Omron has introduced their new NB Series of HMIs, bringing increased functionality and usability to makers and users of small and medium sized machines. There are four models with screen sizes from 3.5 inch to 10 inch, providing TFT colour touch screens with long-life LED backlighting; wide viewing angle; the ability to display over 65,000 colours, and storage of up to 120MB of screen data.

Communications

The NB series HMIs incorporate Ethernet, serial and USB interfaces for connection to Omron PLCs and automation components from a wide range of vendors.  The NB HMI also supports the use of a USB memory stick to upload new versions of your program or for backing up stored data.

Designed with simplicity in mind, the NB series HMIs provide all the features and functions needed to create intuitive operator screens quickly using free downloadable programming software. The software provides flexible window handling, support for 32 languages, and the ability to quickly create animations – linked for example to specific statuses or machine functions – and a host of powerful macros. To save design time projects can be tested in offline simulation mode.

Enabling users to optimise production efficiency, the NB series HMIs provide a number of options for graphical data presentation of both real-time and historical data, providing a readily understandable view of the information. This data can either be stored in PLC memory or downloaded via the USB port to a portable memory device.

In use, status alarms can be set to different fonts or colours to indicate varying priorities or degrees of importance, with options for pop-up alarms, an audible buzzer or setting a bit address in the PLC. Multiple security options are available, for example allowing different security levels to be assigned to different screens and actions, with permission controls for each operator. There are also standard operator confirmation checks to confirm that critical actions have been performed.

Using the new cost-effective Omron NB HMI with enhanced functionality, provides machine designers the possibility to give operators and maintenance staff greater functionality and greater ability to interact with their machine.

Go here to download the NB Series datasheet

Go here for details of Omron’s other HMI ranges