Human Machine Interface – Warehouse Automation
How can you control who can access your human machine interface?
HMIs or Human Machine Interface are most commonly used by system integrators, engineers and operators to review & monitor processes, diagnose problems and visualise data.
How can you save costs on installation and set up for distributed I/O?
🔎 In this case study we will explain how this is possible 🔎
In this scenario, the human machine interface (HMI) could be accessed by any employee with a password. The HMI is built into a control unit with a highly time consuming set up hosting a green push button to ‘control power’, an emergency stop, and a red indicator light to signal machine status, among other distributed I/O devices dotted around this machine.
Each I/O element requires a electrical connection via a relay, which on a production line of multiple HMI devices, generated significant costs and time for installation.
💡 The Fortress Solution 💡
At Fortress we work alongside our customers to design tailored solutions to improve their control and safety hardware – saving costs with the most robust and reliable solutions available on the market.
The Fortress solution appears simple, but inside this single piece of hardware is the ability to make both huge savings whilst protecting your top two assets – your people, and your productivity.
✅ Device communicates data via EtherNet/IP & CIP Safety for direct connection to the safety PLC.
Connectivity with EtherNet/IP alone can present significant savings to installation costs (associated with hard wiring) and physical hardware (no need for lengthy expensive cables to transfer I/O to and from this device).
✅ RFID Badge Permission to Control WHO
RFID permission-based access control utilises RFID badge recognition and pre-assigned user permissions to ensure only the ‘right people’ can perform the ‘right tasks’ at the right time. If a user scans their badge and they do not have the correct permissions to access this machinery, access will not be permitted to them.
📚 To Learn More about RFID Badge Access, Click Here 📚
✅ Safe and Non-safe I/O such as a Button and Emergency Stop.
Such as the illuminated push button control for ‘control power’ and the emergency stop with dual channel feedback to the control system
✅ Built in External I/O
Built in External I/O Connection to for direct PLC communication to additional I/O features such as indicator lights, sensors, sounders, switches and other devices.
✅ Additional Integrated I/O with no additional wiring!
The yellow lamp acts as a Permission Indication on badge read – when a user scans their badge, this indicator will light up if they have permission granted for this HMI. Control elements can be engraved with up to two lines of eight characters too for instant recognition of function such as ‘Access Granted’.
The Installed Solution Alongside the Human Machine Interface
📝 Need Help Designing a Solution? For A Free Consultation, Contact our Team Here 📝
📦 See More on Warehouse Automation Here 📦
