Features

Conventional supervisory control systems generally require operator desktop computer or operator panel, fixed in the area where personnel works. Furthermore, it is a special device which is designed and configured to perform this specific task.

Using WebHMI, user is not limited of the used device and the location for access to the controlled equipment. This can be any stationary or portable computer, tablet, smartphone, connected via a local network or a wireless access point to WebHMI.

Multiple such devices can be used simultaneously if this is necessary. This adds flexibility and convenience of the control system.

In the control system, which is based on WebHMI, operator, service personnel or developer can organise remote work or service over the Internet quite easily. This allows access to the system, view charts and statistics, make changes in the project from anywhere in the world where there is Internet available.

We provide «http-proxy» service which allows to access your equipment on a simple alphabetic address over the Internet from anywhere without need to use dedicated IP-address (example: http://pumping_station_45.webhmicloud.com/).

In conjunction with WebHMI ability to establish an internet connection through 3G channel, this is the perfect option to manage something like a pump station, located in a considerable distance from the main production site, even without the wired Internet.

WebHMI has a simple built-in graphic dashboards editor, which allows to create a working interface for managing your equipment with the “couple clicks”.

The graphical editor provides a set of standard elements, such as text elements, buttons, various indicators, connectors, sliders, etc. to create both simple screens and fairly complex, such as for large production lines. To create a complex graphic designs, you can use the drawings and graphic elements created in any other specialized graphics program which are added to the WebHMI image library.

Besides these basic elements, the animated graphics can be created using sprite animation or dynamic coordinates for the elements. With animated graphics, it is possible to make screens “live” – to reflect the dynamics of the controlled processes, to show the nature, pattern or direction or to attact operator’s attention to some moving element.

The main way to access the system for control, setup, configuration, or just observation – is a web browser. Any. We tested all the possible options, platforms, resolutions and sizes.

WebHMI has optimal presentation of your data on any device – from smartphone to 70″ panel. Neither operating system, nor hardware platform will affect visualization quality and accurateness.

Using a browser eliminates such common drawbacks of the conventional operator panels as the inability to display large mimics on one screen and allows you to “scroll through” and scale the image on your own.

In some cases, the interface application might fit better for the task than web-browser. This application for any mobile or desktop platform can be easily developed using WebHMI API.

One more WebHMI advantage – there is no limit of users number in general, and of users number working in the system at the same time.

In order to limit the access rights in WebHMI where is a system of rights and roles, which allows you to flexibly assign credentials to different users.

Thus, anyone who works with WebHMI at this moment, sees all configuration changes at once, in real time. The system does not allow for conflicts between user actions, respecting the priority of their level of access and taking into account the time of commands for execution.

With an integrated API, WebHMI can interact with the user’s business applications directly. A typical example – the information of the number of produced production or spent resources from process equipment into the accounting system directly.

Sometimes it is required to transfer in the opposite direction – from the application (for example, from the request for the production or prescription issued in the form of Excel spreadsheets) directly into the equipment.

WebHMI makes it easy to solve such problems by providing access to their data via API.

In addition, you can organize the interaction between WebHMI and another system, such as the SCADA, using built-in Modbus/TCP server function.

The high level of integration of the provided services and the various functional modules in one small device, which are able to replace a number of the usual components of industrial automation systems, makes it applicable in the systems of any complexity and, at the same time, much cheaper.

This is easily verified by comparing WebHMI cost with industrial computer, industrial HMI panels, routers, and another whole list of equipment required for the organization of the traditional dispatching systems or industrial control system with visualization of technological processes. And, even in a system with a small budget, WebHMI will be one of the most inexpensive components.

Another important factor is the deployment speed of WebHMI based dispatching system. It doesn’t require knowledge of programming or experience with SCADA-systems. Creating a simple interface for management of industrial equipment through the Internet takes a few minutes.

WebHMI can operate, for example, simply as a data recorder, which collects, stores and analyzes data, and provides an access to them through the API.

WebHMI can be configured to collect data from certain controller’s registers, for example, a controlled device’s sensors. Moreover, you can customize the data type for each register, connection parameters, scan frequency. With the built-in scripting system and event mechanism, these data can be processed, analyzed, archived, formed into special reports of the required form.

If the controlled heterogeneous system consists of equipment of several types from different manufacturers, WebHMI uses its main functional ability – works as a data gateway which is able to make “speak the same language” controllers and other automation equipment that uses different parameters of communication with different parameter of interfaces.

This greatly simplifies the task of interfacing dissimilar hardware, and now enables to work with it in the same field of project variables. This greatly facilitates the work of the system administrator, who is engaged in project configuration.

Access to the system can be accessed via Ethernet, WiFi or mobile internet.

The most popular and commonly used communication interfaces available to users:

• fully functional USB-port version 2.0 with power management;
• two independent Ethernet 100BASE-T ports;
• built-in WiFi 802.1 b/g/n, working in several wireless networks as a customer and as an access point at the same time;
• multiprotocoled RS485.

All physical interfaces are galvanically isolated to protect the device circuits. In addition, WebHMI has a complete set of network router functions: MAC-addresses filter, firewall, NAT, Port Bridge, WEB-server, VPN-client and more. There is NTP protocol support for real-time clock synchronization.

An important and useful feature of WebHMI is alert function via SMS, Viber and Telegram. This is useful for immediate notification of personnel about critical modes of controlled equipment and emergency situations.

WebHMI provides remote access to the controlled technological equipment (PLC, frequency converters, data acquisition devices, and others.), for its configuration and diagnostics – without the need for on-site presence. At the same time, you can get access to both network interfaces Ethernet (using address translation capabilities and performance, VPN-networks) and to all serial ports of site devices which are connected to WebHMI (via a virtual COM port built-in function).

This is a unique feature that really saves money by eliminating the need for service personnel to constantly visit the objects to view logs, change programs or other activities related to the servicing of distant objects, especially if they are many and they are located at a considerable distance.

Moreover, if a site visit is unavoidable, the staff will already know the nature of failure and arrive for troubleshooting prepared, remotely tested the equipment in advance.

Print any report of the equipment operation, which is dispatched by WebHMI, you can directly from your browser, using a specially generated print version. The printed version will not have any extra headers, labels and icons – just what you need to have on paper.

In addition, with the integrated open source API, you can export the data for use in Exel, Word, 1C, or in any other program. API allows to configure the report formation of any type and complexity.

Reports can accumulate in the archive on an SD card. Using the built-in FTP-server, you can have access to this data if necessary.

WebHMI supports most common data exchange protocols with industrial controllers, inverters and data acquisition devices:

• Modbus ASCII/RTU, Modbus/TCP
• S7 communication over TCP
• PPI (Siemens)
• DF1 (Allen-Bradley)
• OWEN and others.

The RS485 port is able to work simultaneously with all of these protocols at the speed selected by the user.

There is a built-in gateway function: Ethernet-to-COM, Modbus/TCP to any protocol supported by WebHMI, also possible to implement a connection between any two supported protocols with the integrated scripting language.

Ports USB 2.0, via an external converter can be used as RS232, as well as to connect any USB-modem. Integrated watchdog monitors the USB modem operability and, if necessary, for example, when suspended or connection is droped, it can be reinitialized.

Built-in SD card reader is designed for archiving, copyng, user data downloads, backups and restore previously saved settings and files in the project. It supports all standard SD cards up to 32 gigabytes.