A human-machine interface designed by German packaging manufacturer Krones has been recognised with an iF Design Award.
Krones Connected HMI came out on top in the communication design category of the awards, which cover product, packaging, communication, and service design.
It was judged by a jury of 63 international experts, who were impressed by its intuitive, modern operator interface, clear user prompting, and innovative navigational concept.
HMI – the Human-Machine Interface – is the link between the human operator and the machine, and ensures that both sides can communicate with each other quickly without any problems, according to Krones.
The HMI's housing has been specially tailored to requirements in the beverage industry, and a combination of stainless steel and glass ensures it meets Krones’ stipulations for hygienic design.
The HMI is gaining more prominence as the central point of access to the line’s control system, especially with the advancement of automation and digitalisation.
A navigational structure allows the user to customise the screen’s contents by setting up dashboards to suit a client’s own particular needs, and the large multi-touch display ensures user-friendly operator control.
With open, standardised data interfaces, the HMI links up with higher-order IT systems such as MES or Share2Act.
