A next generation HMI panel for Cat® gas compression engines is on the way — and this eight-inch touchscreen display will make interacting with your equipment a whole lot faster and easier. JW Power has been testing the panel on the CG137-8, and Technical Services Manager Mark Davis reports: “The bigger screen allows more info and is easier to manipulate. It’s been very well received in the field.”

Currently available on the CG137-8, this new HMI panel is coming to the CG137-12 and G3600 series later in 2019 and to the G3500 series in 2020. Here are four ways your operation will benefit.

1. More commonality. Using one HMI panel across the Cat gas compression product line makes life easier for your operators and service technicians. Since all functionality is identical, and all buttons are in the same locations, users have a similar experience as they move from engine to engine, location to location — there’s no need to learn or remember how different displays work.


2. More time-savings. Commonality saves time — both on-the-job time and training time. With the new HMI panel, we’ve also made settings, graphs, charts and reports quicker and easier to access. That means improved interaction with the engine and faster troubleshooting.


3. More features. The new HMI panel provides easy access to a number of features that formerly required Cat Electronic Technician (ET). Now, users can make configuration changes, check or reset alarms, download product status reports, access histograms and much more using the touchscreen — eliminating the hassle of locating a laptop and launching Cat ET. Your Cat Connect solutions continue to be accessible via the new display, too.


4. More options. Incorporating the new HMI panel into your gas compression package is simple with these three options:

• Touchscreen and harnessing only — integrates into a panel provided by your packager
• Touchscreen mounted in front plate; harnessing mounted in rear plate; start-stop, local-remote and emergency stop switches included — drops into your current package design
• Complete HMI panel — includes everything above in a metal box you can mount on your engine

Retrofit kits are in development as well — and if you previously implemented the seven-inch HMI display, it’s an easy drop-in replacement to upgrade to the new eight-inch panel. Questions about how to switch over or when this next generation display will be available for your engines? Talk to your local Cat dealer.