Favorite Cheap HMI/Favorite HMI features

[controlsgirl]

I thought it would be fun to ask what everyone's favorite cheap-er HMI is and favorite features. My favorite features are how easy are 1) usability of the programming software 2) ease of connecting tags with PLC 3) resolution/clean looking built-in fonts/graphics.

It makes a world of a difference for me when PLC tags can be connected directly. Sometimes this means using the same brand PLC and HMI. Other world of difference features for me are:

• aligning tools for graphics
• multiselect and group edit properties like size and position

I am sure there are a whole bunch more. What are your favorites?

 

[Sergei Troizky]

What is your threshold for "cheap-er"?

 

[IO_Rack]

What is your threshold for "favorite"? LOL

Seriously, I don't think I've met an HMI that I don't have some sort or beef with at any price.

If I had to choose (and deferring to Sergei's question), I'd say Red Lion. The first time I had to make changes to one, I didn't cuss that much.

I recently seen people post links to dirt cheap HMIs that I've never dealt with. I would have to review the spec and capabilities. The application you are building will really dictate the HMI you require.

 

[GaryS]

Any Windows Computer
you buy a developer license for the driver and you make as many as you want
I would recommend that you also get a developer license for symbols
you can write and sell as many as you want and you can develop better d MI's with more features then you can get with the prepackaged HMI's
I have been doing that for years

 

[diat150]

big fan of maple systems here. imo much more user friendly than red lion. I have put some in harsh environments and they have lasted

 

[mylespetro]

I've had good experiences with Automation Direct C-More HMIs, the software is free and pretty straightforward, the documentation and support are really good, and they're relatively cheap. The graphics are a little dated in my opinion, but passable enough.

 

[joseph_e2]

For super basic applications, I lean towards the C-More. For anything more than that, Red Lion. I've found that it doesn't take much in the way of global events (including alarms/etc.) to bog down a C-More and I found myself having to use global events a fair amount on my last project to write code that could be encapsulated in a pushbutton in Red Lion.



I have a very little experience with Maple and a little more with QuickPanel and would rather use Red Lion or C-More instead...but more experience with Maple may change that. My QuickPanel experience is with very old software, which likely affects my opinion about them.



The old PanelView Standard HMIs were generally good to work with but the most headaches I've had with HMIs have been with the PanelView Plus software (all versions from 4.0 to 12), followed by WinCC Flexible/Comfort.

 

[OkiePC]

+1 for Red Lion. You can buy cheaper, but Crimson software is so powerful and high performing (and free) that the time saved developing applications more than makes up for the difference in hardware costs.

 

[controlsgirl]

What is your threshold for "cheap-er"?

Threshold. So a 10" Allenbradley HMI costs us around $2200. A 10" EZ automation or Weintek HMI is around $1000. Let's say below $1500 for a 10".

 

[controlsgirl]

What is your threshold for "favorite"? LOL

Seriously, I don't think I've met an HMI that I don't have some sort or beef with at any price.

If I had to choose (and deferring to Sergei's question), I'd say Red Lion. The first time I had to make changes to one, I didn't cuss that much.

I recently seen people post links to dirt cheap HMIs that I've never dealt with. I would have to review the spec and capabilities. The application you are building will really dictate the HMI you require.

My favorite HMIs to work with been Proface (can't remember the series atm) and probably Siemens ComfortPanels. Schneider Electric had a decent one too. I have used AllebBradleys extensively. They are okay but I find the software is still pretty glitchy. (well that was 5 years ago when I last touched one so maybe that no longer applies).

Generally for me it's about the programming software; how intuitive it is to move around and the productivity enhancing features that come with it. Physically I am happy so long as I can have non-pixilated font types and the resolution is decent. I've not worked with many of the low-end HMIs.

 

[controlsgirl]

"The first time I had to make changes to one, I didn't cuss that much."

@@Sergei Troizky :-D Perfect way to explain the scaling criteria. I absolutely get it.

 

[controlsgirl]

Any Windows Computer
you buy a developer license for the driver and you make as many as you want
I would recommend that you also get a developer license for symbols
you can write and sell as many as you want and you can develop better d MI's with more features then you can get with the prepackaged HMI's
I have been doing that for years

My problem with PCs is the effort to properly setup the PC so that it's easy to manage the HMI application as well as the OS (make sure the operator can't hit Ctrl+Enter to get to the start menu and play solitare or browse the internet and things of that nature.)

HOWEVER, I would love to study under you to figure out how to do this. I imagine it is a great skill to have and would help me wrap around drivers more.

 

[Mark-]

My problem with PCs is the effort to properly setup the PC so that it's easy to manage the HMI application as well as the OS (make sure the operator can't hit Ctrl+Enter to get to the start menu and play solitare or browse the internet and things of that nature.)

Look up Kiosk mode/setup.

 

[joseph_e2]

The HMIs I've worked with, in order, are:
Panelview Standard, C-More, EZTouch, PanelMate,Uniop (all together)
Panelview Plus/PV1400
Siemens MP series
QuickPanel
Red Lion
Uticor Tough Panel
Siemens Comfort
Maple Systems (briefly)

Beckhoff IPC (briefly)


At my last place, I *almost* made the Siemens MP our standard because we had the software and it would talk to Siemens or AB at the same time without having to pay for extra licenses or a higher-end model. We had too many hardware failures, so I settled on Red Lion. Those had some glitches with them, but RL support was fast to resolve them with firmware updates as they cropped up so they've earned some loyalty. I went back to C-More recently when we couldn't get Red Lion but I'll most likely be going back to RL now that their supply chain issues seem to be resolving.


No HMI package has made me want to cuss more than RSView/FTView Studio.