Human Machine Interface (HMI)

The touch panels which are also called human-machine interfaces (HMI) are
programmable devices permit the human operators to communicate with the industrial
control systems like for example the programmable logic controller (PLC), the variable
frequency drive (VFD) and the servo driver. There are large number of touch panel
manufacturers and each series of panels have their own programming software . As an
examples, XP_50TTA is LSIS product and is programmed using XP_BUILDER,
DOP_B10E615 is Delta one programmed by SCREEN_EDITOR, KTP_400 is Siemens
brand and is programmed by SIMATIC WINCC. In fact all the brands and supported
programming software shot the same birds, they provide the human operator with the
abilities to monitor the critical process variables in the way they prefer, input commands to
select the suitable control algorithm, direct the maintenance technicians to fault source (s) ,
give pictorial representation to the process under control, allow different languages
speakers to deal with the machinery, etc. Specifically one can say the programmed HMIs
have the ability to monitor and/or modify the controllers memory contents ( Input-
image register, output-image register, memory-registers) as bit, byte, word, dword, real,
and also as group of any of these types and also have the theme related display techniques.
Also here one must not forget that HMIs can be programmed with high level like
languages ( C, Basic) to implement their own tasks.
Here LSIS brand will be used to introduce the role of the HMI panels in the
industrial process control and the commonly used software programming components.

Software Programming Components

As stated before the HMI communicates with the programmable controller to read or
modifies their memory locations. The HMI itself deals with the operator through a number of
screens or pages on which the software graphical components or interfaces are positioned.
Some of these components act as a mirror to display what are going inside the
programmable controller and others as loaders responsible to load or modify the memory
locations with the desired values. The following are the most commonly used items or
components in this context.

1- Bit Switch

Bit switch is used to control the ON/OFF of the relevant PLC bit address. It can be
assigned any shape from the programming environment library or new created shapes.
It may be found in one of four modes. These are:
1- ON mode: Pressing the bit switch under this mode sets the PLC relevant bit on and
preserves the on state whether the switch is still pressed or not.
2- OFF mode : Pressing the bit switch with this mode resets the PLC relevant bit previously
set by a bit switch of on mode. The state is preserved whether the switch is still pressed or
not.
3- Momentary mode: Here the bit switch behaves as if it were normally open pushbutton. As
long as the switch is pressed the PLC relevant bit is on. The time the switch is released the
PLC bit return to its normal value.
4- Alternative mode: In this mode of operation, each time the bit switch is pressed the PLC
relevant bit is inverted that means if it was on before the pressing, after the pressing it
becomes off and if it was off it becomes on.

Example 1 , Design HMI interface screen to enable the operator to : (1): Control the
on/off state of a lamp using one bit switch. (2): To start/stop motor starter using two
pushbutton like approach. (3): To set/reset PLC memory bit %MW2.0 which controls
coil Y. Also attach the relevant PLC ladder program.

Solution:

OFF:%MW1.0 ON:%MW1.1 MCCoil:%QX0.0.1

MCCoil

%MW2.0 Y

(b)
(a)

Bit Switch Lamp ON OFF SET RESET

Mode Alternative Momentary Momentary ON OFF
Address %QX0.0.0 %MW1.1 %MW1.0 %MW2.0 %MW2.0

Figure 1: a): Interface HMI page. b): PLC ladder diagram. c): Bit switches modes and
their PLC relevant
2- Bit Lamp

Bit lamp is used to display the ON/OFF state of the relevant PLC bit address. Its default
shape is lamp shape, but it can be assigned any shape from the programming environment
library or new created shapes.
Example 2 , Design HMI interface screen to enable the operator to on/off and monitor
star/delta starter. Also attach the relevant PLC ladder program.

Solution:

OFF ON Main

Main
Main T1
TON
IN Q

T#6S PT ET

Main T1.Q Delta Star

Main T1.Q Star Delta

(a)

(b)
Bit Device Type Mode Address
OFF Bit switch Momentary %MW1.0
ON Bit switch Momentary %MW1.1
Main Bit lamp %QX0.0.0
Star Bit lamp %QX0.0.1
Delta Bit lamp %QX0.0.2

Figure 2: a): Interface HMI page. b): PLC ladder diagram. c): Bit devices characteristics

3- Word Switch

Word switch is used to modifies the content of 16bit or 32 bit size PLC memory address.
As 16bit switch it can support Signed and Unsigned DEC PLC data types, and as 32bit size
supports Signed DEC, Unsigned DEC, and Float PLC data types. It can take any shape from
the programming environment shape's libraries or assigned new shape according to the
designer understanding. The operation margin of this switch extends to four mode of
operations. These are :
1- Set mode: Pressing the word switch under this configuration writes the direct or
indirect set value in the PLC relevant address. With direct set value ( constant) it
preserves that value whether the switch is still pressed or not. With indirect one ( content of
another device) the relevant PLC address receives that of the another at the pressing
instance.
Example 3 , In ice cream filling machine, the quantity of drawn ice cream depends upon
the time interval the outlet solenoid valve is activated. Assume there are three cone sizes,
Design PLC ladder program and HMI interface screen to enable the operator to select the
proper filling utility.

Solution:

TPFILL
Fill %QX0.0.0
TP_UNIT
Switches
P IN Q
Switches
Switches
%MW4 Swit
PT ET
Swit

ches ches
Switche Swit Swit
100 UNIT
s ches ches
Switche Switch
0 RST
s es
S Swit

w ches (b)
i
(a) t

Device Type Set Address Position h Display

used Value e
Fill- Bit lamp
Figure 12.3: a): Interface HMI page. b):%QX0.0.0
PLC ladderAs stated in thes(a)
diagram. c): B) devicesVisible
characteristics
Solenoid

Family Word Switch 400 %MW4 Under family size cone Transparent
Size
Medium Word Switch 200 %MW4 Under medium size cone Transparent
Size
Small Word Switch 100 %MW4 Under small size cone Transparent
Size
Fill Momentary Bit Switch %MW1.0 Under each cone Transparent
(c)

2- ADD mode: Pressing the word switch add the direct or indirect set value to the PLC
relevant address. With direct set value, each time the switch is pressed, the relevant PLC
address's value is increased by constant increment whereas with indirect one the increase
amount is function of the indirect address value at the pressing time.

3- SUB mode: Pressing the word switch subtract the direct or indirect set value from
the PLC relevant address. With direct set value, each time the switch is pressed, the
relevant PLC address's value is decreased by constant decrement whereas with
indirect one the decrement amount is function of the indirect address value at the
pressing time.
Example 4 , In plastic bottle blowing machinery, the bottle shape depends upon three
heaters running along the bottle route to the mold. These heaters are the upper, middle,
and lower heaters. Suggest an HMI screen to allow the user to fine and coarse controls these
heaters to force the ampoules to take the mold shape. Assume the heaters to be driven
by digital to analog module with four channels (channel’s input words are :
%UW0.1.3, %UW0.1.4, %UW0.1.5, %UW0.1.6).

Solution:

4- Digit ADD: Pressing the word switch increments the PLC relevant address value. The
Upper Heater Middle Heater Lower Heater
Word Set PLC Mode Set PLC Mode Set Value PLC
Switch Mode Value Address value Address Address

ADD 1 %UW0.1.3 ADD 1 %UW0.1.4 ADD 1 %UW0.1.5

ADD 50 %UW0.1.3 ADD 50 %UW0.1.4 ADD 50 %UW0.1.5

SUB 1 %UW0.1.3 SUB 1 %UW0.1.4 SUB 1 %UW0.1.5

SUB 50 %UW0.1.3 SUB 50 %UW0.1.4 SUB 50 %UW0.1.5

increment amount is function of the selected number system (HEX or BCD) and the
position of the digit to be incremented by 1. For example selecting BCD as the number
system and 2 as the digit position, each press increments the tenth position by one until
reaching 9 after which the tenth position returns to zero and new increment cycle start again.

Example 5 , Design HMI page such that the operator can set the PLC memory word
%MW4 in thumb wheel like manner.
Solution:

Device Type Operation Mode Set Address

Value
Numeric 16 bit, BCD %MW4
display
Word Switch Digit ADD 4 %MW4

Word Switch Digit ADD 3 %MW4

Word Switch Digit ADD 2 %MW4

Word Switch Digit ADD 1 %MW4

5- Digit SUB: Pressing the word switch decrements the PLC relevant address value. The
decrement amount is function of the selected number system (HEX or BCD) and the
position of the digit to be decremented by 1. For example selecting BCD as the number
system and 3 as the digit position, each press decrements the hundredths position by 1 until
reaching 0 after which the hundredths position returns to 9 and new decrement cycle start
again.

Example 6 , Design HMI page such that the operator can set the PLC memory word
%MW4 in thumb wheel like decreasing manner .

Solution:
Device Type Operation Mode Set Address
Value
Numeric 16 bit, BCD %MW4
display
Word Switch Digit ADD 4 %MW4

Word Switch Digit ADD 3 %MW4

Word Switch Digit ADD 2 %MW4

Word Switch Digit ADD 1 %MW4

6- Script: Pressing the word switch executes the assigned C language program segment like
script.

Example 7 , Give HMI utility that inverts the state of %MW1.0 each time the word
switch %HW4 is pressed;

Solution:

Device Type Operation Mode Set Address

Value
Bit lamp %MW1.0

Word Switch Script invert %HW4

// Scrip name is invert

@[X:%MW0.0]=!@[X:%MW0.0];

Error:

4- Numeric Input

This device is used to modify and display the PLC related word or double Word.
For 16 bit size word the supported numeric formats are the unsigned DEC, signed DEC,
Octal, Hex, Bin, and BCD . For 32 bit size, the float data type is added to the previous list.
This numeric device allows the designer to modify the relevant PLC word with the scaled
version of what is entered in this device in addition to keep the entered value between the
selected minimum and maximum limits if scaling check box is marked. Masking the input
data is possible if the cipher check box is selected. Here and only
for 32 bit size word, one must understand that memory word k (%MWk) refers to the
PLC's memory double k/2 (%MD(k/2) k is positive even integer).

Example 8 , Propose HMI screen to allow the operator to modify any item of 4*4 real
data type matrix. Assume the PLC name of this matrix is Y, its start address is %MD0, the
rth raw index address is MW40, and the cth column index address is %MW41 ( MW40 and
MW41 are both of 16bit size.
Solution:
HMI Screen HMI Devices Address Map

%MW2 %MW4 %MW6 %MW8

%MW10 %MW112 %MW14 %MW16

%MW18 %MW20 %MW22 %MW24

%MW26 %MW28 %MW30 %MW32

%MW32 %MW40.0 %MW40.1

PLC program segment PLC Relevant Address Map ( Y items addresses )

// ST instruction
%MD1 %MD2 %MD3 %MD4
// r is integer type data with address %MW40
%MD5 %MD6 %MD7 %MD8
// c is integer type data with address %MW41
%MD9 %MD10 %MD11 %MD12
// Z is real type data with address %MD17
%MD13 %MD14 %MD15 %MD16
Z:= Y[r,c];

%MD1 %MW40.0 %MW40.1

5- Numeric Display

This device is used to display the PLC related word or double Word according to
the required format. For 16bit size word the supported numeric formats are the unsigned
DEC, signed DEC, Octal, Hex, Bin, and BCD . For 32 bit size, the float data type is added
to the previous list. It also provides scaling facility so that the PLC related address content
can be transformed to the value the end user can well understand or in other words to
emulate the real environment.

Example 9 , Design HMI utility that displays the binary, octal, and hex equivalent of
unsigned decimal number.
Solution:

15 1111 17 F

Numeric Type Configuration Set Address

item Value
input Unsigned Dec %MW1
1
5

Display Bin %MW1

1111

Display Octal %MW1

17
1
7

Display Hex %MW1

F

6- Graph meter

The graph meter display device displays the value of PLC relevant word or double word
numeric data in term of the position of clock like hand moving clockwise or counter clock
wise inside one of circle, top-half circle, bottom-half circle, left-half circle, right-half circle,
top-fan, bottom-fan, left-fan, right-fan, or 3/4 fan shapes. The pointer swings between upper
and lower limits fixed during the design phase of this device. This device deals with word
and double word data types. For word (16bit size), the supported numeric formats are
the unsigned DEC, signed DEC, and BCD . For double word ( 32 bit size), unsigned
DEC, signed DEC, BCD, and float data type are supported.
Example 10 , Design clock page with three hands ( second hand, minute hand, hour
hands).

Solution:

Item Address Lower Lower PG image Border Direction Point Function

limit limit (x)
setting setting
Graph %MW220 0 60 Transparent Transparent CW 0 Seconds hand
meter
Graph %MW221 0 60 Transparent Transparent CW 12 Minutes hand
meter
Graph %MW222 0 60 Transparent Transparent CW 0 Hours hand
meter