Dramatic Fault Graphics on SCADA Screens - Thoughts?

I like having a color for in alarm, flashing if not acknowleded. If it is extremely important I will use a large font and have it flash on the screen, have it as a pop up if it is so important that they still need to be more aware than just having it in the alarm bar. On large systems consistency of meaning is important.

goghie said:

Looking at picture, I find this design very ineffective. I have good vision and I have problems understanding what is situation on that screen and I'm 30cm from screen. That numerical data does not help anything if operator does not know what is L,LL,H,HH, and SP. I think that if you can't understand what is happening in plant, buy looking at screen from at least 5m distance, your design is not good.

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Most operators will know what those values are as they will be taught when being taught how to operate the system. These values here mean these operational reactions will occur.


I've added things to my plant's HMI to assist operators. We put in a feeder system halt when our processing unit hits a high level and shouldn't take any more product. Before it would just flash a alarm batter on the processing unit and the operator would have to be nearby and see it, since the operator has other tasks to do besides stand at screens a automated pause was put in place. I then added to the HMI some on screen text telling them the Feeder System Paused, Processing Unit Full.

A small High Level Warning shows up to allow the operator to handle it themselves. If they don't due to not being nearby to see it, the Alarm level trips the feeder pause. So now they don't bother worrying over it, however since it also is a automated pause it automatically resumes after level dropping and being below high warning for a few minutes. Less messes are created.

AutomationTechBrian said:

You know.... I *get* the desire to add fancy animations to the screen. Part of me likes the flames. But the 'adult' in me realizes that it is misleading and could cause confusion with the unexperienced operator. I think thumbs are down on this.

I'll be programming screens soon with "overtemperature' and 'overpressure' alarms. I might play with it a little to see what I can come up with... taking in consideration that customer had a factory fire that destroyed their facility about 11 yrs ago (probably am not going to use the flames).

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Overpressure.. Red bulging tank?

Nova5 said:

Overpressure.. Red bulging tank?

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It's a plastic extruder, "head pressure", so I'll look at the graphic and figure out how to make it appropriate, but cool. It's my first time working with Ignition, so I have yet to learn what my limitations will be. I'm about a month away from starting the HMI.

How about blood spatter suddenly 'appearing' on the screen, and the larger blobs starting to run down.

Just to get the attention of the operator of course,

AutomationTechBrian said:

It's a plastic extruder, "head pressure", so I'll look at the graphic and figure out how to make it appropriate, but cool. It's my first time working with Ignition, so I have yet to learn what my limitations will be. I'm about a month away from starting the HMI.

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You can just use a visibility status to change what graphic is seen on screen, or a a color status to change the color. 1,2,3,4, etc result in different colors. I've not worked with ignition but I can't imagine them not having such functions as widely used and powerful as it is.

JesperMP said:

How about blood spatter suddenly 'appearing' on the screen, and the larger blobs starting to run down.

Just to get the attention of the operator of course,

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That would be good for some stuff I've seen where nitwits reach into running machinery to grab something thats stuck.. which if it hooks them would drag them right in and spit them out the other side as puree'd'human, its designed to cut things tougher and larger than humans. It wouldn't even notice.

Yeah... I'm thinking along the lines of bulging graphics, maybe some steam coming out of the connections. It would be a loop of 3 to 5 images, progressively changing to give it movement. We will see.

Lol! Something like that.