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Over the years, digital transformation has called for software solutions that are increasingly tailored to each operation. This scenario is what motivated us to expand into a new area: custom software development, with our first project being a Human-Machine Interface, or HMI, delivered to a client.
In this article, we explain what an HMI is, why it makes a difference in operations, how it became part of McFile’s roadmap, and when it makes sense to consider a custom solution.
What Is an HMI?
HMI stands for Human-Machine Interface. ). In practice, it is the display, usually a touchscreen, through which an operator monitors, controls, and adjusts a machine or industrial process.
In more technical terms, a Human-Machine Interface, or HMI, is the operator panel of a machine, where commands are issued and machine settings are configured. Commands such as starting, stopping, and selecting which product will be packaged are examples of tasks performed through the HMI.
The HMI operates connected to a second processing unit called a PLC, or Programmable Logic Controller, which communicates directly with the motors, safety systems, and sensors.
This interface is used in production lines, refineries, pharmaceutical plants, power plants, medical equipment, and many other environments where people need to interact with automated systems in a clear, safe, and productive way.
Why a High-Quality HMI Makes a Difference
When well designed, an HMI is no longer just a screen. It becomes a strategic operational tool. Some of the key benefits include:
- Visual clarity and intuitive operation, which reduce the learning curve for new operators.
- Operational safety, with alarms and validations that help minimize human error.
- Data-driven decision-making based on real-time data, with metrics and historical data available at any time.
- Faster response to process deviations, helping identify bottlenecks before they lead to losses.
- Higher productivity, with smoother information flow and less unplanned downtime.
These benefits help explain why HMI projects are becoming increasingly important in the industrial transformation agenda.
We recently delivered our first HMI project
You may know us for our Document Management System, or DMS, platform. But we also develop standalone software projects, and the most recent one is an But we also develop standalone software projects, and the most recent one is an HMI delivered to a client.. This project marks the formal beginning of a new area of business for us.
Based in Switzerland, HMH Systems, a McFile client in the document management space for several years, provides high-precision, high-performance feeders for the pharmaceutical industry and was looking for a solution to operate its machines. This led to a strategic partnership for the development of a custom software solution.
Its feeders are responsible for placing tablets into the blister packs of a wide range of products commonly found in pharmacies. In technical terms, HMH Systems provides feeders for solid pharmaceutical products.
A feeder is a complex machine that operates numerous motors and is connected to the complete pharmaceutical packaging line, including the so-called blister packaging machines. These machines are responsible for preparing the plastic or aluminum material, forming the cavities for the tablets, feeding the product, performing quality control, sealing the blister packs, printing, cutting, and packing.
A feeder machine has hundreds of settings that must be configured for each type of blister packaging machine or for each product being fed. These settings are saved in a database. Every setting or command must be logged in what is known as an audit trail, which is essential in the pharmaceutical industry.
Why Choose a Custom-Built Solution?
For approximately two years, HMH searched the market for a solution that would meet all of its requirements. Major providers such as Siemens, Schneider Electric, CODESYS, COPA-DATA, among others, were consulted. Each offered its own technologies and protocol support, but none fully met HMH’s needs for an HMI.
Some constraints made the search more complex, as the new HMI not only had to communicate with the existing PLC unit using a specific protocol, but also had to support operation through a touchscreen interface across multiple operating systems, such as Android, Linux, and Windows, and communicate with other enterprise systems, including Windows Server and SCADA systems. In addition, the HMI also had to provide advanced security requirements, such as authentication, digital signatures, and auditing, all of which are essential for operations in the pharmaceutical industry.
Why McFile?
Given the existing partnership around the Document Management System, or DMS, and the team’s reputation for high-quality deliveries, certifications, and security standards, McFile’s ability and interest in developing standalone software projects were identified, and the conversation began.
Together with the team at Destaque Gestão Documental, the company responsible for supporting McFile’s DMS platform in Brazil, it was possible to align cost, expertise, and project requirements, and begin the interface development process.
The technology chosen was Qt, a C++-based framework with JavaScript-enabled UI components. Qt was originally used by Nokia in its mobile phones and is now an independent, robust platform with a strong presence in HMI solutions for healthcare and automotive applications.
Regulatory Considerations
Two requirements are fundamental for operating in the pharmaceutical industry: ISO 9001 and 21 CFR Part 11. Without compliance with these standards and regulations, companies cannot operate in this sector.
ISO 9001 is the most widely recognized quality management standard in the market, under which McFile, together with Destaque Gestão Documental, has its development process certified.
21 CFR Part 11 is a set of rules for the management of electronic records. This regulation defines how operational data must be generated, handled, and archived. The generation of digitally signed audit trails is one of the requirements of this regulation and also one of McFile’s areas of expertise.
The Project
Based on a Lean-Agile development methodology, in which the McFile and Destaque developers worked directly with HMH’s product team, a set of required features was defined for the first version.
Once the main requirements for the project were defined, the first HMI screens began to take shape, including:
UX/UI interface design
Development and security standards, based on security by design
Automated testing and code review process
Interestingly, during the original HMI development process for the feeder for solid pharmaceutical products, the need emerged to operate other machines based on the same protocol.
The product elevator, based on a robotic arm, and a damaged-tablet inspection chute were the first products to be equipped with the new HMI.
See the HMI in action:
What Started as a Project Evolved into a Product
The first machines with panels powered by McFile’s HMI were successfully delivered within challenging timelines and are now in production at customer sites in Europe and North America.
The first feeder operated through McFile’s HMI was showcased at Interpack in Düsseldorf, the world’s largest packaging trade show, and the solution will be used in the new feeders starting in 2027.
Want to learn more about this project? Get in touch with us to learn more!
McFile in Custom Software Development
Our role in this new area of business is straightforward: a software development team available to companies that need purpose-built solutions beyond what an off-the-shelf platform can provide.
We bring a flexible approach to adapt to different contexts and industries, working in close collaboration with the client’s team and with a willingness to dive deep into each challenge with the level of depth it requires. This is the way we have worked at McFile for years, and it is now also available to companies that need a custom software project.
Your Company May Need a Custom-Built Solution If…
Some situations where it may be time to talk to us:
- Your operation has a mission-critical process that no off-the-shelf software can properly support.
- You need to integrate different systems that currently do not communicate with each other.
- You want to build an HMI or custom interface for a machine or production line.
- Your team spends too much time on tasks that could be automated with a custom-built solution.
Ready to Talk?
If your company has a software challenge that calls for a custom-built solution, get in touch with us.
McFile. Drive your efficiency.