Design consideration for small scale thin-client HMI solution

[harryting]

I support plants with small number of HMI each, mostly 2 or less HMIs per system. they all got different HMI package, some WW, some iFix, etc...

Currently we are just use workstation level PC to run these but I'm now looking into virtualize them. One of the biggest issue we have is running KVM cables for long distanced. A RDP solution would have me running just the network cable so that's a big plus. Here are some of the things that I'm sorting through and I'd welcome feedback on them.

- I don't see the need to thin-manager type management software due to the scale.

- Windows Server vs ESXI. I have decided to go with Windows Server for host and VM due to ease of license. Server standard allows 2 VMs in additonal to the host, AFAIK. I will need CAL and RDP CAL, I believe.

- For server box, I'm leaning toward Lenovo. Stupid reason but their online configuration is so much easier to navigate than Dell. For HP, they don't seem even to have such tools and one has to go through a distributor.

- thin-client box. I'm not sure but I will probably go with Wyze or Lenovo. What I don't get is why are they so pricey considering they are doing only RDP?

- anything else I should think about?

 

[harryting]

Monday morning bump

 

[5618]

For the manufacturing floor hardware, I really like fanless units from OnLogic, previously called Logic Supply, and Hope Industrial touchscreen monitors. We run about a dozen of these with InTouch WindowViewer running locally at each HMI. Development is on the redundant OI servers (NAD). I've helped another plant that uses virtualization enough to be glad we’re not doing that here.

 

[rupej]

For the manufacturing floor hardware, I really like fanless units from OnLogic, previously called Logic Supply, and Hope Industrial touchscreen monitors. We run about a dozen of these with InTouch WindowViewer running locally at each HMI. Development is on the redundant OI servers (NAD). I've helped another plant that uses virtualization enough to be glad we’re not doing that here.

We mostly use this pair as well- OnLogic DIN-rail mounted PC behind a Hope Industrial monitor. Best bang/buck we've found and super reliable.

 

[harryting]

I'll keep Onlogic in mind. Our application would be mostly in the environmentally stable control room. I'm just surprised at the price of a thin-client only box when I can buy a stick-PC for $150.

 

[harryting]

What would be some of the consideration for using a mini-pc vs a specifically designed thin-client?

 

[cjd1965]

for me a thin client box is much more robust than a usb pc stick, and the thin client box ha embedded os whereas the stick will have some form of windows, plus the sticks electronics will most likely be 'cheaper' than the thin clients so i would go for the proper tool for the job..thin client box.

 

[harryting]

Thanks, just checking my understanding.

I will go with thin-client for production and probably use a cheap PC to play around as well.