Visualization of process data collected by HMI, PLC and sensors
Remote HMI, Pro-face's remote monitoring solution
Send field HMI screen as JPG, data amount is always constant


A Human-Machine Interface (HMI) is an operator interface that connects a human to a machine, system, or device. It is also called a Man-Machine Interface (MMI), Operator Interface Terminal (OIT), Local Operator Interface (LOI), or Operator Terminal (OT).

HMI communicates with a programmable logic controller (PLC) and I/O sensors to collect data related to the work process and present it in a form that the operator can perceive. This allows the operator to control the process.

Additionally, it digitizes and centralizes data to optimize industrial processes. Operators can leverage HMIs to view and manage critical information and alarms displayed in graphs, charts or digital dashboards from a single console, and connect to SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) and MES (Manufacturing Execution System).

Unlike in the past when workers had to physically walk around to review and record the progress of a process, the introduction of HMI has significantly reduced costs incurred due to lack of information and human error within the factory.

In almost all manufacturing fields, HMIs, which implement visual display of data, tracking of production time, trends, and tags, monitoring of key performance indicators (KPIs), and monitoring of equipment input/output status, are becoming more useful as remote monitoring becomes possible with the development of smartphones and the cloud.

Pro-face is the world's first HMI and has been connecting various facilities and networks since its launch in 1989. Remote HMI is Pro-face's remote monitoring solution platform, allowing operators to remotely check the actual HMI and check alarms, operation logs, camera images, etc. on their smartphones, etc.

We asked Manager Kyungjin Choi, who works in Schneider Electric's Automation Business Unit, how Remote HMI is implemented and how it can help workers in their work.


Q. What is Pro-face HMI solution?
A. Pro-face HMI is a platform created to monitor the HMI screen on site from a higher-level PC.


Q. What are the advantages of Pro-face HMI compared to competitor products?
A. Pro-face has been widely used all over the world, including Korea, since it was first developed in 1989. In line with global trends such as smart factories and Industry 4.0, Pro-face HMI also responds to the rapidly changing market needs, such as connectivity and remote control, as well as HMI hardware functions.

First of all, Pro-face HMI can be seen as having the largest number of connection drivers among HMIs due to its excellent connectivity with devices and PLCs, which is the inherent function of the hardware. As part of the HMI-centric solution, it is also used as an intermediate gateway to upload data from lower-level devices to the upper-level system via the network to which the HMI is connected.

We provide these functional areas as well as customer support including technical support and maintenance worldwide.


Q. Is it possible to control equipment using RemoteHMI?
A. Using the RemoteHMI platform, you can remotely monitor and, of course, operate the on-site HMI from a PC, smartphone, tablet, etc.


Q. How is RemoteHMI being used in Korea?
A. The RemoteHMI platform can be used in various fields, but in Korea, it is widely used in semiconductor lines and logistics lines. HMI is installed on the line where the conveyor passes, and it is widely used in the office so that workers can monitor it without going directly to the site.


Q. How much communication delay occurs when checking the HMI with RemoteHMI?
A. The RemoteHMI platform mirrors the on-site HMI screen by transmitting it in JPG image format. By adjusting the image quality in stages, monitoring is possible without communication delay. Even if the amount of data on the screen is large, the screen itself is imaged, so the amount of data received is constant, and a quick response of 1 to 2 seconds is usually confirmed.


Q. What is RemoteHMI's security hardening policy?
A. To enhance security, we have a separate solution called Pro-face Connect. Pro-face Connect supports TSL connection and X.509 certificate-based connection, and is built on a double security basis with data encryption methods of AES128 or AES256. By linking with this Pro-face Connect, you can start RemoteHMI with a more stable security system.