HMI & SCADA
HMI and SCADA is the operator layer of your automation — the screens and software your team uses to run, watch, and troubleshoot the line. Mikewill designs interfaces operators actually want to use: clear graphics, real-time status, alarms that mean something, and plant-wide visualization tied straight to your PLCs.
Scope of work
- Operator HMI design on Allen-Bradley PanelView and FactoryTalk View, built around how your line actually runs
- Plant-wide SCADA for real-time visualization, remote monitoring, and control across multiple machines or lines
- Alarm management that flags the right problems, points operators at the fix, and cuts nuisance trips
- Historical data logging and trending so you can see what happened before a fault, not just after
- Recipe and product-changeover screens that let operators switch runs without calling an engineer
- Production dashboards and status displays that put throughput, downtime, and line state in plain view
- Retrofits of dated or clunky interfaces onto existing PLCs — new screens without rebuilding the controls
Our process
- 01
Watch the line and talk to operators
We learn how your people actually run the process — what they watch, what trips them up, and what they wish the screen told them.
- 02
Design the screens and data map
We lay out navigation, graphics, alarms, and tag structure so the interface matches your workflow instead of forcing a new one.
- 03
Build and tie into the PLCs
We develop the HMI and SCADA, wire the panels in-house, and connect everything to your controls over EtherNet/IP or OPC UA.
- 04
Test with your operators
We validate screens, alarms, and data logging with the people who will use them and adjust before the line goes live.
- 05
Commission and support
We start it up on the floor, train your team, and stay reachable for tuning, changes, and additions down the road.
Related case studies
Agriculture, Feed & Grain Automated Feed Bagging & Palletizing for Tucker Milling
A complete feed-bagging and palletizing line for a leading Southeast feed producer, backed by near-daily on-site engineering support.
Metals & Steel 10+ Robotic Weld Cells for Delta Steel & Tube
More than ten robotic weld cells — mixing ABB and FANUC robotics with vision-based quality checks — for a high-volume steel tubing manufacturer.
What's the difference between HMI and SCADA? +
An HMI is the local screen at a machine or line that operators use to run and monitor that equipment. SCADA sits above it, pulling data from many HMIs, PLCs, and lines into one system for plant-wide visualization, remote monitoring, historical logging, and coordinated control across your whole facility.
Can you add better HMI screens without replacing our PLCs? +
Yes. In most cases we design new operator screens and tie them into your existing controls, so you get clearer graphics, smarter alarms, and better data without rebuilding the PLC program or rewiring the line. It's a common, lower-cost upgrade when the controls are sound but the interface is dated.
Will operators be able to run the new interface without a lot of training? +
That's the point. We design screens around how your people already work — clear navigation, plain-language alarms, and status you can read at a glance. We test the interface with your operators before go-live and train the team at startup, so the line stays productive from day one.
Can we monitor production remotely with SCADA? +
Yes. SCADA can bring line status, alarms, and production data to a control room, an office, or a secure remote connection, so supervisors see what's happening without walking the floor. We set up dashboards and access to match your team, working with your IT on network security and remote access.
Do you build alarm and historical data logging into the system? +
Yes. We set up alarms that flag real problems and guide operators to the fix instead of drowning them in nuisance trips, and we log historical data and trends. That way, when something faults, you can see what led up to it and make decisions from real numbers.
Ready to talk hmi & scada?
Get a senior engineer on the phone who can scope your project honestly — and tell you if there's a simpler way.