Build a Kinco HMI shortlist from the job the panel must perform. For a new machine, identify the operator tasks, PLC driver and required device connections. For a replacement, begin with the installed code, editable project and cabinet measurements. Then compare display, interfaces, software, power and environment against the same requirement record. Keep the reason for including or excluding each candidate so engineering and purchasing can review it together.
Choose the New-Machine or Replacement Path
New Machine Requirements
A new-machine selection starts with the intended control architecture. Identify the PLC CPU, communication module, operator tasks and other devices whose data must reach the panel. Separate required functions from possible additions. A future remote-service idea should not silently become a mandatory wireless requirement before the site route and maintenance task are defined.
The first deliverable is a requirement record rather than a model name. It should explain what the operator needs to read, request, acknowledge and investigate. Use representative screens to identify the necessary display area, and use the device list to identify actual connection requirements.
Replacement Source and Installation Records
For an existing machine, capture the installed full code, hardware revision where available, working connections and editable project status. A same-code spare and a different-generation replacement involve different engineering questions. Photograph the label and connector area before removal, and preserve the software release and accepted configuration.
An uploaded runtime does not automatically supply editable source and dependencies. If those are missing, involve the machine builder or project owner before choosing another target. The panel replacement checklist provides the dedicated mechanical, source and commissioning review. Preserve the working installation while unresolved conversion requirements are investigated.
Record Operator Tasks and PLC Requirements
Describe tasks in terms someone can demonstrate: display a known process value, select an approved format, inspect an alarm or request a permitted mode. Record which information must be visible together and which maintenance actions need separate permissions. A generic request for a faster panel does not identify whether the actual problem is layout, communication or project design.
For the PLC link, retain the exact CPU and module, protocol, enabled service and chosen HMI driver. Confirm the driver’s supported-device scope in the software matching the candidate panel. The PLC compatibility review separates documented candidates from tested configurations. A brand name or an Ethernet connector cannot replace that evidence.
Add every other device with its required data and route. If a serial instrument is read through the PLC, it may not need an HMI port. If it requires a direct connection, it needs its own driver, electrical mode and channel allocation. That distinction often changes the shortlist before processor or memory comparisons become useful.
Match Display Size and Resolution
Screen diagonal describes physical size; resolution describes available pixels. The source catalogue lists GL070 and GL070E at 800 × 480, and GL2070HE at 1024 × 600, although these are all seven-inch examples. More pixels can support a different layout, but placing more objects on the screen can reduce practical readability.
Use the longest alarm messages, actual units and intended language variants in the review. Ask an operator to identify a fault and select a control at the proposed viewing position. The display and touch comparison develops these checks without assuming a fixed number of objects fits every screen.
When operators need more information, compare a revised layout before selecting larger hardware. Separating an overview from detailed diagnosis may solve the problem. If a larger diagonal remains necessary, assess the new opening, front dimensions and connector space rather than assuming the existing cabinet accepts it.
Assign Communication and Maintenance Ports
Write each connection as device, protocol, physical interface and assigned HMI channel. Include the computer-to-panel transfer route separately from operational PLC communication. A successful project download proves transfer through that route; it does not prove that the application can read the PLC.
The GL070 and GL070E product record illustrates a useful exclusion decision: GL070 has no Ethernet port, while GL070E includes one. If the approved PLC route requires Ethernet, GL070 can be excluded on hardware grounds. GL070E still needs driver and application verification before inclusion becomes a final selection.
A COM channel listing RS232, RS485 and RS422 does not necessarily supply three independent simultaneous ports. Similarly, two Ethernet sockets do not automatically provide the isolation or routing a network design requires. Consult the exact drawing and target documentation. The communication and download guide helps maintain these separate port assignments.
Check Cabinet, Power and Environment
Measure the opening, door thickness, available body depth and space for connector access and cable bends. Use the exact installation drawing to confirm the mounting arrangement. A matching cut-out is only one mechanical condition and does not prove that the enclosure will close or that cables can be serviced.
Compare the actual supply with the selected code’s documented range and connection requirements. Do not transfer a voltage assumption from a related panel. Record cabinet temperature, moisture, possible condensation, cleaning exposure and the operator’s touch conditions. A front protection rating does not describe every rear connection or the complete enclosure.
For replacements, retain the previous wiring record and inspect changes against the new drawings. If the installation needs modification, identify that work in the scope before purchasing. Treat environmental suitability as an input to selection, not something to resolve only after the panel arrives.
Compare Candidates with Include or Exclude Reasons
Candidate Evidence and Unresolved Requirements
Keep two or three credible candidates, each with an explicit inclusion reason and unresolved requirement. A short list with traceable evidence is more useful than a broad catalogue copied into a quotation request. The examples below are selection scenarios, not completed installations or performance tests.
| Scenario | Candidate decision | Evidence still required |
|---|---|---|
| New Ethernet PLC plus direct serial instrument | Exclude GL070; review GL070E and GL2070HE | CPU driver, instrument protocol and channel assignment |
| Existing GL070E application | Compare same-code spare with a GL2070HE migration | Source availability, conversion route and regression results |
| Alarm and trend screens are difficult to read | Compare revised layout before increasing size | Operator review, target resolution and cabinet measurements |
For the first scenario, a serial connection must meet the instrument’s actual electrical mode and protocol. An available socket is not enough. For the second, the shared published 192 × 138 mm cut-out supports an initial fit comparison, while DTools versus DTools Pro and the resolution change remain separate migration issues.
Use the GL2070HE specifications and document request for the proposed target’s record. Kinco’s existing GL and GL2 references support the family review, but exact-code evidence and the actual project still govern the decision.
Prepare the Shortlist and Quotation Record
List mandatory requirements first, followed by optional functions. Include candidate codes, exact PLC CPU and module, selected driver, other simultaneous links, screen examples, cabinet measurements, power and environment. State the editable source and software release for replacements. Add quantity, destination and requested delivery date without assuming availability.
Assign each unresolved item to a person and a document or test. A missing driver record belongs with engineering; a missing installation drawing belongs with the model review; a missing source project may require the machine owner. Ask the quotation to distinguish hardware, application development and commissioning. Preserve the accepted record so any proposed substitution can be evaluated consistently.
Selection Questions
What information is needed before choosing a Kinco HMI?
Provide operator tasks, exact controller details, protocol and driver evidence, required connections, representative layout, installation measurements and supply conditions. For an existing machine, add source and software records.
Should a replacement use the same selection process as a new machine?
Both need task, communication and installation checks. A replacement additionally needs evidence about recoverable source, existing wiring, conversion and a practical rollback route.
How many candidates should a useful HMI shortlist contain?
Usually two or three candidates allow meaningful comparison when each has a documented reason to remain. Exclude a model when it fails a mandatory requirement, and record the reason rather than keeping it as an unexplained alternative.
