High Performance HMI - High/Low Tank Indication

electro89

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Join Date
Mar 2012
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Canada
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106
Hi All,

I have been trying to adopt some of the HPHMI/Situational Awareness philosophies in my recent HMI designs and I've always been unsure about what colour to use for point-level indication on the bins (HH/H/L/LL). Typically, using High-High as an example, I would have a small rectangle on the top of the bin with "HH" or two up-arrows that would be grey when off and cyan when active. Same for all levels, but if it were to indicate an alarm-state, I'd put an alarm indicator next to it.

I have been through many many posts and slideshows online and can't seem to find the answer. Would like to hear what everyone's thoughts are on this.

Thanks in advance!
 
I think it is a personal choice or at the very least the customers choice or requirement.
Some examples I have used are:
HH, cyan or even black when not covered, flashing red when covered
H, Cyan or black when not covered, green when covered
L, cyan or black when not covered, Green when covered
LL Flashing red when not covered, green when covered.
A lot depends on the background, these are often grey so will pick colours that show some contrast in both states.
 
Maybe this will help:
https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/display/DOC81/Vision+-+Moving+Analog+Indicator

This component could be used for tank level. Most platforms will have a component/control similar to this.

As far as colors, yellow for low and high and red for low low and high high is common. But these colors only show when there is a condition. If the condition is normal, it uses a different color, usually a gray of some kind.

I use arrows as well. One arrow up for high, two arrows up for high high, the same for the lows but pointing down.
 
thanks guys! My background is indeed grey (it is mostly based off ABB Ability's graphics, which you can see on page 17 of this document) and would like to keep the off-state a grey shade as well and reserve colours for things the operator should see first. I played around with using white to show it was active but that even confused me eventually.

Phrog30, I should have specified, this is for discrete level measurements, ie limit switches. I thought this would be a common form of measurement but for whatever reason there doesn't seem to be much about it in terms of an ISA standard. Disclaimer, I do not own a copy of the standards, but have read many articles and posts summarizing them, so maybe the answer is in there :confused:
 
High Performance HMI

hello,
You can check the ISA101 HMI design standard.
The tank bar colors:
- For HH and LL : Black.
- For H and L : Light Gray.
- For normal level: Light Blue.
- When the indicator reaches the HH or LL Level: RED.
- When the indicator reaches the H or L Level: Yellow.

In the attachment You will find an example Pic.Plus, you can download the ISA101 From this link: https://www.reynoldsonline.com/ASSE...Group+High+Performance+HMI+FT+View+SE+V11.pdf.
Good Luck. 🍻

HMI After.PNG
 
Yeah, I'd say follow inductives guide I remember if being pretty good.

But I'll add that instead of blindly following HH,H,L,LL and other standard alarms you might only show color when someone needs to be alerted.

So if something is high/low and nobody cares and isn't going to do something about it, don't have it colored. Colors should only be used when some ones attention is needed.

I was able to use white as on at a couple of sites, but some others pushed the issue and really wanted green. At the end of the day when they see red they know something is wrong but listen to the operators that'll be using the screens.
 
I should have specified, this is for discrete level measurements, ie limit switches.
The implementation is basically the same, except instead of having one component, you have several. You will have a normal state color, gray, or other subdued color. Then you have alarm state color. I still use the same colors as I described earlier. I typically blink on alarm or warning.

My graphics have properties that I can choose the color I want, there is a global default, but then if you want it different you can for a certain instance.
 
I was able to use white as on at a couple of sites, but some others pushed the issue and really wanted green. At the end of the day when they see red they know something is wrong but listen to the operators that'll be using the screens.

Yeah, other gray and "no color" stuff gets accepted really well, but the green is always a must I get from the operators.. I don't know, maybe they are right and the new standards got that wrong.. I think it is a psychological problem to see something only when there is a problem, they want to see something when it is all ok too, like "you see, it is all working"..
 
Yeah, other gray and "no color" stuff gets accepted really well, but the green is always a must I get from the operators.. I don't know, maybe they are right and the new standards got that wrong.. I think it is a psychological problem to see something only when there is a problem, they want to see something when it is all ok too, like "you see, it is all working"..
It's not a one size fits all, to your point there will be users that will not accept the high performance way.

Best practice should be to use global/default colors, so you can easily change if necessary. Example, if you have running as white and they want green, you can change in one place instead of going to each instance.
 
hello,
You can check the ISA101 HMI design standard.
The tank bar colors:
- For HH and LL : Black.
- For H and L : Light Gray.
- For normal level: Light Blue.
- When the indicator reaches the HH or LL Level: RED.
- When the indicator reaches the H or L Level: Yellow.

In the attachment You will find an example Pic.Plus, you can download the ISA101 From this link: https://www.reynoldsonline.com/ASSE...Group+High+Performance+HMI+FT+View+SE+V11.pdf.
Good Luck. 🍻
(y) Thanks
 
Yeah, I'd say follow inductives guide I remember if being pretty good.

But I'll add that instead of blindly following HH,H,L,LL and other standard alarms you might only show color when someone needs to be alerted.

So if something is high/low and nobody cares and isn't going to do something about it, don't have it colored. Colors should only be used when some ones attention is needed.

I was able to use white as on at a couple of sites, but some others pushed the issue and really wanted green. At the end of the day when they see red they know something is wrong but listen to the operators that'll be using the screens.

thanks all, good to hear everyone's opinion on this. I think what VAN said pretty much sums up what I needed to hear
 

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