In many industrial facilities, human-machine interfaces (HMIs) installed several years ago remain operational but no longer meet new production needs: too much information is displayed, alarms are difficult to analyze, there is a lack of connectivity with supervisory systems, and there is no mobility on the shop floor.
Modernizing an industrial HMI therefore involves improving three complementary areas: the operator experience, technical integration, and data utilization.
Has your industrial HMI become a barrier to performance?
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Many industrial machines still operate with interfaces designed several years ago. They remain functional, but they can become difficult to use as facilities evolve.
The most common problems include:
An outdated HMI can slow down fault diagnosis and increase the time required for repairs.
In a modern production facility, the HMI must do more than simply display a machine’s status. It must integrate into an industrial ecosystem that includes PLCs, SCADA software, MES systems, and maintenance tools.
Operators need a clear overview of production: equipment status, performance, faults, quality, and energy consumption. Modernizing an HMI thus transforms machine data into information that can be directly utilized on the shop floor.
A modernized interface delivers benefits in several areas:
The goal is not to display more information, but to present the right information at the right time.
A modern industrial HMI facilitates communication between the user and automated equipment.
In particular, it allows users to:
In a connected architecture, it also serves as an interface between the shop floor and business applications.
These three systems are complementary but serve different purposes.
An HMI operates primarily at the machine level, while a SCADA or MES system provides a broader view of industrial operations.
The HMI is used directly by operators. It must therefore be designed for quick and intuitive use in an industrial environment that can sometimes be challenging.
It displays essential information and enables the actions necessary for the machine’s day-to-day operation.
The SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system allows for the monitoring of multiple pieces of equipment from a central location.
It collects data from the machines and enables, in particular:
The MES (Manufacturing Execution System) provides a broader view of manufacturing operations.
In particular, it allows you to track:
An effective HMI modernization must therefore take this overall architecture into account to avoid creating yet another isolated tool.
Ergonomics is often the first area for improvement in a modernization project. An industrial HMI must be designed around real-world usage scenarios on the shop floor. A production operator does not need to see all the information available in the system, but only the information that enables them to make a decision or perform an action.
An effective interface prioritizes:
For example, the overall status of a line, critical faults, and priority actions must be immediately accessible, without having to navigate through multiple menus. The design of a HMI must also take into account actual operating conditions:
The goal is to reduce the operator’s cognitive load and facilitate their interaction with the machine.
A common mistake in industrial facilities is to gradually add new information without revising the overall layout of the screens. Over time, some interfaces become difficult to use: too many parameters displayed, too many colors, too many simultaneous messages.
A modernized HMI, on the other hand, must apply a prioritization strategy:
Essential information → Operator actions → Additional information
The main screens should allow the operator to quickly determine:
Detailed technical information can be made available in secondary views intended for technicians or maintenance teams.
Alarm management is one of the most important aspects of an HMI modernization project. In many production facilities, operators are overwhelmed by an excessive number of alert messages. An accumulation of events can make it difficult to identify the actual problem, especially when a single failure triggers multiple secondary alarms.
A modern HMI should not merely signal a fault. It must help the user understand the situation and take swift action.
Effective alarm management is based on several principles:
For example, an older interface might simply display: Conveyor motor fault
A modernized interface could provide more context: Conveyor on Line 2 Stopped – Motor Overload Detected – Check for Mechanical Jam Before Restarting.
This improvement reduces troubleshooting time and enhances team responsiveness. The goal, therefore, is not to increase the number of alerts, but to provide actionable information exactly when the operator needs it.
A modern HMI no longer operates in isolation. In an Industry 4.0 architecture, it communicates with PLCs, SCADA systems, MES software, CMMS, and other business applications to centralize production data.
This interconnection enables real-time production monitoring, downtime analysis, improved traceability, and the generation of performance metrics.
To facilitate this data exchange, manufacturers rely on open protocols such as OPC UA, MQTT, or industrial APIs, ensuring reliable and scalable communication between equipment and information systems.
A modern industrial HMI is no longer used solely to display a machine’s status. It also transforms available data into useful insights to improve shop floor performance.
Today, industrial equipment generates a wide range of parameters:
The challenge is to select the indicators that are truly useful for each user. An operator will need information that allows them to take immediate action on the machine. A production manager, on the other hand, will look for indicators that enable them to analyze overall performance:
For maintenance, data from HMIs can also help identify deviations before a major breakdown occurs. Effective use of this data thus enables a shift from a reactive approach to a more preventive one.
Manufacturers’ needs are no longer limited to fixed operator stations. Maintenance, quality, and production teams often need to access information directly on the shop floor, as close as possible to the equipment. Rugged industrial tablets address this need by allowing users to view machine data from various locations throughout the shop floor.
They can be used to:
Unlike consumer-grade devices, rugged tablets are designed to withstand industrial conditions:
Rugged mobile devices thus ensure continuous access to information between the office and the field.
The modernization of HMIs often involves greater integration of industrial equipment with internal networks or business applications. This evolution improves access to data but also requires strengthening system security.
A modern HMI architecture must incorporate several measures:
For example, an operator may have access to a machine’s standard controls, while an authorized technician may have access to advanced maintenance functions. Cybersecurity should not be an afterthought. It must be integrated from the very beginning of the architecture design to ensure the reliable and sustainable operation of the facilities.
The choice of a human-machine interface is not based solely on its software features. The choice of hardware therefore depends less on the available technology than on the context of use: a fixed operator station, centralized supervision, or mobile operations.
An automated production line, a food processing facility subject to frequent cleaning, or a technician working in the field will have different requirements. It is therefore essential to select equipment suited to the operating conditions to ensure its long-term reliability.
Panel PCs aregenerally preferred when it is necessary to combine the display and the computing unit into a single compact device. Installed directly on the machine or in a cabinet, they provide a reliable solution for operator stations subject to mechanical, thermal, or vibrational stresses.
The industrial display, combined with a remote industrial PC, offers greater flexibility when multiple display sizes are required or when the computing unit must be installed in a control cabinet.
Finally, rugged tablets meet the growing need for mobility. They allow technicians to access supervisory data, maintenance procedures, or alarm histories directly in the field, without having to return to a fixed workstation.
The first step is to analyze the HMI systems already in place. The goal is to identify the pain points encountered on a daily basis: complex navigation, hard-to-read alarms, lack of information, or usability issues.
This audit also helps identify differences between machines in order to define a future common standard.
Operators and maintenance technicians are the primary users of HMI systems. Their feedback is essential for understanding the real needs on the ground.
Involving teams from the design phase onward helps create more intuitive interfaces and facilitates their adoption during deployment.
The project must take into account existing equipment, communication protocols, cybersecurity constraints, and future changes in the workshop.
An open architecture simplifies the integration of new equipment and minimizes the need for custom development.
Deploying a new HMI on a pilot line allows you to validate its usability, correct any potential issues, and train users before a larger-scale rollout.
This approach reduces the risk of production downtime and improves project acceptance.
Replacing an old screen with a newer model without revising how information is organized often results in the same usability issues persisting. Modernization must focus as much on the user experience as on the hardware.
An interface that’s too cluttered quickly becomes counterproductive. Operators must have immediate access to essential information, while secondary data should remain available on dedicated screens.
A user interface designed solely by technical teams does not always meet the demands of the field. Involving operators from the start of the project improves usability and fosters acceptance.
Connecting a user interface to the industrial network without defining appropriate security rules can expose the facility to unnecessary risks. Access management and network segmentation must be integrated from the design phase.
If you answered “no” to several of these questions, upgrading your HMIs could be a key driver for improving industrial performance.
On a packaging line, operators were using an HMI developed several years earlier. As the machine evolved, new screens and settings had been added without any real consistency, making navigation difficult.
The modernization project involved completely rethinking the interface’s ergonomics. Essential information—such as machine status, causes of downtime, format changes, and production metrics—was consolidated onto a single home screen. Alarms were prioritized, and restart procedures were integrated directly into the HMI.
Operators quickly became more self-sufficient, while maintenance teams reduced the time spent diagnosing breakdowns.
In a workshop containing dozens of pieces of equipment spread out over a large area, technicians were wasting a significant amount of time traveling back and forth between the machines and the control station.
The company deployed ruggedized tablets that provide direct access to monitoring information, alarm histories, and technical documentation. Technicians can now view data right at the machine, fill out their service reports, and follow maintenance procedures without interrupting their workflow.
This approach improves the teams’ responsiveness and facilitates first-level service calls.
In industries subject to strict regulatory or quality requirements, traceability is a major challenge.
By connecting HMIs to the MES system, production data, process parameters, and operator actions are automatically recorded. This gives production managers a more accurate view of line performance and enables them to quickly analyze the causes of non-conformities or downtime.
This continuity of information also facilitates audits and contributes to continuous process improvement.
Modernizing a human-machine interface is not just about replacing a screen. It is an opportunity to improve ergonomics, make operators' jobs easier, and make better use of production data.
By leveraging a tailored architecture, robust equipment, and integration with existing industrial systems, companies can improve team responsiveness, plant availability, and workshop management. A phased approach, built around on-the-ground needs, allows for the modernization of HMIs while keeping costs and impacts on production under control.
Why modernize an older industrial HMI?
A modern HMI improves ergonomics, speeds up maintenance, facilitates troubleshooting, and enables better use of production data.
Is it possible to modernize a machine without replacing the PLC?
The HMI allows for local control of a machine, while the SCADA system monitors multiple pieces of equipment, centralizes data, and provides a comprehensive view of production.
What is the difference between an HMI and SCADA software?
The choice depends on the application: a Panel PC for controlling a machine, an industrial display for a supervision station, and a rugged tablet for mobile field operations.
What hardware should you choose for an industrial HMI?
The duration depends on the number of pieces of equipment involved and the complexity of the installation. A phased approach, starting with a pilot line, generally helps minimize production downtime.
What is the cost of an HMI modernization project?
The budget varies based on several factors: the number of machines involved, the complexity of the interfaces, integration with existing systems, and the choice of hardware. A phased modernization, carried out machine by machine or line by line, often allows for spreading out the investment while minimizing production downtime.