Sustainable HMI for optimized user guidance and agile adaptation processes Granulation Systems / ECON
ECON, the technology leader in granulating machines based in Weißkirchen, Austria, is relying on a new user interface that was implemented entirely with HELIO. The new design shows all the key information for an optimal production process and high-quality granulate at a glance.
Implementation
Under the direction of KEB Austria, the HELIO team created a comprehensive interface solution that runs in the NOA environment on KEB's X1 panels. Following a comprehensive UX analysis, the UI was structurally revised and implemented with HELIO in record time.
Optimized User Guidance
A small number of particularly relevant parameters are displayed on the main screen, making them easy to monitor even from a distance. Machine operators can access all important functions with just one click. Thanks to dynamic display properties, users see exactly the information that is relevant to them, depending on their role – no more and no less. The user interface remains clearly structured and logically comprehensible.
Recipes can be easily created, managed, and applied – for quick material changes without detours. HELIO takes over the entire recipe management and relieves the limited PLC resources. For less experienced machine operators, new step-by-step instructions are available that make it much easier to get started with the ECON granulator. At the same time, experienced users also benefit from targeted support for infrequent maintenance and repair tasks. For ECON, it was crucial to create an interface that was both technically impressive and practical.
Greater Efficiency for ECON
The new HMI is based on a user-centered design process: from analysis at end customers to high-fidelity prototypes in HELIO to iterative testing, which ultimately led to the final design. Both ECON as the manufacturer and the machine operators benefit from the result in their daily work. A system abstraction that works for all machine variants reduces the effort required for HMI creation. The modular architecture enables quick customer-specific adaptations. By using ready-made HELIO templates – for language switching, unit conversion, recipe management, and messaging, for example – development time was massively reduced and HMI creation was implemented in record time.
Technology that Impresses
ECON was impressed by a good overall solution consisting of hardware, software, and design. Customized icons and the theme ensure a refined look and feel. Standard HELIO is directly connected to the machine control system via the NOA Connection. Thanks to various connectors, the different control systems used can be accessed flexibly. The NOA OPC UA server provides upstream and downstream machines with customized data packages with individual access data.
An HMI solution that increases productivity, reduces operator workload, and simplifies adjustments – powered by KEB + HMI Project.
