Human-Computer Interface

SIMATIC HMI operator control and monitoring systems

The interface between human and machine the human machine interface or HMI for short connects the world of automation with the individual requirements of the operator.
Operator control and monitoring is about managing the process, about optimizing machine and system operation, about availability and productivity.

Everything from a single source

With SIMATIC HMI, Siemens Automation and Drives offers a complete range of innovative and low-cost products and systems for the multi-faceted tasks of operator control and monitoring: Ranging from operator panels and visualization software for operator control and monitoring at the machine through to SCADA systems for widely differing requirements in process visualization. For special requirements, optimally adapted products are offered such as especially rugged HMI devices with all-round protection for mounting on support arms/pedestals, or operator panels with stainless steel front for use in the food and beverages industry. Of course, individual, customer-specific requirements can also be implemented.

Perfectly equipped for integration in the world of automation

With their open, standardized interfaces in hardware and software, SIMATIC HMI products can be integrated at any time in the production and automation level as well as in the company management level. Connectability to almost every controller on the market as well as multiple language capability of the configuration and visualization software - including Asian ideographic languages, of course - facilitate operation worldwide.

Increased production transparency through Plant Intelligence

Plant Intelligence is based on the rational use of information to improve processes within the company. It is designed to lower plant costs, consolidate and improve quality, avoid wastage, utilize production facilities better and ultimately ensure greater efficiency and cost effectiveness within the company. WinCC provides the best requirements for achieving this since WinCC features an integrated Historian for acquiring important production data. Using intelligent functions and tools, these process data can be edited into information necessary for making decisions and can be made available throughout the company whenever and wherever it is required for operators as well as production managers or anyone else within the company. Even the WinCC basic system provides a wealth of display and evaluation functions, such as the statistics function for the message and measured value logs. WinCC options for IT & business integration make additional "smart" tools available for optimizing production using Plant Intelligence.

Integrated into the World Wide Web

SIMATIC HMI makes the Internet into a control desk - within a plant as well as in the worldwide network. Using the WinCC/Web Navigator, you can monitor and operate plants over the Internet or over the internal corporate intranet. Thin client solutions can be used to integrate rugged, local devices which simultaneously establish the connection between the automation level and the control center. And over a wireless LAN or cell phone connection, you can use mobile thin clients such as laptop computers, PDAs (personal digital assistants) or WebPads. In this way, process, service or management information can be made individually available to users. At the machine level, many control units support remote operation, e.g. as a link between the automation level and the control room through to service and diagnostics over the Internet.

With WinCC flexible, concepts with so-called Sm@rtClients and servers facilitate plant-wide access to variables and graphics, distributed operator stations as well as remote operation and diagnostics via the Internet also in conjunction with SIMATIC Panels.

Traceability and simple validation

WinCC flexible and WinCC with "FDA options" provide a high degree of support to machine and plant manufacturers who must fulfill high quality requirements, both with respect to the products to be manufactured as well as to the manufacturing processes themselves. These options simplify plant validation enormously and thus provide the most convincing and comprehensive solution for the requirements of these sectors. They support the user in fulfilling high quality requirements asp specified by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) 21 CFR Part 11 for the food, beverages and pharmaceutical industries.