Predator Touch HMI

Modern Touchscreen CNC Program Management for Your Existing Equipment

Simplify CNC Program Access • Improve Operator Productivity • Strengthen Program Control

Predator Touch HMI

Many shops are running proven CNC machines alongside original control screens and menu structures that were never designed for today’s pace of production or the number of programs operators manage daily. There’s a real opportunity to modernize how operators interact with those machines – without replacement or costly upgrades.

Predator Touch Human Machine Interface (HMI), offered by manufacturing integrator Shop Floor Automations, provides manufacturers with a modern touchscreen interface that makes CNC program selection, transfer and management fast, intuitive and secure. Designed specifically for industrial manufacturing environments, Predator Touch HMI integrates directly with Predator DNC and the complete Predator Software suite, giving operators an easy way to browse, search, select and load approved CNC programs on the machines already on your floor.

Whether you’re supporting a handful of machines or hundreds across multiple facilities, Predator Touch HMI helps standardize CNC program access while strengthening productivity, program accuracy and cybersecurity.

Older CNC Interfaces, Growing Program Management Risks

The machine controls that were designed decades ago may continue to function and produce quality parts, they often make program management unnecessarily difficult, inefficient and vulnerable to security breaches.

Common challenges include:

Small control screens that require complicated navigation

Small control screens that require complicated navigation

Operators are spending valuable production time searching for programs

Operators are spending valuable production time searching for programs

Multiple program revisions stored across disconnected systems

Multiple program revisions stored across disconnected systems

Reliance on USB drives or laptops for file transfers

Reliance on USB drives or laptops for file transfers

Increased risk of loading outdated or incorrect CNC programs

Increased risk of loading outdated or incorrect CNC programs

Difficulty supporting cybersecurity initiatives like CMMC 2.0

Difficulty supporting cybersecurity initiatives like CMMC 2.0

These issues contribute to longer setup times, operator errors, reduced machine utilization and inconsistent manufacturing processes over time.

The Simplicity of CNC Program Management with Predator Touch HMI

Predator Touch HMI replaces complicated, aging machine interfaces with a modern touchscreen experience that gives operators immediate access to the programs they need while maintaining centralized program control.

Intuitive Touchscreen Navigation

Operators interact with CNC programs using an easy-to-use graphical interface instead of complex controller menus.

Benefits include:

  • Simple touchscreen navigation
  • Large, operator-friendly display
  • Faster program selection
  • Reduced training requirements
  • Improved usability across all experience levels

Fast Access to Approved CNC Programs

Operators can quickly locate the correct programs from centralized storage instead of manually searching folders or external media.

Capabilities include:

  • Browse organized program libraries
  • Search by program name or number
  • Load approved revisions
  • Reduce machine setup delays
  • Improve job changeover efficiency

Native Integration with Predator DNC

Predator Touch HMI is designed specifically to work with the suite of Predator Software solutions.

Native integration enables:

  • Predator DNC
  • Centralized CNC program management
  • Secure file transfers
  • Customizable send/receive/dripfeed
  • Shop floor workflow automation

This provides manufacturers with one integrated environment for CNC communications and program management.

Eliminate Manual Program Transfers

Manual USB transfers introduce unnecessary delays while creating cybersecurity and revision-control concerns.

Predator Touch HMI helps manufacturers:

  • Reduce USB device usage
  • Eliminate unnecessary laptops on the shop floor
  • Minimize manual file movement
  • Improve program consistency
  • Support secure manufacturing environments

Designed for Industrial PCs and Windows Tablets

Designed for Industrial PCs and Windows Tablets

Predator Touch HMI works on affordable Windows-based hardware, allowing manufacturers to modernize existing equipment without replacing CNC controls.

Common deployment options include:

  • Industrial touchscreen PCs
  • Windows tablets
  • Operator workstations
  • Machine-mounted computers
  • Existing Windows CNC controllers
  • Test stands
  • CMM stations

Because Predator Touch HMI requires minimal installation and no additional runtime components, deployment is fast while simplifying long-term maintenance.

Improve Operator Accuracy with Intelligent Prompts

Improve Operator Accuracy with Intelligent Prompts

Optional operator prompts can collect information before executing commands, helping reduce mistakes and eliminate unnecessary touchscreen buttons.

Examples include:

  • Enter program numbers
  • Select files
  • Specify tool numbers
  • Confirm operations
  • Enter job information
  • Guide standardized workflows

These configurable prompts simplify complex operations while ensuring operators provide the information needed before a process begins.

One Site License. Unlimited Touch HMI Panels.

Unlike per-device licensing models, Predator Touch HMI is licensed per site, allowing manufacturers to deploy as many touchscreen HMI panels as needed throughout a facility.

A single Site License lets you create and install Touch HMI panels on:

  • CNC machines
  • Industrial PCs
  • Windows tablets
  • CMMs
  • Test stands
  • Robot cells
  • Operator stations
  • Other Windows-based shop floor equipment

As your manufacturing operation grows, additional HMI panels can be deployed without purchasing individual runtime licenses, making Predator Touch HMI an economical solution for standardizing operator interfaces across the entire shop.

CUT PROGRAM LOAD ERRORS, AND THE SCRAP THEY CAUSE

Predator Touch HMI gives operators a fast, guided way to browse, verify and load the correct approved program every time to protect quality and throughput on the machines you already run.

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The Manufacturer’s Advantage with Shop Floor Automations

For more than 25 years, Shop Floor Automations has helped manufacturers connect, modernize and optimize CNC production environments.

SFA provides complete manufacturing integration services, including:

  • CNC connectivity consulting
  • Predator software implementation
  • Machine communication expertise
  • Legacy equipment modernization
  • Hardware integration
  • Ongoing technical support
  • Training and deployment services

Thousands of machine tools rely on SFA-supported Predator solutions to improve manufacturing performance every day.