Hoffmann + Krippner announces ‘cloud-ready’ HMI extension for industrial panel PC family

The new flexx-HMI technology allows OEMs to quickly and easily develop advanced and intuitive HMIs that harness the power of Hoffman + Krippner’s Microsoft Windows Compact 7-based flexx-IPC panel PCs. These PCs use the company’s innovative membrane input technology to support cost-effective front panel customisation in order volumes as low as just 20 units. A selection of flexx-HMI drivers supports more than 100 PLCs and controllers, while the HMI software provides comprehensive ‘cloud-based’ support for secure, remote access via any web-enabled device.

OEMs looking to create advanced user interfaces for the platform can purchase a comprehensive development environment from Hoffmann & Krippner. Using project wizards this development environment dramatically simplifies the building of HMI applications including data source creation, screen design, testing and deployment. Once the HMI has been created it is possible to provide users with access to a cloud-based service that supports monitoring and control access from any browser on any hardware.

Discussing the launch of flexx-HMI, Ian Ritson, Hoffmann + Krippner’s UK MD comments, “OEMs developing small to medium volumes of automation systems are looking to keep cost and development time to a minimum. With various low-cost customisation options flexx-IPC panel PCs address this requirement and flexx-HMI is a natural extension to the hardware platform. By allowing them to tailor the runtime engine to the specific application or PLC and by providing a route to rapid HMI development, testing and deployment in a Windows CE environment, OEMs can deliver HMIs at a fraction of the cost of more traditional solutions without any compromise on functionality.”