Simple and general definition of an HMI
HMI en anglais pour “human machine interface”, ou IHM en français pour “Interface homme machine”
HMI stands for “human machine interface”, or IHM for “Interface homme machine”.
A Human Machine Interface (HMI) is a user interface that connects a person to a machine, system or device. The term broadly defines any device that allows a user to interact with a device in an industrial environment.
Interfacing involves the 3 main human interaction functions:
- Touch (control by buttons, touch screens, keyboards, keypads)
- Looking (monitoring and control on screen, supervision of light columns)
- Listening (audible alarms, beeps)
HMI devices in industrial environments allow monitoring and/or controlling the equipment to which they are connected through a PLC (programmable or not).
The functions are:
- Settings
- Control and command
- Monitoring and supervision
- Storage of historical data
- Intelligent gateway
