Efficient Plant Jan./Feb. 2021 - 10

feature | HMI solutions

Forwarding the
exponentially growing
volume of industrial
data directly to the
cloud is untenable.
Edge-located HMIs can
provide local computing for pre-processing
and analytics, avoiding
network overload.
Courtesy ADISRA

costs and waste in many industry segments.
HMI software remains important for
collecting raw field data and providing visualization. Today's HMIs have a significantly
improved ability to contextualize information
by adding disparate and related data sources
together to make the data meaningful. Data
collected from multiple sources is used to
create an HMI information superset that
delivers a more-complete end-to-end view
of operations.
Original HMI configurations performed
basic functions such as issuing commands

and setpoints to a machine controller. Evolved
HMI software runs on improved edge-located
hardware and can execute more computational and elaborate data processing. To
enable better-informed decisions closer to the
equipment, HMI software on the edge must
embrace real-time analytics by incorporating
contextualized data.
As technology's upward trajectory continues, advances in HMI software cognitive
capabilities will help operators quickly
understand available data in near real time.
The preceding abilities are effectively shifting

the event horizon from simple data acquisition
to actual knowledge creation, and edge-located
HMIs are ideally located and suited to add
intelligence to any system.
One approach uses rules systems, which are
a set of deterministic if-then-else statements
that can provide useful results-if the right
real-time data and correct rules are available.
However, it is important to understand that
bad data and/or improper rules can result in
false positives.
Another method for adding cognitive
capabilities directly to HMI software involves
incorporating machine learning (ML) algorithms. ML algorithms are trained with labeled
data, so they can then be used to interpret
real-time data and identify data that meet
predetermined categories without knowing the
exact rules.
Deploying HMI software with embedded
analytics delivers intelligence to the edge and
provides a distributed collaborative intelligence
model among multiple edge devices. In an
uncertain environment, plants require operators to function autonomously by making
decisions based on available contextual data.
Carefully developed smart HMI software
embedded in their workflow will supplement
these efforts.

GETTING THE BIG PICTURE

Most HMIs provide sufficient visualization and monitoring, but the newest generation, such as
ADISRA SmartView, incorporates extensive connection, collection, computing, cognitive, and
creation capabilities. Courtesy ADISRA

10

EP2101fadisra.indd 10

| EFFICIENTPLANTMAG.COM

HMI software function has historically been to
deliver simple, easy-to-comprehend interfaces,
allowing an operator to understand machine
or process conditions at a glance. Smart HMI
software is now called to do more by delivering
faster time-to-insight and greater operator
efficiencies, but only if the information can be
effectively conveyed.
Viewing form factors have evolved from
standard plant-floor industrial operator
interface terminals and control room PCs
into headless operations supporting remote
visualization on mobile and wearable devices.
Remote visualization has effectively become
mandatory with the current COVID-19

JAN/FEB 2021

1/26/21 12:35 PM
http://www.EFFICIENTPLANTMAG.COM
Efficient Plant Jan./Feb. 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Efficient Plant Jan./Feb. 2021
