What are the advantages of HMI in packaging? From reconfiguration speed to actions intuitiveness, the right HMI device can make the difference between an efficient and an unproductive one.
No matter how advanced, packaging machines require human intervention and their productivity largely depends on the efficiency of the integration between man and machine. In other words, how easy and intuitively the operator can use those machines.
Below, we’ll analyze the importance of HMI systems in the packaging industry and the main benefits offered by these devices.
HMI and packaging: 5 main advantages
1. System flexibility and scalability
A new generation HMI makes the reconfiguration of packaging machines faster and more immediate. This greatly increases the flexibility of the whole plant, which can thus adapt to different types of production. For example, it becomes possible to quickly produce small batches of different sizes almost in real-time, with the order received from the customer.
2. Intuitive design
The operator can create more customized projects faster and more intuitively. Depending on the packaging process, HMIs provide a wide choice of tools and features to get an efficient and clear result. In particular:
- Unique and intelligent navigation tools, which make development and operation more efficient.
- New ways of sharing information between panels, so that the operators can obtain the information they need when they need it.
- Ability to show large amounts of information in small areas, through the use of animated labels.
3. IT/OT connectivity
HMI is the bridge between IT and OT networks with related access protection policies, firewalls and user management. A complete solution capable of bridging the gap between the two networks and reconciling OT and IT data in real time. This allows operators to easily access a variety of status updates, indicators and commands.
4. Greater security
Safety is another important advantage of HMI systems in the packaging industry. For example, you can use them to add and display alarms on the screen. In this way, they immediately capture the operator’s attention, informing them of an error, where it’s found and how to solve it.
5. Real-time data collection
Among the advantages of HMI in packaging, they guarantee automated and real-time data collection. They allow those who work with packaging machines to filter, sort and export data from the line. In particular, it becomes possible to send this information to the Cloud so as to make it accessible to all the machinery connected to the system, from an IoT perspective.