Supporting cognitive intelligence for smart manufacturing systems using HMI design: challenges and fundamental issues

As the rate of digitalisation grows in the manufacturing sector, there is a need to address the manner in which design for the human experience is conceptualised. In industrial systems, user experience/user interface (UX/UI) as a paradigm does not fit in squarely, as industrial technologies require a blend of humans and technology for productivity. Thus, the aim of this article is to highlight the challenges and fundamental issues related to human-machine interaction (HMI) design in smart manufacturing from the disciplines of Human Factors and Interaction Design in terms of major themes: (1) designing for operator experience, (2) meaning-based analytics and design for complexity, and (3) human-centered design process for enabling reliability, maintainability, availability, and safety. These various challenges are depicted using a case study of HMI concept design for monitoring an additive manufacturing setup. The article concludes by discussing future steps for addressing HMI design in the manufacturing sector.