Human Machine Interface (HMI)

Q: How do I create graphical controls for my mobile app?

The quickest way to create graphical controls in an HMI like buttons, sliders, gauges, and graphs for a mobile app, is to use our IoT App Creator, a browser-based software that you access from our servers. It can be used with any IoTize wireless product. IoT App Creator is a WYSIWYG, drag-and-drop environment that allows you to:

  • Import your wireless device configuration to start an HMI
  • Organize the layout of your HMI
  • Associate variables or registers quickly and easily with different types of graphical displays or controls
  • Convert data values, create complex displays with multiple variables, or change the display based on data values
  • Test the HMI on your PC and on a mobile device
  • Send the HMI to our App Builder to create your HMI as a mobile app.

This video shows you how it works...

Q: How to monitor and configure a PLC using a mobile app and Modbus?

2 methods allow you to connect to, monitor, configure and control any Modbus-equipped system from a mobile app:

  1. The on-site method connects the system directly to the mobile. This could be done using a wire connection (ex. USB, if the equipment supports it), or using wireless connections like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

    In this case, a Modbus-wireless adapter is configured to connect to the system's Modbus port, and to create the mobile app. See how it works in this video, Instant HMI for Modbus Systems.
     
  2. The remote monitoring method connects the system, via a network to a supervisory platform, which can be accessed with a mobile. It is possible to use a wired serial connection (ex. RS485), or a Modbus-wireless adapter.
     
    In this case, Modbus-WiFi adapter is configured to connect to the system's Modbus port and to a network gateway, and thus to a supervisory platform. A dashboard on the supervisory platform must be created for data viewing and modification. This is essentially the same process when working with any IoTize wireless product. Here is an example of a connection to a Cloud supervisory platform.