In the past data of technical processes have been visualized and monitored using traditional, analog or digital instruments. Nowadays process visualization is done by computers in software.
There are a lot of software tools available, offering a comfortable and intuitive way of process visualization. Existing software can be divided into three groups. The first, libraries of virtual instruments (VI), can be used in a user developed application. The second group consists of process visualization applications which offer a fully fledged visualization environment. The third group contains software for process visualization and process steering.
The first group, instrument libraries, is dominated by two products, which can be configured freely according to user needs (color, size, scale configuration, needle art etc. ). The first is Global Majic Software Inc. [3] instrument library. This library consists of various instruments, that can be included in an user developed application. The second library is Real-Time Graphics Tools from Quinn-Curtis Inc. [6].
The second group, process visualization applications, is dominated by two products as well. The mostly spread monitoring tool worldwide is LabVIEW System from National Instruments [4]. The whole monitoring is done using VIs which are used instead of conventional instruments like gauges, LED displays, etc. Large libraries with several hundreds of VIs are available, and user can choose appropriate instrument. This system is missing dynamic configuration, it is not possible to configure views during run-time. The second largest provider in this field is V. I. Corporation and Data Views [2] system with more than 25.000 installed copies world-wide. It is used by major institutes and companies just as LabVIEW is. The dynamic configuration feature is missing here as well.
The software of the third group contains the most functionality from the first two groups, and the additional features used for process steering. Because this kind of software concentrates on the steering part it does not provide any better visualization facilities.