Plasma and induction heating power supply systems and related methods

A method for controlling at least one power generator using an operating unit, the method comprising:

• importing an identifier of at least one power generator;
• selecting and/or importing generator-specific configuration data based on the identifier imported;
• and
• constructing a graphic user interface on a display device of the operating unit based on the configuration data using an operating application that is installed on the operating unit, wherein the graphic user interface comprises a static region designed to illustrate superordinate information and superordinate control elements, wherein the superordinate control elements include one or more of an on/off switch and language selection, and the superordinate information includes one or more of type designation, identifier of the power generator, warnings, error statuses, and cooling water temperature, and wherein the configuration data includes generator-specific visualization data that adapts how elements to be visualized are displayed on the graphic user interface.

A plasma and/or induction heating system comprising:

• a first group of different power generators, an identifier being associated with each power generator type;
• and
• a second group of different operating units,
• each operating unit of the second group being able to be coupled to each power generator of the first group in order to control the respective power generator and being able to import the identifier of the coupled power generator, and
• each operating unit having an operating application by which there can be produced, regardless of the power generator coupled to the operating unit, a graphic user interface which has substantially the same appearance for all power generators but which is adapted to the coupled power generators, wherein the graphic user interface comprises a static region designed to illustrate superordinate information and superordinate control elements, wherein the superordinate control elements include one or more of an on/off switch and language selection, and the superordinate information includes one or more of type designation, identifier of the power generator, warnings, error statuses, and cooling water temperature, and wherein the adaptation includes use of generator-specific visualization data that adapts how elements to be visualized are displayed on the graphic user interface.