BW Integrated Systems and the Intelligent Systems team at Barry-Wehmiller have collaborated to design a human-machine interface (HMI) that provides greater insight into your labeling operations and helps increase your plant's overall productivity. An HMI system enables you to increase uptime and throughput, simplify operator processes, and leverage technology to enhance your labeling process.

The pace of connectivity between humans and machines is accelerating, and this technology is critical for keeping up in today’s market. Our SmartLink HMI technology offers intuitive operations, efficient performance, and easy accessibility.

Features & Benefits of a SmartLink HMI

SmartLink HMI is designed for ease of operation and includes countless features to make your labeling operation smoother. Click here to view the full list of features of our Smartlink HMI. 

Training Elements

Training a new user on a piece of equipment as complex as a labeling machine can be time-consuming and complicated. That’s why our HMI makes training as straightforward as possible. Our interface offers video tutorials and on-demand training guides to simplify setup, changeovers, and operations. You can also view manuals and drawings directly on the HMI for a better and more up-to-date information hub.

Remote video expert assistance from a highly trained local support team is also available, which you can access through your smart device.

Analytics 

Our interface includes several valuable pieces of information to help increase uptime and throughput. It shows how a particular machine has been performing over a given time. The analytics dashboards provide critical, real-time information regarding the machine’s availability, performance, and condition. The inspection totals are also easy to see.

The performance figure takes in your requested rate and tells you the current cycle rate to help advise you in the future. Finally, the quality metric tells you how many items have gone through the system and how many rejects there have been.

Diagnostics

You’ll also have access to all the essential diagnostic information you need. This includes conveyor and head levels. You can see any diagnostic issues, such as a tripped scroll. Our HMI will tell you precisely what the concern is and how to fix the problem.

There is also an alarm screen that shows any issues with the machine. There are active alarms and historic alarms (alarms from the past). You can click on an alarm to see what the issue is, and the interface will tell you how to solve it. Important information, such as the time of a trigger, is also accessible.

Front, Back and Wrap Labeling Systems

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Features & Benefits SmartLink HMI Continued

Easy Configuration

Several machine configuration settings are easy to access and adjust as needed. One example is the ability to turn off individual components if necessary. A label head configuration allows you to turn on and off functions to meet customer-specific requirements.

The security administration section allows you to add individuals to their appropriate security level group, edit the users in the groups, or delete them. You can also import or export users if you need to replace your HMI screen.

Line Control Screen

The line control screen can be operated in closed mode, which means the pitching device is closed so products won’t pass through; open mode, which is when the pitching device runs when the conveyor is running; and automatic mode, where you can build up a backlog of products before you release them. There is also a conveyor-only mode, a bypass mode for running products but not labeling, and a jog mode for individual setup.

Audit Trail

If needed, your machine can be configured with a CFR 21 audit trail. This trail lets you see all the events carried out by a user on a specific machine. It tells you the ID, when it happened, which user carried out the operation, what the operation was, and both new and old information.

Rapid Changeover

SmartLink HMI technology is designed to accommodate rapid changeovers. It provides easy access to parameters and recipes, which can be stored directly in the HMI.

The recipe selection section is where the operator can select what material they’re running and download the recipe they need. A changeover screen shows all the Siko Meters you have in the system and allows you to set the value. When you change to your next product, this makes it easier to adjust what you need.

Our HMI also provides video changeover guides to assist operators in understanding how to make changes and reduce downtime.

Maintenance

Our SmartLink HMI improves labeling machine efficiency with preventive maintenance schedules that display daily, weekly, and monthly tasks for your operator and maintenance team. Rather than forcing users to carry out the maintenance requests that appear on screen, we give them the option to carry out the requests instead. We don’t want the required maintenance to slow down your production unless necessary. When something hasn’t been completed, it will be highlighted in yellow to show that you must perform that specified activity.

Parts Ordering

Ordering parts straight from your labeling machine has always been challenging. The part diagrams make ordering the correct part a more precise process, ensuring you get exactly what you need. With so many similar part numbers inside your machines, mixing your order up is easy. With our HMI interface, you’ll no longer need to worry about receiving the incorrect part.

This view does not show every part of the machine, but it will highlight the most essential parts you’ll likely need to order. Our interface shows complete assemblies and more granular and individual parts.

SmartLink Interface

The SmartLink control technology empowers operators with the information required to solve problems or boost efficiency wherever they are. The SmartLink interface allows management to leverage human-machine interface technology to optimize the labeling process in front of the machine or remotely.

Remote machine access (optional) can be utilized through a tablet or phone, allowing for more interface capabilities. The ability to check on your label machines remotely can decrease downtime, especially if the operator needs assistance from somebody who isn’t in front of the machine.

Partner with BW Integrated Systems for Human Machine Interface Technology

BW Integrated Systems offers industry-leading HMI for labeling machines that give our customers a competitive edge in today’s market. Onboarding is simple. With on-demand training, your operators can quickly and independently master the interface. Point-of-use tutorials include “how-to” checklists, video tutorials, single-page instructions, and other training content.

Our HMI and the SmartLink technology increase uptime and throughput and optimize the labeling process. Contact us today to schedule a demo!

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