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Operator Interface Resource Center

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• › White Papers (31)
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Controls engineers need a variety of information on topics such as display terminals, HMI software, industrial PCs, alarm & annunciation, data acquisition and touchscreens.

Display terminals provide varying levels of operator interface from simple panel meters and text messages to graphical representations of entire processes by use of various types of HMI software.

Industrial PCs are ruggedized versions of PC technology that are suitable for industrial environments, largely by eliminating moving parts and providing more-protective enclosures.

Touchscreens are an alternative to keyboard or pointing device data entry, working well with graphical operator interface software, and providing prompt response to machine alarms.

Timely news, back-to-basics primers, feature articles, technical white papers and descriptions of the latest products all provide valuable insights that can be used in designing and building machine controls.

White Papers: In Depth Research

New Touch Sensors
Author: ITW ActiveTouch
Posted: 10/09/2009
Touch sensitive devices have become increasingly common – from cell phones to industrial touch panels to appliances. These devices typically use capacitive sensors to create the 'touch' surface. In reality capacitive does not require touch, but merely close proximity of an object capable of changing the capacitance of the system. Capacitive systems are typically limited to non-metallic materials, may not work well with gloves and can be susceptible to false activations caused by water. Even with these limitation capacitive works well for many consumer applications.
For situations with more stringent requirements – requiring a definitive touch, wet/underwater applications or high vandalism potential – another technology is possible. Trapped Acoustic Resonance technology expands touch-sensitive capabilities into metallic substrates. The technology, referred to simply as ActiveTouch, was developed by ITW (Illinois Tools Works) over the past seven years, and can turn a solid steel plate up to 0.5" thick into a touch sensitive surface with multiple switch points. The technology even works with ballistic steel, creating the potential for putting a switch in a bullet proof steel plate with no seams.

Optimizing Sortation Throughput in High‐Volume Distribution Centers
Author: Jim McMahon
Posted: 09/02/2009
System Description: Dematic Flexsort distribution system uses an integreated sortation system based on a unified PC/PLC controls scheme.

Optimizing Sortation Throughput in High‐Volume Distribution Centers From the pre‐merge through sortation, the FlexSort integrated sortation sub‐systemrecently released by Dematic is redefining efficiency in high‐speed DCs.

Every distribution system can be divided into five basic functions which it needs to perform including receiving, product storage, picking for order fulfillment, sortation and shipping. Although each of these sectors have experienced improvements due to technical advances, sortation is where significant leaps in efficiency are now being made with Dematic's introduction of its FlexSort integrated sortation sub‐system.

FlexSort is defined by its unique system integration and the efficiencies that the system provides to the high‐speed sortation environment. The logic on how the system is controlled is quite different. All sortation functions are controlled as if it is one unified machine. From the pre‐merge to the merge, to the transport conveyors feeding the gapping, to the gapping function itself, to the linear sortation and finally the take‐away conveyors, the entire process operates with single‐source control and full integration.

Installing Fieldbus
Author: MooreHawke
Posted: 06/04/2008
Many automation engineers are coming face to face with real fieldbus applications for the first time. Fieldbus (the use of digital communications networks for distributed instrumentation and control) is a wonderful technology with many benefits, but fieldbus installation requires some additional considerations over and above normal 4-20mA projects. In this article, we will discuss some of those issues, and show you how to deal with them.

The Advantages of Small Form Factor HMI
Posted: 03/20/2008
This white paper discusses HMI's and the trends, specifically the need for small form factor versions.

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