The screen on which an operator can monitor and manage the facility can be described under different names such as Graphic Monitoring Software, Graphic User Interface (GUI), Human Machine Interface (HMI), Central Control or Data Collection (SCADA). With the tremendous increase in the speed and capacity of microprocessors, this operator screen can be all the screens from Video Wall systems consisting of multiple screens to the mobile phone screen that we have.
The features that should be taken into account when evaluating graphics monitoring software are as follows. In addition, other topics specific to the operation, application or expectations may be opened.
The files created in JPEG, GIF, DWG, and similar media in relation to the system, facility, room, building to be monitored/managed should be imported and used as visual material in graphic monitoring software. The more realistic an image is created, the higher the level of perception of the operator will be.
It should be possible to create objects that change color and/or shape, flash, and move according to the condition of the monitored system. Especially when too many objects are shown on a single screen, dynamic objects will enable the operator to understand the system status in the fastest manner.
It is important that the graphics monitoring software is capable of receiving data from different systems. It can perform this by using common communication languages such as BACNet, ModBus, KNX, DALI, LON, SNMP, OPC etc. used by the sub-systems to be monitored/managed. The more common communication protocols a graphics monitoring software supports without the need for a hardware or software-based converter, the more flexible a system architecture we can establish. This means faster and cost-effective engineering service.
The graphic monitoring software, which runs only with software installed on the operator’s computer, cannot meet the requirements of our present day. In addition to the PC platforms such as Windows and Linux, we can say that Video Wall, WEB Client, Cloud and Mobile Device support are standard features for the graphical monitoring software.
Graphics prepared in the graphic monitoring software are expected to have similar appearance and function on different screens where monitoring and management are performed, whether static or dynamic. The higher the similarity of Video Wall, Operator PC, WEB Client, or Smartphone user screens, the higher the contribution of the graphics monitoring software to the business.
