OMAC’s initiative to improve HMI usability and reduce operator training is moving to the next phase. As part of its efforts to develop a PackML HMI Implementation Guide, OMAC conducted a usability survey during PACK EXPO International last October. The evaluation challenged participants to complete a series of tasks on three different HMI designs. The goal of the study was to gather first-hand qualitative and quantitative data about how users find information and interact with the functionality of different interfaces.
OMAC’s Packaging Workgroup — which includes end users, OEMs and technology providers — will use the data to help establish guidelines for common navigation structures and consistency in presenting machine states. OMAC’s Packaging Workgroup plans to finish the Implementation Guide by PACK EXPO Las Vegas this year. (See the October 2018 OMAC Column.)