Intelligent, intuitive HMIs in high demand in Europe, says study

Frost & Sullivan's new report "Strategic Analysis of European Human Machine Interface (HMI) Market," now available from Research and Markets, caters to the human machine interface market for Europe primarily over the two broad categories of end users in discrete manufacturing applications and process industry applications.

The main aims of this study are to provide an in-depth analysis of the European human machine interface market to determine its future demand potential and enable the stakeholders to devise strategies accordingly. It features revenue forecasts from 2006 to 2016, as well as analyzes each market segment from an application perspective. Geographic region analysis is provided at the total market level. A competitive analysis is also performed to highlight the key participants in this market.

This research offers an in-depth analysis of the European human machine interface (HMI) market to determine its future demand potential and enable stakeholders to devise strategies accordingly. It also determines the current market demand for HMIs across Europe and, more importantly, the manner in which this demand will change in the future and the operational challenges that vendors will face. It also identifies the drivers for uptake, restraints for adoption and factors affecting the demand for the HMI systems across different process and discrete applications.

Customers clamoring for advanced technical features
Factors-such as the need for technically enhanced human machine interface (HMI) in Europe and the availability of growth opportunities in price-sensitive markets such as eastern Europe-will intensify the competition among vendors in the HMI market. Although the financial crisis affected most end-user sectors across the world, the demand for HMI has been sustained through government-aided stimulus packages in key end-user segments. Steady market expansion will derive from end users looking beyond conventional HMI functionalities to more advanced technical features.

The increasing importance of sophisticated and high-definition displays will support market prospects. The visualization factor, which communicates the system parameters and displays the execution of the process on a screen, is highly valued by shop floor operators. The need for newer and more sophisticated displays is gaining importance, notes the analyst of this research. The ability of an HMI to fulfill this demand is continuing to drive the growth of the HMI market.

Increased government spending on infrastructure, including power and water, is also strengthening the markets growth potential. As an effect of the recession of 2008-2009, governments of developed economies have been aiding investments in infrastructure development, primarily in the power segment and for smart grid projects. This has resulted in a boom in the utilities segment, especially in the use of HMI applications.

A key challenge of the demand for advanced technologies relates to the fact that end users are looking beyond the conventional functionality of HMI. Currently, customers are not satisfied with the usual features of data monitoring offered by HMI. They want the system to be more intelligent and intuitive. Software is the key to intelligent HMI solutions, states the analyst. An appropriate mix of technologically advanced hardware and software will successfully address the demand for more intelligent functionality.

Additionally, the advent of HMI integrated with video capabilities will enable proactive diagnostics in the event of a fault. HMI vendors need to focus on such intuitive trends to meet customer requirements.

Expert Frost & Sullivan analysts thoroughly examine:

• By end-user segments
Discrete manufacturing industries: packaging; automotive; metals manufacturing; aerospace and defense; machine tools; electronics and semiconductors; textile; and woodworking. Process industries: food and beverage; pharmaceuticals; utilities; chemical and petrochemical; oil and gas; cement processing; mining and quarrying; and textile production.

• By geographic region:
Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Benelux, Scandinavia, Iberia, Eastern Europe, Rest-of-Europe.

• By product:
Graphic interfaces; text-based interfaces; mobile operator interfaces; and software.

For more information, visit www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b03b12/strategic_analysis.

Source: Research and Markets

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