Research Triangle Park, NC (14 June 2005) - ISA again helps set the standard for automation with the formation of a new standards development committee on human-machine interface, or HMI. The committee is seeking input and participation as it formulates a scope and plan of action. In keeping with its long history of developing integral standards, ISA established ISA-SP101 based on input from users across industry that HMI guidelines and standards would provide multiple benefits, including:
- Reducing operator mistakes and misinterpretations via clear andintuitive representations of conditions and operator control interfaces.
- Reducing learning curves for new operators, and allowingoperators to move from one system to another (often within the sameplant) with minimal retraining.
- Assisting communications and reducing errors betweengeographically dispersed groups.
- Reducing costs of re-invention.
- Reducing rework because differences in design philosophies couldbe solved up front.
- Enabling applications to be developed using HMI features thatwill be supported in future systems and HMI upgrades.The overall scope of the HMI standards project is intended to cover all sectors of process and discrete manufacturing.
"Great care must be used in developing HMI standards to avoid being industry specific," cautions Douglas Peck, P.E., Project Engineer with Middough Consulting Inc., who has volunteered to serve on ISA-SP101.
"You do not want to develop a standard that is embraced by the process industries, for example, but totally rejected by the manufacturing industries."
Initial ideas regarding the specifics of ISA-SP101's work include menu hierarchies, screen navigation conventions, graphics and color standards, dynamic elements, alarming conventions, security methods and electronic signature attributes, interfaces with background programming and historical databases, popup conventions, help screens and methods used to work with alarms, and program object interfaces.
Configuration interfaces to databases, servers, OLE servers, and networks could also be included.
Individuals wishing to participate or provide input are asked to contact Charley Robinson, ISA Standards, at 919-990-9213.
About ISA
Founded in 1945, ISA ( www.isa.org ) is a leading, global, nonprofit organization that is setting the standard for automation by helping over 30,000 worldwide members and other professionals solve difficult technical problems, while enhancing their leadership and personal career capabilities.
Based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, ISA develops standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; and hosts the largest conference and exhibition for automation professionals in the Western Hemisphere.
