How do you design your HMI to communicate effectively with other systems and devices?

1 Protocol selection

One of the first steps in designing your HMI communication is to choose the appropriate protocol for your system. A protocol is a set of rules and standards that define how data is formatted, transmitted, and received between devices. There are many protocols available for different purposes and applications, such as Modbus, Ethernet/IP, Profibus, OPC UA, MQTT, and more. You should consider factors such as compatibility, speed, reliability, security, and scalability when selecting a protocol for your HMI communication.

2 Data mapping

Another important step in designing your HMI communication is to map the data between your HMI and other devices. Data mapping is the process of defining how data is organized, labeled, and accessed in each device. For example, you may need to map the tags, registers, addresses, and data types of your PLC to your HMI, and vice versa. You should also consider how to handle data conversions, scaling, and units when mapping data between devices. Data mapping can be done manually or automatically, depending on the software and tools you use.

3 Interface layout

A third aspect of designing your HMI communication is to design the interface layout of your HMI. The interface layout is the visual representation of the data and commands that your HMI displays and receives from other devices. You should design your interface layout to be clear, intuitive, and user-friendly, following the principles of human factors engineering and ergonomics. You should also consider how to group, arrange, and color-code the elements of your interface, such as buttons, indicators, graphs, menus, and alarms.

4 Error handling

A final aspect of designing your HMI communication is to implement error handling mechanisms. Error handling is the process of detecting, reporting, and resolving errors that may occur during the communication between your HMI and other devices. Errors can be caused by various factors, such as network failures, device malfunctions, data corruption, or user mistakes. You should design your error handling to be robust, informative, and responsive, using techniques such as error codes, messages, logs, alarms, and recovery actions.