HMI platform expands communication options.

Red Lion Controls has expanded its Graphite™ Human Machine Interface (HMI) operator panels with two new communication modules, offering support for some of today’s most popular industrial protocols. Designed for use with the Graphite HMI platform, the PROFIBUS® (GMPBDP) and DeviceNet™ (GMDN) plug-in modules provide the connectivity customers need to add powerful monitoring and control functionality to their existing operations.

Red Lion’s new plug-and-play modules support the rising demand for device interoperability, allowing customers to leverage Red Lion’s rugged Graphite HMIs – with built-in protocol converter and 300+ communications drivers – to support virtually any automation equipment. The GMPBDP module adds PROFIBUS DP slave support while the GMDN module allows the HMI to perform as a DeviceNet Group 2 server.

“With the addition of new communication modules, our powerful HMI products continue to provide even more ways for our customers to easily connect, monitor and control processes across a broad range of industries,” explained Jeff Thornton, director of product management at Red Lion Controls. “The PROFIBUS and DeviceNet modules give customers more choices as they seek integrated communication solutions to address varying requirements in industrial and remote environments.”

Recently named a “2014 First Team Supplier” in HMI hardware by the readers of Automation World, Red Lion’s Graphite HMIs offer a built-in web server that enables users to monitor and control applications via PCs, tablets or smartphones. SMS text-messaging and email alerts provide early warning of process issues, which helps avoid costly downtime. In addition, protocol conversion lets customers select from more than 300 industrial protocols to seamlessly integrate disparate devices such as PLCs, drives, cameras, barcode readers and panel meters.