Even if the factory becomes intelligent, the decision-making body remains human.
HMI, a tool that helps humans operate smart factories.
Workers need to receive optimized data at the optimal time.


Manufacturing is the backbone of South Korea's industry, accounting for approximately 30% of the country's GDP. To ensure the continued growth of the manufacturing industry, the government has announced plans to deploy 30,000 smart factories by 2022.

A smart factory is an intelligent factory that applies ICT technology combined with digital solutions to the production process to improve productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction. It can be said to be the future of factories.

All devices operating in an intelligent factory must be shared and controlled in real time based on a standardized data model.

To achieve this, tools are needed to analyze data collected in real time to predict demand, manage resources, prevent problems, and identify control and operational issues.

It's true that the more data workers can collect and analyze within the factory, the faster decisions they can make, which increases productivity. However, while the amount of data generated in factories is increasing day by day, there are limits to human data processing capabilities.

While AI technology continues to advance, decision-making still rests with humans. A human-machine interface (HMI) is the operator interface that connects humans to machines, systems, or devices, ensuring that factory operators and managers receive optimal information at the optimal time.

Intelligent factories always require human control, and HMI connects various devices and networks for this purpose.

Schneider Electric's Pro-face HMI Centric solution goes beyond simply using the HMI as an operational terminal. It leverages connectivity that supports a variety of devices, networks, and protocols, and acts as a gateway between OT and IT to higher-level systems, enabling workers to fully utilize data.

We asked Minji Choi, a manager at Schneider Electric's Automation Business Unit, about the definition, role, and potential applications of HMI Centric solutions.


Q. What exactly is "HMI Centric"? Is it Schneider Electric's vision for OT/IT control using HMI? Or does it refer to a solution?
A. HMI Centric refers to Schneider Electric's HMI-based OT/IT control concept, along with various expansion solutions. For example, controlling legacy plants or devices and networks from different brands using Schneider Electric's HMI product line could be called HMI Centric.


Q. Looking at smart motor protection and information monitoring solutions leveraging the benefits of HMI Centric, Schneider Electric's M262, EOCR, and ION9000T devices are used. What role do each device play in implementing motor protection?
A. Smart motor protection and information monitoring solutions first monitor the energy of each motor installed in the equipment, measuring voltage and power through an Electronic Overcurrent Relay (EOCR), such as Schneider Electric's EOCR-iSEM. Furthermore, temperature and humidity sensors mounted on the EOCR monitor the temperature and humidity inside panels such as distribution panels and control panels, protecting motors from overheating and fire.

The ION9000T digital meter precisely analyzes transients and provides detailed fault waveforms through a high sampling rate. This helps users detect and analyze transients that shorten product lifespan, enabling them to respond quickly.

The M262 PLC can connect up to 64 EOCRs via Ethernet communication to transmit and receive motor protection information. It can also function as a monitoring device, allowing users to monitor this information in batches. Furthermore, it features a built-in IIoT gateway for cloud connectivity, saving space and costs.


Q. What is the HSTC (High-speed transient capture) feature, which precisely detects and analyzes transients, and how is it implemented?
A. Transients are transient phenomena. When the voltage rises above 130% of the nominal voltage for a very short time, it can cause damage and shorten the life of power equipment. The ION9000T can precisely measure transients without missing them. With 200,000 samples per cycle (10 MHz), it can precisely analyze transient waveforms.


Q. What type of network is used to transmit motor information to the IT level?
A. For IT-level connectivity, Schneider Electric offers cloud protocols. Depending on the product, drivers for OPC-UA, DA, MQTT, and other protocols are available, and connectivity to numerous databases, including MS SQL and Oracle, is available.

Q. Is the device configuration of HMI Centric solutions, such as smart motor protection and information monitoring solutions, fixed? Can it be modified according to customer needs?
A. Customization is possible. However, reliable functionality is only possible if product configurations and compatibility testing are provided based on the Schneider Electric EcoStruxure platform. Therefore, we recommend implementing the full Schneider Electric solution.


Q. What services does Schneider Electric provide to help you build and maintain smart motor protection and information monitoring solutions?
A. We provide comprehensive integrated service verification for the hardware and software applied to the solution, as well as all necessary guidance for convenient operation by the customer.


Q. Could you tell us about any areas where the HMI Centric solution would be particularly suitable?
A. We anticipate that this solution will be applied across a wide range of industries, including oil refining, marine shipbuilding, buildings, chemicals, semiconductors, and automobiles. In particular, the semiconductor sector, which requires significant technological advancement for smart automation through IoT, 5G, and AI, the automotive sector for autonomous vehicles, and the chemical sector appear to be particularly well-suited for this solution.