The Knowledge-based tools for the steel industry

During last years, the evolution of process supervision shifted from a rule-base-oriented to a knowledge-base-oriented approach, where the automation systems relieve the human operator from most tedious and repetitive low-level information manipulation tasks; knowledge is considered more important than man by the introduction of applications for strict process control and tools for decision. In this context, Danieli Automation set itself a goal to design a new generation of supervision and control systems, which could provide added value to the operation of plant areas, taking advantage of recent advancements in user interface and information technology. These goals were met by creating new applications in which the know-how is transferred from operators to automation systems and the humanmachine interfaces are optimized in order to improve the quality of the operator work, making decisions faster and more accurate. The result is an innovative man-machine interface, called OPERATOR ASSISTANT. This paper aims to explain all the studies that have been done to develop this new tool, from ergonomics to the choice of the development platform, passing through the decision for the multitouch technology, the minimization of complexity, the consideration of cultural factors and the restraint of the emotional stress for the user. Furthermore it outlines the activities that are currently being made to optimize the product.