An HMI allows you to replace physical knobs and switches with a computer. Its much easier, cheaper and faster to create on screen controls then it is to wire up a real control panel. DAQFactory is a powerful HMI tool that allows you to create an unlimited number of different screens out of 40+ on screen components simply by dropping controls on the screen and setting properties. Among those components are ones that you could never recreate on a physical control panel like trend graphs, waterfall graphs, and tabular data. By using DAQFactory, you can give your operators more power and control and more data to make good decisions on how your process is behaving. If a physical knob or switch is still desired, you can easily combine it with on-screen controls as needed.

Of course DAQFactory is much more than an HMI, and offers automated control, data logging, data sharing through networking, alarming and many other features that physical panels, and for that matter, many other HMI tools, do not offer. So, in addition to giving your operators a virtual control panel, you can do quality, factory, and supervisory control, data logging, and alarming, all things that will make your process more efficient and more flexible.

One example of a HMI system is used in a landfill leachate pumping system. Since each of the five cells was installed at a different time, each had a completely different control panel. The same information was on each, but the knobs, switches and indicator lates were different and in different locations. A central computer was installed providing a consistant user interface to each of the systems and making it easier to understand and maintain the systems. The HMI was combined with some of DAQFactory's remoting tools to allow centralized monitoring as well, saving the landfill staff from having to drive to each panel to check on each system.