Increasing HMI Usability in Different Environments

In the majority of heavy equipment application environments, there are numerous inescapable factors that will affect how an operator can interact with and control a machine. If they work within an enclosed cab structure, some of these influences can be controlled through component and structure design. But whether you’re working with an exposed operator control station or a full cab, there are certain factors to consider when designing your machine’s HMI to optimize its usability, and in turn, operator production and experience.

UV Exposure

When working with a full cab design, the effects of intense UV exposure can be somewhat mitigated through tinted glass and the overall structure. However, if your machine either has standard issue windows or if the operator is not covered, you will need to take that glare into account when selecting any displays used for machine control, as well as their placement. For example, when you have a display that will be more exposed, selecting a component with an optically bonded screen for readability or a ceramic screen, as organic materials have proven to fail under intense UV light over time.

Operating/Storage Temperature Range

Just because your machine isn’t used in snow removal does not mean that operators may not still deal with cold temperatures while using its primary controls. If there are regularly utilized controls built into the side of a machine, and that machine is used for a majority of the year, it’s likely that there will be occasions when operators are wearing gloves. In that case, you would likely want to avoid using touch screen displays or utilize a custom solution that’s been adapted to utilize both buttons and a touch screen so that operators can choose based on the circumstance. Also keep in mind that all controls have operating temperature limits, and some controls, like displays, will not operate as well in the lower degrees of their range.

Environmental Contaminants

While a greater concern for exposed controls, environmental contaminants are bound to happen in almost any rugged machine application. Still, the degree to which you need to safeguard against these does vary depending on control exposure. If you have any machine controls, like switches or a display, as discussed earlier, certain ingress protection codes (example IP67) must be met in order to safeguard from dirt, water, and other elements. Also, a somewhat obvious fact but still important to note, if your controls will be dirty and in need of a washdown at the end of a job, connectors and other electrical elements must be properly protected.

Vibration and Shock

Looking beyond visible environmental factors, the type of terrain will also affect how easily an operator can use primary controls. For instance, if a machine is primarily working on a steep grade, or on particularly uneven ground, there will be a significant amount of jostling and machine vibration, and the operator’s ability to utilize all the necessary controls will be impacted. In this scenario, rather than attaching too many controls on to the armrest, utilizing post pillars or the dashboard is a more stable set up as they will be attached directly to the machine’s structure.

At GS Global Resources, we work with OEMs to determine the biggest environmental concerns to your machine and how that impacts the integrated controls and overall HMI design. Contact us today to discuss how we can improve your machine.