When the machine is good but its operation no longer is
Many machines have been running reliably for years – only the user interface has stood still. Small fonts, nested menus, messages with error codes instead of explanations: new staff take a long time to work confidently, and experienced operators have learned to work around the interface. In sales, an outdated interface also makes the whole machine look old-fashioned.
Bitclipse overhauls and redesigns the user interfaces of existing machines. The aim is an HMI that is clearer, quicker to operate and in line with the current standard of your products – without you having to redevelop the machine itself.
A modernised interface pays off in everyday work: operators find functions faster, settings are set incorrectly less often, and messages explain what to do instead of just showing a code. New staff become independent sooner, and service technicians spend less time explaining where a setting is hidden. For your customers, the machine once again looks as up to date as it is technically.
Planning a new machine or a new device? Then you will find everything about HMI development for machines and devices.
What you get
- A review of the current interface: which procedures are cumbersome, where operating errors happen and what operators and service would like
- A new operating concept that simplifies frequent tasks and cleanly separates rare settings from them
- A contemporary design with easy-to-read values, clear states and understandable messages
- Implementation of the new interface with Embedded Wizard
- A changeover that is planned around your operations and your customers
- Documentation of the new interface for service, training and later extensions
Typical reasons
Long training times
New operators need weeks, because the interface only makes sense with a lot of experience.
Frequent operating errors
Certain settings are set incorrectly again and again, resulting in scrap or downtime.
New display
A new display or control panel is a good opportunity to rethink the interface as well.
Impression in sales
The machine should look as modern to customers and at trade fairs as it is technically.
How a modernisation works
- Review: We look at the current interface and how people work with it, and collect feedback from operators and service.
- Concept: We reorganise screens and procedures but keep familiar terms, so that experienced operators quickly find their way around.
- Design and prototype: You see the new interface early as a draft and can click through it on a PC.
- Implementation: We implement the new HMI with Embedded Wizard and coordinate the connection to the existing device software with your team.
- Introduction: We plan the changeover together, for example with the next machine generation or as an update for machines already in use at your customers.
Technology: Embedded Wizard
We implement the new interface with Embedded Wizard, a tool for graphical user interfaces on devices and machines. It enables modern, smooth interfaces even on hardware with little memory. The interface can be tested on a PC before it runs on the machine – so operators and service can try out the new operation early and have their say.
This is particularly valuable in a modernisation: the old and the new interface can be compared side by side, and people who have operated the machine for years can say early on whether a new procedure really is better in everyday use. The result is an interface that does not just look more modern but is also easier to operate.
Frequently asked questions
Does the machine have to be rebuilt for a new interface?
Not necessarily. The interface can often be renewed on the existing hardware. Whether the display and computing power are sufficient is something we clarify during the review.
Will experienced operators find their way around the new interface?
Yes, if this is taken into account during planning. We keep familiar terms and procedures and mainly change what costs time today or leads to mistakes.
How much does an HMI modernisation cost?
That depends on the size of the current interface and on whether only the design or also the procedures are rethought. After the review you receive a quote with a clear cost range.
How long does a modernisation take?
That depends mainly on how many screens the current interface has. After the review you receive a schedule with interim milestones, so that you can see at any time where the project stands.
Can we start small?
Yes. We often begin with the most important screens, such as the main screen and the messages, and renew the rest step by step.
Do you also work with machine builders in Germany and Austria?
Yes. Most of the collaboration takes place via video calls and regular interim versions that you can try out on a PC yourself. Meetings on site are possible by arrangement.