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Machine builder HMI
A standard HMI for a new machine model, built once and shipped with every unit.
Manufacturing / HMI Software
HMI software operators can read at a glance
Operator screens full of bright colours and animated pumps hide the one value that matters. Agnotic Technologies designs and builds HMI software for machine builders and plants: a clear display hierarchy, alarms that mean something, web-based screens over OPC UA and access control at the operator layer.
Hierarchy
Overview to diagnostics
Alarms
Prioritized and shelved
OPC UA
Web-based screens
Trusted by global innovators
Industry Overview
What is HMI software?
HMI software is the human machine interface an operator uses to watch and run a machine or process line: the screens, alarms, trends and controls. Agnotic Technologies builds HMI software and web-based HMIs over OPC UA for machine builders and plants, following high-performance HMI practice, with role-based access and a log of operator actions.
Industry Challenges
Why do legacy HMI screens slow operators down?
Most HMIs grew screen by screen over years. The result is hard to read exactly when it matters.
Every screen is a detailed process picture, so an operator has to hunt for the abnormal value.
Colour is used for decoration, so red and green no longer stand out when something goes wrong.
Alarms flood during an upset, and the important one is buried under nuisance alarms nobody rationalized.
The HMI runs on an ageing panel PC whose operating system and runtime can no longer be patched.
Anyone at the panel can change a setpoint, and there is no record of who did.
Screens were never tested against a simulation, so problems surface during commissioning.
Display hierarchy
What should each HMI display level show?
We design the screen set top down with this hierarchy, so an operator moves from overview to detail in a few steps and always knows where they are.
| Level | What the operator sees | Actions allowed | Alarm treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1: plant or line overview | Key values and trends for the whole area in muted greys, with colour kept for abnormal states | Navigation only | Count and highest priority of active alarms per unit |
| Level 2: unit or machine | Everything an operator needs for normal running of one unit or machine | Start, stop, mode changes and setpoint changes within limits | Active alarms for the unit with priority; acknowledge and shelve by authorized roles |
| Level 3: equipment detail | One equipment item or loop with its faceplate, interlocks and trends | Manual operation and tuning by authorized roles | Alarm detail with cause and response guidance from the alarm database |
| Level 4: diagnostics | Device diagnostics, I/O status and communication health | Maintenance actions by maintenance roles | Diagnostic and system alarms routed to maintenance, not operators |
Our Approach
How do we approach an HMI build?
Three choices made before any screen is drawn.
Start from tasks and the alarm philosophy
We list what operators actually do in normal running, start-up and upsets, and agree alarm priorities with operations before designing screens.
Design in greys first
Neutral backgrounds and restrained graphics, with colour reserved for abnormal conditions, so a problem stands out on any level.
Separate viewing from control
Browser clients can show screens widely, but control actions are allowed only from authorized stations and roles, and every action is logged.
Capabilities
What does our HMI development cover?
We build the operator layer. PLC logic programming and safety instrumented systems stay with your controls engineers.
Screen set design
Display hierarchy, navigation and a style guide for colours, symbols and faceplates.
Alarm presentation
Priorities, acknowledge, shelving and suppression shown clearly, with an alarm summary and history.
Web-based HMI over OPC UA
Browser clients fed by an OPC UA client that uses the security mode your network requires.
Trends and historian views
Live and historical trends for the values operators compare during an upset.
Role-based access and audit
Sign-in, roles and a log of every operator action with user, time, old and new value.
Legacy panel HMI replacement
Tag and screen inventory from the old project, rebuilt and tested against the same machine.
Languages and units
Screens in the operators' languages and local units, switched per user.
Simulation test bench
Simulated tags that drive every screen before the HMI meets the real machine.
How It Works
How does a web-based HMI connect to the machine?
The layers we build for a web HMI. Control logic stays in the controller.
PLCs and controllers
Existing logic is left untouched. The tags the HMI needs are exposed through an OPC UA server.
01
1
OPC UA server
Runs on the controller or a gateway, with user authentication and the Sign or SignAndEncrypt mode your security plan sets.
02
2
HMI server
Subscribes to tags, holds alarm state, enforces roles and writes the operator action log.
03
3
Operator clients
Browsers at the panel or in the control room; control actions only from authorized stations.
04
4
Enterprise boundary
Read-only data passes to the historian, MES or SCADA integration layer through the plant DMZ.
05
5
Engineering Stack
Standards, protocols and tools for HMI software
Chosen to fit your controllers, your network rules and your operators.
Practices and standards
ISA-101 HMI practiceANSI/ISA-18.2 alarm managementISA/IEC 62443NIST SP 800-82
Protocols
OPC UAModbus TCP and EtherNet/IP through gatewaysMQTT for read-only data out
Front end
React or Angular web clientsSVG graphicsTouch layouts for panel screens
Platform and security
Role-based accessOperator action audit logHardened panel PCs or thin clientsOn-premises or edge hosting
Measured Impact
What should an HMI let you measure?
Measures we build into the HMI and its alarm reports.
Alarm rate
Alarms per operator
Annunciated alarms per operator over time, for alarm reviews.
Standing
Standing alarms
Alarms active for longer than the limit your philosophy sets.
Shelved
Shelved alarms
Alarms shelved, by whom and for how long.
Actions
Operator changes
Setpoint and mode changes by user and shift.
Use Cases
Where do HMI projects usually start?
First releases we scope, each tied to one machine, unit or screen set.
02
Panel HMI replacement
An ageing panel PC project moved to a supported, web-based HMI.
03
Supervisor web views
Read-only screens for supervisors and engineers away from the panel.
04
Alarm presentation clean-up
Alarm summary, priorities and shelving rebuilt after a rationalization.
05
Multi-site screen standard
One style guide and faceplate library shared across plants.
06
HMI software for startups
Equipment startups that need a production-grade HMI for their first machines.
Integrations
Which systems does HMI software connect to?
The HMI sits between the controllers and the plant systems above them.
Control
PLCs and controllers
Data access
OPC UA servers and gateways
Trends
Historian
Supervision
SCADA
Production
MES
Work orders
Maintenance system
Sign-in and roles
Identity provider
Boundary
Plant network DMZ
What we check
How do we test an HMI before it reaches the plant?
Testing happens against a simulation first, then on the installed machine.
Simulation
- Simulated tags drive every screen
- Alarm floods replayed to check the summary stays readable
- Each operator task walked through by a real operator
Factory acceptance test
- Every screen, faceplate and navigation path checked against the design
- Permissions tested for each role
- Loss and recovery of communication tested
Site acceptance test
- Screens checked against live signals on the installed machine
- Alarm priorities confirmed with operations
- Operators trained on the final build
After go-live
- Alarm performance reviewed with operations
- Change requests logged and versioned
- Operating system and runtime patching planned
Compliance-First Development Services Backed by Global Standards
We build secure, scalable products designed for privacy, interoperability, and regulatory readiness from day one across every sector we serve.
Information Security Management
Adhering to the international gold standard for managing information security risks.
Quality Management Systems
Ensuring consistent quality in software delivery and operational process optimization.
Our Edge
Why Global Leaders Choose Us
We combine deep technical expertise with industry-specific knowledge to deliver solutions that aren't just functional, but transformational.
Enterprise-Grade Security
We implement rigorous security protocols and compliance standards (HIPAA, GDPR, SOC2) across all industrial solutions to protect sensitive data.
High-Performance Scaling
Our architectures are built to handle massive data loads and user bases, keeping performance steady whether you're serving ten or ten million.
Accelerated Time-to-Market
Using our suite of internal tools and proven frameworks, we cut setup work so your first release reaches users sooner.
Embedded AI Integration
Beyond simple wrappers, we build deep-learning integrations and predictive analytics directly into the core of your industry-specific workflows.
Engagement Model
How does an HMI engagement run?
We start with one machine or unit and its operators. We agree a fixed first release on the scoping call.
01
Scoping call
Machines, controllers, the current HMI and the network rules.
02
Task and alarm review
Operator tasks and alarm priorities agreed with operations.
03
Screen design and style guide
Hierarchy, faceplates and colours reviewed with operators.
04
Fixed-scope first release
One machine or unit, tested on simulation and at factory acceptance.
05
Site acceptance and support
Commissioning support, training and change control after go-live.
Facts and sources
Which standards shape HMI software?
Short facts we design around, each linked to its primary source.
ISA-101.01-2015, Human Machine Interfaces for Process Automation Systems, gives a framework for designing and managing HMIs through a lifecycle that spans design, implementation, operation and continuous improvement.
Source: ISA, ISA-101 Series of StandardsANSI/ISA-18.2-2016, Management of Alarm Systems for the Process Industries, covers the alarm lifecycle from identification and rationalization to implementation, maintenance and change management, built around a documented alarm philosophy.
Source: ISA, ISA-18 Series of StandardsISA-62443-3-3-2013 sets out system security requirements and security levels for industrial automation and control systems.
Source: ISA, ISA/IEC 62443 Series of StandardsNIST SP 800-82 Revision 3 gives guidance on securing operational technology, including industrial control systems, while addressing its unique performance, reliability and safety requirements.
Source: NIST SP 800-82 Rev. 3, Guide to Operational Technology (OT) SecurityOPC UA supports three security modes, None, Sign and SignAndEncrypt, and the choice between Sign and SignAndEncrypt depends on whether data confidentiality is required.
Source: OPC Foundation, OPC 10000-2, OPC UA Part 2: Security Model
Voice of success
We don't just build products; we forge lasting partnerships. See how we've helped industry leaders transform their vision into technical reality.
“I can clearly see how Agnotic has a unique way of handling end-to-end development. They are always active on quick chat and provide support quickly.”
Aaron Phelan
Founder, Benchmark
“Agnotic combines deep technical expertise with strong domain knowledge. They understand the business context, anticipate challenges, and make collaboration smooth and effective.”
John Pasmore
Founder, Latimer
“Agnotic is the best technical team we evaluated. Their engineering excellence made our work dramatically easier and allowed us to stay focused on what matters most for maternal care outcomes. They took full ownership of the technical execution, and we are always happy to continue working together.”
Kim Smith
Founder, My Lauren
Related pages
Related manufacturing software services
This page covers the operator interface. These pages cover the systems above and around it.
SCADA integration services
Moving SCADA data to enterprise systems across the OT and IT boundary.
Manufacturing execution system
Production orders, genealogy and quality gates on the shop floor.
Industrial IoT data platform
One contextualized data layer for plant data.
Custom manufacturing software development
Our wider manufacturing software practice.
What is SCADA integration?
A short definition of SCADA integration and where HMIs fit.
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More Manufacturing Solutions
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Cross-Industry Reach
The Same Engineering Patterns, Across Other Industries
The technical patterns behind this platform translate naturally into adjacent verticals.
Frequently Asked Questions
The HMI is the operator interface for a machine or unit. SCADA supervises many controllers and sites, usually with its own HMI screens on top. We build the operator screens; data movement from SCADA to enterprise systems is covered on our SCADA integration page.
Usually, yes. We inventory the tags and screens in the existing project, expose those tags through OPC UA or a gateway, and rebuild the screens. The control logic in the PLC stays as it is.
The number of machines or units, the screens and faceplates needed, the controllers and protocols involved, alarm work, languages and the testing your acceptance process requires. A copy of the existing HMI project or tag list lets us estimate the work with you.
They can be, when the design follows your OT security plan: OPC UA with authentication and signing or encryption, control only from authorized stations, segmentation from the corporate network and an audit log of operator actions.
No. Agnotic Technologies builds the HMI and the software around it. PLC logic and safety instrumented systems stay with your controls engineers or system integrator, and we work from their tag lists.
Yes. Machine builders and equipment startups often need one HMI they can ship with every unit, so we build it as a product with versioning, languages and a simulation test bench.
Industries