How do you make sure that operators are presented with all the information they need to make a timely decision, while excluding what they don’t?

Many existing operator interface graphics are inefficient and unsafe, waiting for an incident to occur for the operator to respond. Systems should guide the operator graphically before an alarm or any other deviation occurs because it is easier to respond to events when presented graphical from overviews, rather than reading from a list.

System 800xA provides the possibility to adapt graphics performance according to certain principles in order to provide efficient operations. Operators can choose between regular graphics and high performance graphics.

Graphics are becoming more and more intuitive and the tendency is towards reducing elements and colors instead of overloading process overviews, leading to a much smoother operations flow.

In ABB Ability System 800xA, the user per default has the choice of using graphic elements or faceplates in a classic or high performance style. High Performance HMI expands the capabilities of traditional HMIs of distributed control systems in many aspects. It reduces risks of human errors and decreases operatorrelated incidents by improving situation awareness and leading to a better handling of abnormal conditions. 

Using High Performance HMI can help operators to make better decisions and by doing so improve process safety and process uptime. Some of the main factors to improve the classic HMI are deliberate color definitions, usage to maximize visibility of abnormal situations and reduced complexity. A new style for alarm indications can be used in faceplates and as graphic elements. 

Feature Pack 4 introduced the possibility for the operator to use high performance graphics elements, alarm help and web reports, and the 800xA mobility guide.