Remote - Spring 2016 - (Page 18)

Feature Article Different Hardware Platforms, Same HMI Software Modern HMI Software is no Longer Platform Specific, Allowing Users to Create Once and Run on Many Different Runtime Targets. Larry Combs, InduSoft Director of Global Customer Support InduSoft Web Studio, by Schneider Electric Software The early days of HMIs were driven by the hardware platform, as most HMI software came installed on the supplier's hardware and only ran on that platform. The introduction of the PC in the 1980s changed this paradigm, as HMI software became separated from the hardware platform. This allowed users to purchase the software separately, and run it on the PC of their choice, providing the computer met certain performance requirements. The PC and the resulting disconnect between the HMI hardware and software brought about the birth of HMI software vendors such as InduSoft Web Studio. These software-based HMIs could run on any Windows-based PC, and InduSoft Web Studio became the first HMI software to be certified for use on embedded Windows CE, ushering in the HMI multi-platform movement. Software-based HMIs running on standard and embedded Windows became powerful applications over the years as PC and embedded platforms rapidly improved in terms of price/performance ratios. Features such as sophisticated graphics libraries, animation and recipes were added, taking advantage of expanded hardware and operating systems capabilities. From the beginning, PCs and embedded platforms contained multiple communication ports, and software-based HMIs eventually utilized these comm ports to connect and communicate to hundreds of different types of controllers and smart devices through built-in software drivers. Combining the PC and embedded platforms with software-based HMIs now allows hosting of a wide range of communication protocols, often multiple protocols at the same time. This permits the HMI to be used as a connection hub for both local and remote controllers, machines and processes. Today, the popular Windows platform is starting to fragment, and other platforms are becoming available, particularly for mobile and embedded devices. Having an HMI software application that supports SCADA and other applications-yet can be converted, transferred to and operated on different hardware platforms and operating systems-confers advantages to users. What Makes HMI Software Platform Agnostic? Modern HMI software such as InduSoft Web Studio can run on a multitude of different computing platforms and operating systems (Table). In manufacturing facilities, most HMIs run on a Microsoft Windows-based PC. Not only does the HMI run on the PC but the HMI application is usually developed on the PC. Table: Computing Platforms and Operating Systems 1. Windows 2. Windows Embedded 3. Linux 4. Wind Riveer VxWorks 5. Andriod 6. iOS OS X The development environment of modern HMI software typically supports all of the main operating systems for Windows Desktop and Server editions currently supported by Microsoft. The developed HMI application is then deployed to other platforms and operating systems as a runtime application. A PC-based HMI runtime version of the software can run on Microsoft Windows operating systems for desktop and servers. The Windows platform works with any size HMI application, but is ideal for medium and large systems, up to 10 million tags, running in a PC on the plant floor, control room or even on the cloud. Windows Embedded, running on a wide variety of edge devices, is a common HMI for runtime only application, with development of the runtime application done on a separate Windows-based PC. The Microsoft Windows Embedded operating system is ideal for small to medium systems, up to 4000 tags or so, running on embedded device or HMI panel hardware. This platform works well in applications that do not have the hardware requirements of a full-blown Windows-based PC. Advantages of scaling down to an embedded platform include lower costs, a smaller footprint and improved application longevity. Linux and Wind River VxWorks platforms are also used on a wide variety of edge devices. VxWorks has a large share in traditional real-time operating systems, while Linux has more than a 25 percent share of embedded shipments. These platforms will continue to work their way into industrial applications due to their low costs and small form factors. Modern HMIs also support runtime applications on Android and iOS/OS X platforms such as smartphones and tablets. The use of HTML5 makes it easy to view the same graphics on a PC, smartphone or tablet via virtually any browser-all with little or no work required from the software application developer because HTML5 automatically scales HMI screens based on the target platform. Users can thus develop the HMI application once and deploy it to a main Windows-based HMI acting as a web server, with mobile devices quickly connecting via standard web browser functionality. 18 www.RemoteMagazine.com http://www.RemoteMagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Remote - Spring 2016

Editor's Choice
Driving Real-Time Insight in the Oil and Gas Industry
One Network to Rule Them All
Rolls-Royce Power Systems Protection Underground Data Center
Going Beyond Compliance: Using NERC CIP v5 as a Catalyst for a Greater Security Strategy
Different Hardware Platforms, Same HMI Software
Satellite Communications: Extending the Reach of Your Monitoring and Control Footprint
Key Elements to Designing an IoT Network for Remote Monitoring
4G LTE Versus Wi-Fi Versus Bluetooth: What Every Aspiring IoT Entrepreneur Needs to Know
SCADA
Networking
Security
Onsite Power
Industry News

Remote - Spring 2016