Siemens adds widescreen terminal devices

Manchester, UK – Siemens Industry has added “highly efficient” industrial thin clients to its range of robust human machine interface (HMI) devices in widescreen format. The introduction, it said, responds to an industry demand for server-based systems offering security and visualisation benefits on the plant-floor.

SIMATIC Industrial Thin Clients (ITCs) are described as rugged panel-mount devices that allow the operator use of SCADA, office or IT functionalities directly at the machine.

They offer an improved overview, operability, and productivity of machinery or process plants. SIMATIC ITCs also reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) by allowing more easier commissioning, efficient ethernet networking, reduced software expenditure and minimal service costs.

SIMATIC ITCs, equipped with widescreen displays with diagonals of 12”, 15”, 19” or 22”, can be connected to one or, in multi-session mode, up to five servers, according to Siemens. This flexibility, it said, supports multiple ways to achieve efficient operator functionality.

“Examples of effective use could include cost-effective second operator stations at large or distributed machines in connection with another SIMATIC Panel or Industrial PC, providing flexibility for OEM machine builders, or use as remote operator terminals in client or server applications, such as SCADA, for process control,” said as Paul Herron of Siemens Industry.

SIMATIC Thin Clients are operated using a touch screen or via an external keyboard or mouse connected to the USB interface. There is an intuitive setup wizard to make commissioning and integration into existing networks quick and easy. Remote configuration software enables the Thin Clients to be managed centrally via a network, for example for a parallel firmware update.

Many functions and interfaces are integrated into the device: a gigabit LAN interface for fast communication with the server, two USB interfaces for saving data on a USB stick or external hard disk, as well as for connecting a mouse and keyboard; a web-browser and multiple protocols for flexible connection to other systems.