Skip navigation
Electronics Industry Search
Advertisement
RSS
Reprints/License
Print
Email

Distributed HMI in a Flash

Parker's newest HMI product uses Flash to deliver a richer user experience

Joseph Ogando, Senior Editor -- Design News, September 21, 2008

Golden Mousetrap Winner Motion ControlAUTOMATION
INTERACT XPRESS MANAGER DISTRIBUTED HMI SOFTWARE,
PARKER HANNIFIN, ELECTROMECHANICAL AUTOMATION DIV.

 

Parker Hannifin has come up with a snazzier take on distributed HMIs. The company's patent-pending Interact Xpress Manager allows users to create Web-published HMI applications that use Adobe Flash technology.

“Using Flash is pretty unique in this kind of application,” says James Brashear, a senior software engineer for Parker's Electromechanical Automation Div. “But we like the way it allowed us to display great graphics.” What's more, Flash allows the HMI applications to contain movies, animations and other rich media useful for training and alarming functions.

As part of a distributed system, the kind you might find on very large machines or production lines with multiple HMIs, Interact Xpress Manager supports multiple browser-based client stations at any given time. Each client hosts a separate instance of the same applications, allowing multi-station and even remote support. Application development and support is “versionless,” as it takes place within a Web-browser environment. “It's a good choice for users who want remote access to their HMIs or who want to remotely edit their applications,” says Brashear.

Interact Xpress also goes along with its own line of HMI hardware. Parker's XPR Powerstations are industrially hardened HMI stations specifically designed to run the company's Interact Xpress' Flash-based software. These units include a “headless,” or no-display, model that provides remote Web access to an existing control panel, as well as self-contained models with TFT displays up to 15 inches. All of the units are designed to operate in 0 to 50C ambient temperatures with NEMA 4/4x sealing on all the display units.

Advertisement

Sponsored Content

Technology Marketplace

RSS
Reprints/License
Print
Email
Find a supplier on oemsuppliersearch.com

Talkback
Advertisement
Reed Business Information Resource Center

Featured Company


Advertisement

Design News Partner Zones

Light Matters: The Unsung Heroes of Modern Health Care
First, let's define "no-compromise." In an ideal configuration, this lamp would use a high-brightness LED (HBLED) that is built into a small, integrated package and is able to produce a large quantity of focused light, operate with a high level of reliability and generate no audible noise. Is this difficult? Yes, but it is possible.
Read More


Design Engineers' Portal for Sensing and Machine Safety
Whatever industry you're in, or whatever product you manufacture, the right sensors to automate your plant, and to improve your overall efficiency, quality and safety are a must. You'll find Banner Engineering to be an amazing resource of products, training and people with expertise.


Test & Measurement World Machine Vision & Inspection Report
Topics include machine-vision software, Power over Camera Link, thermal imaging and frame grabbers. Read More

Design News Partner Zone Directory »

Please visit these other Reed Business sites