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Introduction
Manufacturers are embracing leading-edge automation technologies, such as the industrial internet of things (IIoT), advanced data analytics, machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), to improve and add value to their business processes and upgrade or replace their outdated control systems and software. Upgrades are a great opportunity to innovate and not simply replicate existing systems and software.
While leveraging the latest technology and ensuring manufacturing processes continue to run smoothly and safely, close attention should be paid to the tool that operators use daily – the human-machine interface (HMI). After all, HMI graphics are used in every aspect of a process control system and are key to getting critical data to the right people at the right time. Moving to high-performance HMI (HP-HMI) helps improve an operator’s ability to manage the operation more effectively and increase response time to alarms and other abnormal situations.
Any upgrade project – no matter its size or scope – comes with a set of challenges that may require a significant investment in time and resources. A legacy HMI upgrade is no different, but in the end, the benefits realized from a newly implemented HP-HMI far outweigh the upfront investment.
Legacy HMI Challenges
When upgrading from existing legacy HMI design to HP-HMI, converting the screens to a new or different format can prove problematic. In the early days, when control systems became sophisticated enough to have real-time process control graphics, personnel developed the graphics. In most cases, they created them using piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) and came up with their own set of best practices, trying to determine what “good” looked like. It worked for the most part.
Over the years, multiple plant personnel were often involved in creating the facility’s HMI graphics, which inevitably introduced inconsistencies in color and alarms. Although eye- catching, the colorful graphics tended to cause operator confusion, making it difficult to quickly see whether a process was running well or poorly. The graphics were also organized by pages, like a book with tabs. Some pages had customizable drop-down lists while others had lists with links to the graphics requiring the operator to select a back button to change displays. The designs tended to be either too simplistic or extremely complex, and the displays overwhelmed personnel not familiar with the overall look and process.
Many of these low-performance HMI (LP-HMI) graphics are still in use today. Poorly designed HMIs, along with poorly configured process alarming, have often been cited as significant contributors to major industrial accidents.
Establish Design Standards
To help overcome design issues, establishing graphics standards upfront is key. Not only does standardization help guide the entire process, but it also helps the company’s overall vision. HP-HMI software takes a multilayered approach. Its standards guidelines help optimize the end-user experience and encourage creating a graphics hierarchy to help establish a sensible flow for the graphics. With HP-HMI, data is presented in a way that there is no question as to whether conditions are good or bad. Operators can use multilevel hierarchy displays to navigate quickly to a screen or drill down to an even more detailed display. Dashboards contain an overview with buttons or links that open graphics for more detail on specific areas in a facility.
Change Operator Mindset
Prior to implementing an HP-HMI upgrade, it is critical to get operator buy-in. Real resistance comes when trying to implement anything that isn’t directly pulled from existing layouts or P&IDs. Operators are comfortable with their traditional graphics and want the screens to look exactly like what’s already there. They are familiar with the old-style drawing layout challenges.
The resistance to change is understandable. For many facilities, operators and engineers have invested a lot of time in how their legacy HMI screens are driven from menus or alarms, and they want any new screens to fit into that same scheme. Some facilities have extensive database-driven layouts and object locations, so it is not always easy bringing the two together.
Managing change starts with proper planning, preparation and training. Understanding the process and how the graphics and objects work is key before starting to fully design screens. Take the time needed to train personnel and start slowly to build some small screens and devices simulated with test programmable logic controller (PLC) code. This process should be basic and quick.
Manufacturers can leverage HP-HMI to develop screen groups, identify common scenarios that will need common devices shown and determine how alarms will interact based on various situations. Through upfront testing and training, operators can see first-hand how the HP-HMI software’s multilevel navigation features help optimize and improve processes quickly and more reliably, as well as mitigate safety risks. Finally, involving operators from the start and getting their input makes them a part of the process and lowers their resistance to change.
Situational Awareness
It is very important, and possibly the difference between success and failure, to remember a few key points when planning and implementing HP-HMI. Personnel often struggle with:
- Too many screens
- Input/output (I/O) overload
- Massive amounts of alarms
Also note that HMI graphics at the process control level are intended to have the look and feel of a control panel. Operators should see the graphics as the means to operate the process, as well as providing the capability to monitor what they are controlling.
It all comes down to situational awareness, which the International Society of Automation’s ISA-101 standard defines as: “The relationship between the operator’s understanding of the plant’s condition and its actual condition at any given time.” HP-HMI graphics will enhance situational awareness, making anomalies within the system easily recognizable. For example, a tank with a HI Level or HI HI Level would be recognized at a glance, even after the alarm has been presented.
HP-HMI Storyboarding
A trained facilitator should lead key engineers and operators in a storyboarding session, which is a design process to help define, develop and organize a visual representation of the new HP-HMI’s graphics layout and hierarchy. Navigation between graphics must be intuitive and instinctive. This tends to be a multi-step process and requires several days for a typical operating console in a manufacturing facility. Once the storyboard is developed, the entire process will help identify the type and number of graphics required. It also reduces any extraneous information and graphics on the displays. This is a great opportunity to involve key personnel and get their input.
Other Tools and Considerations
Alarm Management
HMI software and alarm management go hand in hand. The standards and importance of alarm management have inspired improvements in HMI software. Alarm management standards (e.g., ANSI/ISA-18.2) have been developed to address issues with nuisance alarms, alarm floods, alarm tolerances, stagnant alarms and more. Poor alarm systems can be just as bad as no alarm system at all.
Vendor-supplied data historian tools can now be configured to include alarming in the tools. Using alarm management software outside of the process control network allows the alarm monitoring responsibilities to be dispersed to personnel who are not working directly in the process control areas. For alarms involving non-process critical details, notifications can help the operators focus on the process and more critical alarms.
Visualization Tools
Since facility decision makers are spread out among various departments, having access to the process control HMI graphics requires additional process control terminals; however, it is not a safe or efficient practice to utilize these terminals outside of the process area. Instead, using process data historians to capture and record process control data in real time permits this information to be shared and visualized outside of the process control network.
Many vendors (e.g., Rockwell Automation, AVEVA and AspenTech) offer visualization tools packaged with their data historians. These visualization tools allow most of the same functionality of the HP-HMI graphics tools, making them available to decision makers. Some of the visualization tools are even more complex and offer greater functionality. In fact, some of the visualization tools available utilize HTML5, which allows scalability to the graphics, making them available on just about any device. Being able to create HMI graphics utilizing process control data in real time allows for greater visibility throughout the organization.
Read-Only View
Many of these vendors also offer toolsets that can be used to create graphic displays that are near exact replicas of the process control systems’ HMI graphics. This allows decision makers outside of the process control network the ability to see in real time what the operators are monitoring and seeing. Essentially this extends the process control graphics in a “read-only” format to the desktops or laptops of anyone within the organization without fear of the process being affected in any way. This read-only view also ensures that anyone using the visualization tools for monitoring a process will always have the right version of the graphic.
Currently, with the proper credentials and an Internet-connected device, decision makers can look at process control graphics and data from just about anywhere with hand-held devices. For example, research and development (R&D) facilities are now able to use and monitor graphics outside of the process control network as new products, batches or processes are introduced to the manufacturing floor. For years, having R&D involved with new startups required travel to the actual location, adding significant cost to the development process.
Eliminating the danger of altering or controlling a process removes all threats of accidental or intentional manipulations within the process control system. With proper security applied to the replicated graphics, remote personnel will not be able to make changes to the graphic files.
How to Get Started
With any HP-HMI or overall system and software upgrade project, manufacturers must carefully weigh their strategic investment options and plan early to avoid incurring significant cost. Hardware and software upgrade projects require a holistic view and careful planning that includes long-term costs, maintenance and sustaining services as part of the overall strategy. Before getting started, consider the following:
- Step 1: Determine Where The Facility Is
Determine where the facility is in terms of automation and process control hardware and software. Understanding the facility’s current capabilities is key to future planning. There may be some cases where the current process capabilities are adequate but not future proof. - Step 2: Close Consideration
Close consideration must be given to whether the hardware is compatible with the current process control software and the updated software. Hardware must be flexible enough to support future software upgrades. In some cases, HMI software may contain improvements and features that would require significant updates to the process control system graphics. For facilities where the HMI graphics have never been updated to HP-HMI, a control system upgrade project is a good time to implement the software, identifying any potential system compatibility issues in the early planning stages. - Step 3: Harware Being Used Within The Process Control System
An automation investment is not a one time and done thing. Hardware being used within the process control system can and will break down and must be replaced. New equipment will likely be too advanced to just install in place of the old equipment. Having a plan or a schedule to continuously improve the process control hardware and software to stay as current as possible will prevent the potential for major issues down the road, keeping costs under control. - Step 4: Don't Wait
Don’t wait. The longer companies wait to upgrade their process control system hardware and software, the project will be that much more complicated and expensive. Today’s hardware and software continue to evolve with improvements and changes and do not show any signs of slowing down. Carefully choose the direction and vendor that meets the facility’s immediate needs and maintains backwards compatibility. HP-HMI upgrade projects can be complicated and take a lot of time and resources to design and develop. - Step 5: Turn To Hardware And Software Vendors
Turn to hardware and software vendors in addition to the personnel closest to the processes to assist in defining a project. For businesses that lack available resources to implement this type of project, consider consulting an unbiased third-party automation solutions provider who specializes in designing, developing, building, implementing and sustaining systems and HP-HMI graphics no matter the type of process control system or software used.
HMI graphics have come a long way from the initial automation projects. It is important to recognize that graphics from 15–20 years ago are truly out of date. Planning and implementing HP-HMI project upgrades will drive improvements in efficiency and effectiveness for everyone from the operator to the decision makers. When beginning a hardware and software upgrade project, look to implement HP-HMI graphics for greater control of manufacturing processes and systems.
There is no doubt that technology and the need to visualize what is going on in manufacturing processes will continue to evolve over time. As machines get smarter and artificial intelligence continues to improve, the industry will see additional changes taking place, especially with HMI/HP-HMI graphics. A trained workforce who can keep graphics within standards guidelines and ensure their relevancy over time will be essential to success.
