Product category:
HMIs/Operator Interfaces
News Release from: Beijer Electronics | Subject: Exter Pro+
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 16 October 2006
HMIs have scope for more information
New operator terminals from Beijer Electronics make it possible to have manuals and instructions directly in the machine.
New operator terminals from Beijer Electronics make it possible to have manuals and instructions directly in the machine With the release of Exter Pro+ operator terminals, Beijer Electronics offers new possibilities for information sharing between people and machines
Features such as a PDF viewer and Internet browser make it easy to ensure that operator manuals, trouble shooting and service instructions always are at hand when they are needed.
"The built-in PDF viewer enables machine builders to include manuals electronically in their machines", says Andres Vigren, Strategic Business Developer at Beijer Electronics.
"Most manuals already exist in an electronic format and now the documentation can be made available right where it is needed the most.
The PDF files are simply put on a memory card that is inserted in the operator terminal before delivering the machine".
This means that the information is instantly accessible for the end user.
The operator can immediately find user guides and machine manuals, as well as trouble shooting instructions when something goes wrong.
In the same way, service staff can view the maintenance manual right at the machine.
The documents can be stored in different password-protected levels to ensure that only authorised personnel can access the information.
If preferred, documentation and information can be published on a website from where it is accessed by the operator terminal.
"Exter Pro+ makes it possible to access the Internet or an intranet from any machine in a factory", says Vigren.
"A production manager can save a lot of time by for instance posting today's production plan on a website".
"The operators can then read the information directly from their machines and run them accordingly", he explains.
In many cases, updating manuals and instructions is a tedious task.
Now it can be made very quickly and cost-efficiently.
If the manuals are stored in the operator terminal, an update of the memory card is all that it takes.
And if the manuals are viewed at a website, updates are easily made directly on the website.
Both ways are very convenient compared with sending out and handling revised documents or attachments to earlier versions.
The Exter Pro+ terminals can also be connected to an Axis network camera.
It is possible to show live images with an update rate of about three pictures per second.
"In many applications the operator has to check a specific part of a production line before starting the process".
"Now this can be done from the operator terminal, thus saving a lot of valuable production time", explains Vigren.
Remote monitoring can also be of interest for safety and security reasons, eg at factories, ships, power plants and clean rooms.
A final treat offered by Exter Pro+ operator terminals is the PowerPoint viewer.
A PowerPoint presentation can be put on a memory card and viewed in the operator terminal.
"One of our customers is planning to make a company and product presentation available by a click on the user interface of their machines".
"They see it as a great way to make the end user aware of their complete product offer", concludes Vigren.
There are five Exter Pro+ operator terminals available, three with touchscreen display and two keypad terminals.
For the keypad terminals, a mouse or a keyboard has to be connected in order to take advantage of the Exter Pro+ capabilities.
A 64Mbyte Compact Flash memory card is included at delivery, and it is also possible to use a USB stick to store PDF and/or PowerPoint files.
The Pro+ version of Exter includes all cutting-edge HMI technology that is available in the Exter product series from Beijer Electronics.
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