules) Podcasts DISTRIBUTORS
Support Policy
Platform (/resources/podcast) (/support/policy/) Founder's
(/ignition/platform) Module International Message
Showcase Customer Website Help
Modules Distributors (/about/founders-
Projects (/website-help)
(/ignition/modules) (/moduleshowcase) (/resources/customerproject)(/distributors) message)
Designer SERVICES Videos TRAINING Careers
STRATEGIC
(/ignition/designer) (/resources/video) PARTNERS (/about/careers)
Training Pricing Inductive
Architectures Webinars University
(/pricing/training) Cirrus Link COMMUNICATION
(/ignition/architectures) (/resources/webinar) Solutions (https://www.inductiveuniversity.com)
System Security Training Blog (/blog/)
(/ignition/modules#cirrus-
(/ignition/system- link-solutions) Schedule Upcoming
security) (/training) Events (/events)
Sepasoft
See What's Become
(/ignition/modules#sepasoft) News Room
New Ignition (/news)
(/ignition/whatsnew) IGNITION Certified Security
ONBOARD (/resources/training/certifications)
(/security)
SOLUTIONS
Onboard Upload Test Contact Us
SCADA (/scada- Program (/resources/upload) (/about/contact)
software) (/onboard/about)
IIoT Find a Device
(/solutions/iiot) (/onboard)
MES
(/solutions/mes)
HMI
(/solutions/hmi)
Alarming
(/solutions/alarm-
notification)
Reporting
(/solutions/reporting)
Enterprise
(/solutions/enterprise)
Mobile
(/ignition/modules/perspective)

OTHER EDITIONS

Ignition Edge
(/ignition/edge)
Ignition Maker
Edition
(/ignition/maker-
edition)

EXPLORE



Download the
Ignition (https://www.facebook.com/InductiveAutomation/)
(https://twitter.com/InductiveAuto)
(https://www.linkedin.com/company/inductive-
(https://www.instagram.com/inductiveautom
Exchange automation)
hl=en) free Ignition trial
connect with us (/downloads)
(/exchange)

Inductive Automation
•
90 Blue Ravine, Folsom CA,
95630
(https://www.google.com/maps/place/90+Blue+Ravine,+Folsom,+CA+95630)
•
1-800-266-7798 (toll-free) (tel:+1-800-
266-7798)
•
1-916-456-1045 (int'l) (tel:+1-916-456-1045)
•
Email Us (mailto:[email protected])
Privacy Policy (/privacypolicy)
Cookie Policy (/cookies)
ADA Notice (/adanotice)
License Agreement (/ignition/license)
Terms of Use (/termsofuse)
Refunds (/refundpolicy)
Sitemap (/sitemap.xml)
Security (/security)
Brand Resources
(https://company-36882.frontify.com/d/PvUNchzTCkyj/inductive-automation-brand-guidelines)