In the “Smart Connected Factories”, where HMI technologies make processes digital and enable people to make safer, more certain and faster decisions, the 4.0 paradigm requires simple and effective advanced interfaces which allow the operator to manage production systems that are increasingly interconnected and integrated, from multiple devices. In this scenario, Gefran presents G-Vision, the new multitouch capacitive panel PC platform, UL certified, with integrated web server and 4.0 connectivity.

In detail, G-Vision has a large range of bright widescreen TFT LED displays, suitable for any working environment, from 7 to 21.5 inches with a wide viewing angle. The solution allows the creation of scalable pages (responsive in size) and thanks to the integrated web server, accessible from any location, even through the cloud. The Linux operating system combined with the 64-bit Risc quad core - 1.6 GHz processors guarantees high performance of the integrated graphics libraries and allows numerous plug-ins and widgets, such as HTML browsers, PDF and video viewers, as well as the ability to create and print reports.

The connectivity of G-Vision can communicate with all the main fieldbus protocols (EtherCAT, ProfiNET, Ethernet IP, Modbus TCP, CANopen, Modbus RTU) and is Industry 4.0 compliant, thanks to the MQTT, OPC-UA and SQL protocols, the latter being useful for backwards compatibility projects. Furthermore, thanks to the integration of Node-RED, this product is also IIoT ready. G-Vision is managed within GF Project VX, the IDE (Integrated Development Environment) of the Gefran automation product families, which allows OEMs and system integrators to transfer pages from previous applications, enriching them with advanced graphic elements, or to implement them from scratch through the new graphic development environment for HMI GF_Designer HD. The installation of G-Vision is possible both flush-mounted on a cabinet and, in the full IP67 version, with tube or Vesa mounting, ideal for installation in critical areas.

The physical connectivity of the G-Vision 67 model has a 10/100 PoE (Power-over-Ethernet) Ethernet port, which ensures maximum simplicity of connection using standard CAT5 wiring. In addition, there is both Wi-Fi connection to facilitate the device integration and NFC to expand its applications. Finally, cybersecurity is guaranteed through the integrated firewall, which allows network segmentation, and NAT (Network Address Translation) functionality.

“The demand for HMI solutions on production lines is increasing. There are two emerging technological trends in particular: the availability of an integrated Web Server and the creation of pages in HTML format for maximum compatibility with different devices, in order to allow a leap in performance in production management and maintenance. In this sense, the new G-Vision terminals respond to the demands of modern architecture, in terms of interconnection capacity with external systems in order to facilitate machine-to-machine communication and make data and information available to operators, supervisors and production managers quickly, and in a safe and detailed way. In the next few months, the possibility will also be given, through a licence, to enable the execution of PLC code, allowing the development of logics directly on the panel", Lorenzo Taraborelli, Gefran’s programmable automation product manager, stated.