Schneider Electric has introduced the latest HMI software product to its
market-leading Wonderware InTouch portfolio.
The Wonderware InTouch Machine Edition HMI software for machines and
embedded systems improves manufacturing performance for end users, OEMs and
machine and systems builders, while giving them scalability and tight
integration with Wonderware Historian and Wonderware System Platform.
With its ability to directly connect to industrial data sources, the new
software enables users to access the information they need to improve plant
operations and achieve lower total cost of ownership in real time.
Ravi Gopinath, executive vice president, software, Global Solutions
Business, Schneider Electric says that the addition of Wonderware InTouch
Machine Edition software is another example of Schneider Electric’s continued
investment in new technology and product development.
Observing how the Wonderware brand has long been associated with
easy-to-use software solutions that can be integrated with any controller and
run on any computer, the new Machine Edition HMI software continues the tradition
and represents ongoing investment and commitment to one of Schneider Electric’s
core offerings.
InTouch Machine Edition software has comprehensive features that simplify
integration of information and automation systems for users.
Key features include ability to directly replace a traditional
panel-computer HMI while providing the functionality normally found in larger
PC-based HMI systems; more than 240 native communication drivers with
connectivity to almost any control hardware; rich visualisation, scripting,
security, alarming, trending and recipe management functionality empowering
plant operators to make better business decisions using real-time data; plus
functions powerful enough to be used as part of a 21 CFR part-11 compliant
solution by customers in regulated industries.
Craig Resnick, vice president, consulting, ARC Advisory Group explains
that many machines are delivered from the machine builder with a minimally
functional HMI or an HMI that is tightly tied to a single PLC brand. This
approach limits the options for operators as they are unable to leverage the
full potential of the machine as an integral part of the whole production
system.
However, Wonderware InTouch Machine Edition software reverses this trend
because users do not have to standardise on a single hardware offering, and can
quickly create intuitive and highly maintainable HMI applications, making machine
information more accessible to operators and managers. The software can also feed
information to a larger supervisory system and provide a common control room
environment for high-level operations management. Providing this level of
information in a compact footprint gives users greater control, faster response
times, higher operating efficiencies and lower total cost of ownership, as well
as a broader understanding of the health of the entire business.
Wonderware InTouch Machine Edition strengthens Schneider Electric’s
software solutions portfolio for a broad range of end users and OEM customers
in the embedded HMI segment. Integration with Wonderware Historian software enables
data to be securely and reliably saved, retrieved, analysed and interpreted for
greater insight into the business. Live data can be communicated to desktop
versions of Wonderware InTouch, Wonderware System Platform and Wonderware
InBatch software. Data can be used in scripts, alarms, history, recipes and
graphics to enable monitoring of machine status and performance information
such as OMAC PackML data and overall equipment effectiveness.
This level of integration with the Wonderware software portfolio makes it
easier than ever before to integrate machine-level information in
production-line and plant-level solutions.