Forward vision
July 1st 2005 Keeping key staff informed with up-to-the minute data is vital, yet often difficult. A new shop floor visualisation programme from Mitsubishi Electric takes an intuitive and comprehensive approach Vision 1000 offers top to bottom data display, analysis and interpretation that integrates all functions of a manufacturing enterprise.
It can be used to monitor stores, track and trace production, provide local control, report faults and activate alarms, create production reports and interface with commercial and enterprise management systems.
It enables users to select the simplest, manually operated HMIs (Human Machine Interfaces), specialised fully automated data-gathering business solutions and intermediate level systems according to the needs of their particular plant or warehouse.
Encompassing Open HMIs, dedicated HMIs, IPCs, SCADA hardware and software, the system is designed to satisfy all data access requirements from shop floor to top floor.
It brings together three elements. Open HMIs provide a combination of taskdedicated HMI technology and the flexibility of open drivers and architecture, allowing direct connection to control systems based on technologies from leading automation suppliers.
IPC solutions provide connectivity to dedicated software and to packages such as MX, HMI and MX SCADA. Dedicated HMIs integrate with Mitsubishi PLCs, inverters, servos CNC and robots. Such solutions meet the needs of most industrial users, but the technology really takes off with the addition of Mitsubishi visualisation software as Hugh Tasker, a specialist on visualisation techniques, explains “HMI technology is progressing to a mature position, and advanced users are making the most of the hardware’s capabilities by adopting multi-layered software. For instance, Vision 1000 incorporates programmes for spreadsheeting data capture and identifying trends, libraries of ActiveX controls, OPC servers and scalable SCADA.” Vision 1000 HMIs can be sited in locations ranging from offices to arduous environments. Significantly, they can be remote from the process being monitored and positioned for the convenience of personnel; for instance, a production director may like to be able to access throughput data, packaging machine activity and stock levels all from his office.
Tasker adds “With Vision 1000’s wide capability users can take a more intuitive approach in designing for their visualisation. They can dictate where they want HMIs to be, rather than positioning them near PLCs or other controllers. It’s addressing the issue from an ‘information’ access perspective rather than a control function monitoring angle.” FEATURE • PROCESS ENGINEERING ENTER 340 Tel 01707 276100 www.ipesearch.com/enquiry Keeping key staff informed with up-to-the minute data is vital, yet often difficult. A new shop floor visualisation programme from Mitsubishi Electric takes an intuitive and comprehensive approach Forward vision More articles from Mitsubishi Electric Europe: | 
