How a full system redesign improved field serviceability, thermal performance and production scalability.
What challenge did the HMI redesign need to solve?
A long-standing Solsta customer asked the Design & Manufacturing Division to redesign the housing of an existing field-deployed human-machine interface (HMI). The platform had performed reliably for years, but increasing operational demands exposed limits in its mechanical design, serviceability and manufacturing process.
Solsta already supplied optically bonded touch displays, embedded compute modules and communications hardware for the system. Rather than treat the request as an enclosure refresh, the team reviewed the wider platform and the customer’s plans for future production.
The redesign needed to address four connected issues:
- Field serviceability: The existing architecture was difficult to access and time-consuming to repair in the field.
- Assembly cost: Labour-intensive assembly and rework affected production efficiency.
- Thermal performance: Cooling limitations constrained operation and long-term reliability in harsh climates.
- Weight and form factor: The unit was heavier than ideal for demanding or space-constrained installations.
The customer also wanted to meet growing demand without major investment in additional in-house manufacturing capacity.
How did Solsta redesign the HMI for harsh environments and manufacture?
Solsta applied ruggedisation, design-for-service and design-for-manufacture principles to a full system redesign, then paired the engineering work with outsourced production.
New mechanical architecture: Designed for rapid field servicing, modular replacement and straightforward access to key components.
Bespoke power-management board: Optimised for efficiency to enable fanless operation, improve thermal stability and support reliability in harsh environments.
Rationalised electronics: Reduced the part count and simplified interconnects to cut assembly time and improve long-term robustness.
Lighter, IP-rated housing: Created for demanding conditions while improving handling and installation.
Solsta now manufactures the platform in the UK as the customer’s hardware partner. For a future US market expansion, Solsta can support compliance-driven design adaptations and replicate production at its Indiana facility, enabling dual-site manufacturing when required.
What did the customer gain from the redesigned platform?
A rugged, field-ready HMI: The redesigned unit provides the environmental resilience, serviceability and reliability required for harsh operating conditions.
Cost-neutral modernisation: The enhanced capability and manufacturability came at a comparable unit cost to the customer’s projected in-house manufacturing cost, without the capital expenditure or risk of expanding its own facilities.
More focus on core strengths: With Solsta responsible for hardware design and production, the customer can concentrate on software innovation, commissioning, training and field support.
A platform for future growth: The programme has created a basis for complementary hardware modules and future variants, with a path to compliant dual-site manufacturing for US expansion.
How can outsourced design and manufacturing support HMI development?
This project shows how Solsta’s Design & Manufacturing Division can take responsibility for hardware development and production, helping customers bring robust, service-ready platforms to market without adding internal workload or manufacturing resource demands. The customer can focus on advanced software and a clear, user-friendly interface while Solsta supports the hardware behind it.
By combining rugged system engineering with scalable manufacturing, Solsta delivered a next-generation HMI platform designed for field use and future growth.