Using Android Devices as Mobile Extensible HMIs

Manufacturing processes are currently visualised and controlled using dedicated Human Machine Interface (HMI) components. These single-use devices are typically located at fixed locations in the production hall. This poses significant constraints regarding mobility and extensibility. Smartphones can provide an interesting complementary HMI solution to those standard HMI components. Smartphones provide a mobile solution which allows engineers to access production process data (e.g. access sensor values or PLC logs) from anywhere in the field. Moreover, software on smartphones can be easily extended to provide additional functionality such as access to company services, resources on the Internet or interaction with IoT devices installed in the industrial network. This paper presents the design of a mobile extensible HMI using the Android platform. The design focuses on tackling the security requirements associated with smartphone access to the industrial control system network. The design relies on the Android for Work framework contained in the Android 5+ platform. A prototype setup is realized, illustrating the feasibility of the proposed solution.