Phoenix Contact HMI programming in Kenya: BTP touch panels and web-based HMI

With PLCnext, the HMI screens can run on the controller and be viewed on a BTP panel, a PC or a tablet. We design web-based HMIs in PLCnext Engineer.

Phoenix Contact HMIs we work on

• BTP touch panels: web panels for PLCnext controllers
• PLCnext web HMI: screens served directly by the controller

Software: PLCnext Engineer HMI editor. Networks: Ethernet (web-based) to PLCnext controllers.

Phoenix Contact HMI services

• HMI screens built in PLCnext Engineer
• Viewing screens on BTP panels, PCs and tablets
• User management and secure remote viewing

What a good HMI screen should do

• Show the state of the machine at a glance, with clear colours for running, stopped and faulted
• Explain alarms in plain language, with the cause and what the operator should check
• Keep recipes, setpoints and counters in one place, protected by user levels
• Trend key values such as temperature, pressure, speed and energy
• Work in the language your operators use every day

How we approach an HMI project

1. Back up the existing HMI project and note the panel model and firmware.
2. Agree the screens with operators and supervisors: overview, detail, alarms, recipes and trends.
3. Build and test the project against the PLC tags, with simulation before going to site.
4. Install and commission on the machine, checking every button, value and alarm.
5. Hand over the project file, user passwords and a short operator guide.

Tips from our engineers

One project for PLC and HMI

Building the HMI in the same PLCnext Engineer project keeps tags in step and simplifies changes.

Secure remote viewing

Web HMIs are convenient but must be protected with user accounts and a secure network, especially when reached over the internet.

Related guides

See also Phoenix Contact PLC, HMI and drive services overview, Phoenix Contact PLC programming, our HMI service page.