The machine is controlled by a Touchscreen with an Embedded PC which is mounted on a swinging arm to allow easy access and left or right hand mounting.

The Howick Frame Machine control interface runs on Windows XP. The flexibility achieved by basing the machine control on such a widely used and supported operating system adds connection and interface solutions previously difficult or impossible to obtain. 

The most obvious and practical of these is the use of a local area network either via cable or using WIFI. Having the ability to transfer job files directly to and from the rollformer from an administrator’s desktop is a major time saver. Combine this with the new “CSV” readable rollformer instruction code where quantities or lengths etc can be edited with a simple program such as “Notepad” and this makes the day to day organising of workshop production much easier.

With the rollformer appearing as another device on the network when a customer sends “CSV” files directly to the factory via email they can be loaded straight onto the machine ready to run. 

Once the basic network setup has been established other tools such as “Remote Administration” to give technicians the ability to remotely update software and rollformer production information can be recorded in the office. The broad use of “Bluetooth” devices today enable a job file to even be sent from a PDA or Mobile Phone into the rollformer.

The exported frames for the CAD software package are loaded into the controller and then can be run in the machine.