Programming software for AB panel view plus HMI for rich graphics

backendcode

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Hello Everyone,

I would like to get some advice on AB HMI programming. I am using factory talk to program my HMI and honestly I am not liking the graphics/buttons etc etc. It looks so UGLY!!! and can't believe I am using those buttons in 2018 lol

My company wants to stick with Allen Bradley products. So I would like to get some advice from you guys how can I make my HMI looks better or with good quality of graphics like look at our iPhone or android graphics or Photoshop/illustrator software, when you design something, the quality of graphics are really good.

My question is,

Is there any open source software which I can use to design my HMI and then generate .MER file to download into my panel view by using AB ME transfer utility software.

Please let me know if you are not a big fan of AB HMI graphics and what alternate method you have been using to make HMI better.

I understand HMI has to be user friendly/operator friendly but i guess it can be achieved by good quality of graphics .

Would like to know your opinion and recommendation on that.

Thank you,
 
Is there any open source software which I can use to design my HMI and then generate .MER file to download into my panel view by using AB ME transfer utility software.

No, its a proprietary product. You indicate your company wants to stay with Allen Bradley products. FT view ME is a A-B product. You can create your own buttons and indicators and put bitmaps on them if you want to get fancy.
If thats not good enough, consider getting the Versaview product and run Advanced HMI. Its highly regarded here.
 
Concerning your question, I doubt that Rockwell would allow you to program their kit without paying for their FactoryTalk License (which is probably the only reasonably priced one).

On the other hand, most of the panel view run on small processors and nicer graphics would likely overburden them.
 
Tread lightly

Hello Everyone,

I would like to get some advice on AB HMI programming. I am using factory talk to program my HMI and honestly I am not liking the graphics/buttons etc etc. It looks so UGLY!!! and can't believe I am using those buttons in 2018 lol

My company wants to stick with Allen Bradley products. So I would like to get some advice from you guys how can I make my HMI looks better or with good quality of graphics like look at our iPhone or android graphics or Photoshop/illustrator software, when you design something, the quality of graphics are really good.

My question is,

Is there any open source software which I can use to design my HMI and then generate .MER file to download into my panel view by using AB ME transfer utility software.

Please let me know if you are not a big fan of AB HMI graphics and what alternate method you have been using to make HMI better.

I understand HMI has to be user friendly/operator friendly but i guess it can be achieved by good quality of graphics .

Would like to know your opinion and recommendation on that.

Thank you,


Before you re-invent the HMI, with ***y WOW factor, and candy bar shaped buttons, with ill-conceived lack-of- contrast text, on a gradient background.....
....Consider your end user.

I have seen hundreds of panelviews from many vendors. The most effective apps I have used were deployed by industrial professionals, using mostly default canned objects. The most professional ones use rectangular buttons with succinct, legible, contrasting, text.

The worst ones we encounter, are clearly developed by novice's, with no planning, discipline, or consistency. Every screen becomes a puzzle to determine what is a button, what is an indicator, and what is a screen navigation button.

We have n use for a graphic that looks like a 800T 30mm button with a tiny little text area in the mimic legend plate.

We have no use for an HMI package that uses ALL, and every color available in the tool box. I call those..."Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream-coat" apps.

See information about situational awareness.

Regards

Plastic

https://www.affinityenergy.com/designing-situational-awareness-high-performance-hmi/
 
Isn't there an EEMUA standard concerning this? Generally speaking the HMI's should be as boring as possible (different shades of grey) with the exciting bits (red, green, yellow) being stuff that the operator has to know or do something about.
 
Isn't there an EEMUA standard concerning this? Generally speaking the HMI's should be as boring as possible (different shades of grey) with the exciting bits (red, green, yellow) being stuff that the operator has to know or do something about.

+1 for this, Stick to "50 shades of grey"design as much as possible. And using standard objects is the only way to simplify things for different operators, plant units, etc. HMI is meant to control some process, not to play movies to operator, otherwise just put some monitor/TV with some nice 3d animation, but forget about the process
 
I've added a few graphics and images into a couple of my in-house projects. Nothing fancy, just custom pieces for some of our equipment.
Easy to do. Add the images (BMP, PNG, or JPG format) to the Images folder or you can create your own Library page with your custom graphics.

Heed all of the above advice.
I'm a hobbyist photographer and graphic artist and the same principles apply to HMI layout too.
Don't get too flashy or cluttered up. Keep it simple and concise otherwise the main purpose of the screen gets lost. Call it "not seeing the forest through all the trees" if you want. :)


I don't mind improving the graphics, because the 1990's 16-bit graphics look a little cheesy to me too. But they're also an easy hit on the processor...remember these HMIs don't have super graphics cards to digest complex images. Simple is better when it comes to CPU cycles too.
 

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