Beautiful SCADA Graphics

dpslusser

Member
D
Join Date
Jan 2016
Location
PA
Posts
48
Can someone tell me how people are producing awesome graphics like the ones in the images below? ( the machine/equipment images. Not the HMI controls :) )

Do you guys think/know if its the actual SCADA control software that the below type of images are being designed in? Or are they being designed in something like Adobe Illustrator????

I know the below is Progea scada software. But is it also the design platform for the images?



Screen31.jpg


drUsgN1Gt79n9IJUfI7GQnW6E456baM3aGbKkXLtoEhhOxYYEWcxF2-QwwdYWrYoBgs=h900


Screen42.jpg
 
Last edited:
The times that I have put similar images of machines in an HMI, I got them from the mechanical designer who drew them in software like SolidWorks, then exported the image for me in PNG, TIFF, or JPG format.

The rest of the items such as the buttons and gages are just common HMI components.
 
Archie said:
The times that I have put similar images of machines in an HMI, I got them from the mechanical designer who drew them in software like SolidWorks, then exported the image for me in PNG, TIFF, or JPG format.

The rest of the items such as the buttons and gages are just common HMI components.
Click to expand...

Thanks Archie.

I was thinking SolidWorks. The typical HMI controls, that is pretty much standard. I should of specified. :)
 
The time that is probably put into that, this screen shows a good 11 values. Kind of a waste in my opinion.
 
This kind of stuff is for marketing. So they can get people to ooh and ahh over it. The trend in HMI design is to go much simpler. No 3D, no wild colors. A waste of screen real estate IMHO.
 
Listen...I understand where you guys are coming from. I don't do this fancy **** either in my HMI designs.

Its more of interest than anything else.
 
If the image is already drawn in a solid modeling package there is not a lot of wasted time at all.

And yes, HMIs are sometimes marketing devices as well. Walking a customer through your plant and letting them see cool screens could indeed make you look like you know what you are doing and be more impressive to your potential customer. I don't view this as a bad thing. Only if it makes the operators job more difficult would it be bad. If the image was already there and the impact on the users is neutral or improves their job then I think it's smart (and cool :cool:)
 
I remember talking to an engineer for a VERY large process control division of a very large company. A certain distillery wanted some ducks to fly across the screen at certain times with a sun that moved through the sky. He said it took an enormous amount of resources and time to make it work, and the customer seemed more concerned about the 'duck' screen than the rest of their screens during the FAT. I guess it's up to the customer and what they are willing to pay.
 
dburnum said:
I remember talking to an engineer for a VERY large process control division of a very large company. A certain distillery wanted some ducks to fly across the screen at certain times with a sun that moved through the sky. He said it took an enormous amount of resources and time to make it work, and the customer seemed more concerned about the 'duck' screen than the rest of their screens during the FAT. I guess it's up to the customer and what they are willing to pay.
Click to expand...
LOL 🍻
 
dburnum said:
I remember talking to an engineer for a VERY large process control division of a very large company. A certain distillery wanted some ducks to fly across the screen at certain times with a sun that moved through the sky. He said it took an enormous amount of resources and time to make it work, and the customer seemed more concerned about the 'duck' screen than the rest of their screens during the FAT. I guess it's up to the customer and what they are willing to pay.
Click to expand...

Similar experience with a brewing customer, during one of the design reviews they told us about a running joke about a fake analytic for measuring the wetness of water that the owner would reference. For the FAT (knowing the owner would be present)I put it on the HMI, came up with a formula to constantly change the value based on water levels, temperatures, and some other fudge factors. I tucked it away in the corner of the screen but put some color to it so it would be a bit more obvious. Within about 10 minutes of the start the owner saw it, busted out laughing about it said it was great and to leave it in there. Then told me I didn't have the proper amount of decimal places(y) Great way to start off an FAT!
 
As to the topic on hand, as others have mentioned it's usually a file that is brought in as a background image. It's obvious with your pictures that the HMI controls are just laid onto the image.

Certainly nothing a Controls Engineer is going to create and put in place.

I see the value of these graphics on a "Dashboard" type of screen, makes it obvious where some KPIs are located, gives management a 'warm fuzzy' that they are up to speed with technology. Plus if they bring customers through their plant it's additional marketing for them. It's not for the operators that need to use the HMI to do their job.
 
It's REALLY easy to render some very nice images from an existing solid model. It goes something like this:

"Hey SLOTS, how about a nice perty picture of that model you've spent weeks working on?"

"Sure, SMOKEY, check your email."

HMI background complete.

Next.
 

Similar Topics

H
Sharing Is What A Beautiful Thing
Hi Everyone, Would You Like To Share Step 7 Projects You Created, Acquired And Found For Development.
Replies
2
Views
1,993
Binaural
B
M
SCADA network extension to remote sites
So I'm pretty new around here but I come looking for advice or suggestions to research. Im the plant electrician/SCADA guy for a warer department...
Replies
0
Views
4
mburtis
M
I
omron cj2m with scada comunication
I have an old plc in the system I have, moxa nport was used to communicate with scada, I want to replace the plc with cj2m cpu33 and eliminate...
Replies
1
Views
48
IO_Rack
IO_Rack
P
Tag not working in scada application
Has anyone ever seen where you have a tag reading from the plc in scada. In this instance it's just a PEC, I set it up on one scada terminal and...
Replies
0
Views
88
petehannon007
P
P
Wonderware intouch scada
Hi guys, I have experience with PLC to Excel etc...just starting on using intouch scada screens. I have an Excel sheet that uses mainly...
Replies
1
Views
138
NetNathan
N
Back
Top Bottom