Giving HMI Development for Industrial PC's a Head Start

VEHMI.IPC

Overview

VEHMI.IPC is our foundation for developing professional embedded human–machine interfaces (HMIs) for industrial PCs (IPCs) and IPC-based systems. It targets products and systems that require powerful, high-resolution graphical user interfaces running on Windows or Linux-based industrial PC hardware.

Using Flutter, VEHMI.IPC enables modern, high-performance HMIs that run directly on industrial PCs while integrating seamlessly with backend services, industrial communication interfaces, and existing system components. The result is a responsive, visually consistent user interface that meets the expectations shaped by modern desktop and mobile applications with touch interfaces.

VEHMI.IPC is particularly well suited for systems with larger displays, higher performance requirements, or complex visualization needs — and it complements VEHMI.Mobile and VEHMI.SBC by enabling extensive UI and application code reuse across device classes and product families.

Embedded HMIs on Industrial PCs

Industrial PCs are widely used in applications that demand higher computing power, flexible connectivity, and long-term availability. Compared to microcontroller-based or SBC-based systems, IPCs often serve as central operator interfaces, visualization nodes, or control stations.

Typical characteristics of IPC-based HMI systems include:

Large or multiple displays
Complex workflows and data-rich visualizations
Integration with industrial networks and backend systems
Long product lifecycles and controlled update processes

VEHMI.IPC provides a structured approach for building embedded HMIs on industrial PCs that remain maintainable, extensible, and consistent across operating systems and hardware platforms.

Windows and Linux Support for Industrial PC HMIs

VEHMI.IPC supports both Windows- and Linux-based industrial PCs, allowing system architectures to be selected based on technical, operational, regulatory, or customer-specific requirements.

On Linux-based IPCs, VEHMI.IPC supports common and widely used Linux distributions such as:

Debian
Ubuntu
Vendor-specific industrial Linux distributions

On Windows-based IPCs, VEHMI.IPC integrates Flutter HMIs into existing system environments while respecting established update, security, and deployment concepts.

This operating system flexibility allows embedded HMIs to be deployed consistently across heterogeneous IPC fleets — without changing the underlying UI technology or development approach.

Code Reuse and Consistent Corporate Identity

A key advantage of VEHMI.IPC is its ability to share large parts of the UI and application logic with VEHMI.Mobile and VEHMI.SBC.

This includes:

Shared UI components and design systems
Unified navigation and interaction concepts
Common data models and business logic
A consistent corporate identity (CI) across all devices

By using Flutter as a common technology stack, HMIs for mobile apps, embedded SBCs, and industrial PCs can be developed as variants of the same solution — rather than as isolated projects.

This significantly reduces development effort, simplifies long-term maintenance, and ensures a coherent user experience across entire product portfolios.

Further details on why Flutter is a strong alternative to traditional HMI frameworks like Qt can be found in the “Why Flutter?” section.

Typical Use Cases & Industries

VEHMI.IPC is designed for industrial and professional systems where industrial PCs serve as the primary user interface or visualization platform.

Industrial Automation and Control Systems

Industrial PCs are frequently used as operator stations or visualization nodes in automation environments. VEHMI.IPC enables modern HMIs that remain intuitive even for complex systems.

Typical applications include:

Operator panels and control stations
SCADA and visualization frontends
Machine and production line HMIs
Monitoring and diagnostics systems

Manufacturing and Production Systems

In manufacturing environments, IPC-based HMIs often act as central interaction points for operators, technicians, and engineers.

Typical use cases include:

Production dashboards and KPI visualization
Recipe management and configuration tools
Quality monitoring interfaces
Maintenance and service HMIs

Test, Measurement, and Inspection Systems

Many test and inspection systems rely on IPCs for data processing and visualization. VEHMI.IPC supports HMIs that handle complex workflows and large datasets reliably.

Typical examples include:

Automated test systems
Measurement and inspection equipment
Vision-based systems with graphical overlays

Infrastructure and Energy Systems

Industrial PCs are also widely used in infrastructure-related applications where robustness and long-term support are critical.

Typical use cases include:

Energy management systems
Control and monitoring stations
Industrial gateways with local visualization

Embedded HMIs on IPCs Require System-Level Expertise

An embedded HMI running on an industrial PC is more than just a desktop application. It is part of a larger system that must interact reliably with hardware interfaces, backend services, industrial protocols, and operational processes.

This requires expertise in:

Windows and Linux system integration
Hardware interfaces and industrial I/O
Backend communication and data handling
Deployment, updates, and lifecycle management

VEHMI.IPC builds on this system-level expertise, ensuring that the HMI, operating system, and surrounding system components work together as a reliable and maintainable solution.

How Can You Profit from VEHMI.IPC?

We use VEHMI.IPC as a foundation for delivering professional industrial HMI and embedded software development services for IPC-based systems. Based on proven architectures and reusable software components, we support customers throughout the development of IPC-based HMIs — either as the main development partner or as part of a mixed team.

Our services around VEHMI.IPC typically include:

UX and UI design for industrial HMIs
Designing clear, task-oriented user interfaces optimized for large displays, industrial workflows, and long-term operation.
Flutter-based HMI development for Windows and Linux-based IPCs
Implementing high-quality HMIs using Flutter on Windows or Linux-based industrial PCs.
Integration with backend systems and industrial interfaces
Coordinating HMI development with backend services, industrial communication protocols, and system components.
Platform and OS adaptation
Adapting VEHMI.IPC solutions to customer-specific IPC hardware and Windows or Linux environments.
Collaboration in mixed development teams
Working closely with customer engineers, integrating into existing workflows, and sharing responsibilities across system boundaries.

By combining Flutter-based UI development with deep system and industrial software expertise, we help customers build powerful, future-proof HMIs for industrial PCs — with consistent user experience and maximum reuse across VEHMI.Mobile, VEHMI.SBC, and VEHMI.IPC.

Leverage the power of Flutter for your embedded application