16 Tips for an Effective HMI
When designing an effective human-machine interface (HMI) system, every screen, button and graphic matters. This article, “16 Tips for an Effective HMI”, offers a clear and practical roadmap—from layout planning and color usage to alarm handling and usability testing—to help you create an HMI that’s intuitive, efficient and reliable. Whether you’re implementing your first HMI or looking to refine an existing design, these guidelines will help you keep operators in control and machines running smoothly.
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Productivity PLCs from AutomationDirect | Powerful, Scalable Control from Hobby to Industry
From the home hobbyist’s bench to the most demanding industrial plant, the Productivity PLC line delivers the freedom to choose the perfect controller for any job. The Productivity3000 sets the standard for large, complex automation projects that demand expansive I/O capability. For mid-sized systems, the Productivity2000 hits the sweet spot—compact, modular, and feature-rich. It’s powerful enough for demanding applications, yet budget-friendly enough for everyday control.
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Now Available
RHINO SELECT PSRS Series Power Supplies
Starting at $38.00
Lutze Amphenol M12 Pronto Cables
Starting at $10.00
ProSense DPM4 Series Advanced Digital Panel Meters
Starting at $295.00
Viking Drill Bits & Taps
Starting at $13.50
di-soric Patch Cable In-line Sensor Signal Converters
Starting at $27.00
Endress+Hauser FMR Series FMCW Radar Level Sensors
Starting at $750.00
Fibox Miniature Cases, Subpanels, and Accessories
Starting at $24.50
Dold AC Compact Soft Starters
Starting at $209.00
Sumitomo Heat Shrink Tubing
Non-adhesive tubing starts at $9.25 / 10pk.
Supplier Profile: Laumas
From their current headquarters in Montechiarugolo, three family members have grown Laumas into a global brand with deep roots in the industrial weighing and batching market. Their product line is wide-ranging – load cells, transmitters, indicators, weighing platforms and mounting kits – and designed for use by machine and plant manufacturers, system integrators and prestigious brands such as Bosch, LG and Unilever.
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C-more CM5-RHMI Wins Gold in the Design World 2025 LEAP Awards
AutomationDirect is proud to announce that its C-more CM5-RHMI headless HMI has been awarded the Gold Medal in the Industrial Automation category of the 2025 LEAP Awards! The awards program, organized by Design World, recognizes innovative engineering achievements in product and component design across a range of categories.
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Mastering Machine Maintenance
In today’s manufacturing landscape, uptime is everything. Whether producing one-of-a-kind prototypes or high-volume runs, operators and managers alike strive for machines that deliver consistent quality with minimal intervention. Yet, as any engineer knows, the dream of “load a part, push a button, and get a perfect product” remains elusive—especially in low-volume, high-mix environments.
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Monthly Product Giveaway
This month you have a chance to win one of five Wera advent calendars! Enter your info for a chance to win. Contest is open for approximately 3 weeks after the newsletter is sent and is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only. Winner will be contacted via email.
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