This blog is Part 3 of a multi-part series. Make sure to check out the other blogs on this topic:

1. Beckhoff Setup Basics: IPC Configuration Steps
2. Beckhoff Setup Basics: Getting Started with a Beckhoff PLC
3. Beckhoff Setup Basics: HMI Configuration Steps

Term Definitions

Throughout this blog series, I refer to two devices repeatedly. For clarity, those devices are as follows:

1. “Beckhoff IPC” – The industrial PC that will run the PLC and HMI server. Device configuration will occur on this device. Beckhoff sells these directly. Third-party IPCs can also be used, but licensing is more expensive.
2. “Programming Computer” – A computer, such as an engineer’s laptop, where the TwinCAT XAE development environment is installed. Programming happens on this device, as well as some of the configuration of the Beckhoff IPC.

Configure HMI Server

First, we’ll need to configure the HMI server so we can publish to it. On the Beckhoff IPC, find the HMI server tray icon, and click on it.

Note: If you do not see this icon, double-check that TE2000 HMI Server is installed on the Beckhoff IPC following the instructions in Part 1 of this blog series.

Select “Service Configuration.”

The webpage http://127.0.0.1:19800/ should open in the default browser.

On that page, add a new Server Instance by entering the information in the form and creating an HMI administrator password.

In the menu that appears, select the HMI Instance we created and select “Config.” (If there are issues, you may need to restart the HMI server through the same menu).

The default startup page will open.

If you get a “License Expired” error page, then double-check that you have a valid or trial license for TE2000.

In XAE Shell, ensure that TF2000 is selected and there is an active trial license.

If you have created a new trial license but still experience this error, then restart the HMI Server Instance.

Once the HMI Server has a valid or trial license, the Config page will show this. Enter the HMI administrator password created on the “Server Configuration” page.

The configuration will open. Navigate to TcHmiSrv > Webserver.

Expand the Endpoints menu and select “Add.”

Add the IP address of the HMI Server where it will be accessed externally (an external browser or HMI) and use your HTTPS port.

For this guide, we will assume the HMI server is on the Beckhoff IPC and use the URL: https://192.168.42.42:1021/.

An “Add successful” message will appear at the top of the page if it is successful. If not, make sure the URL is correct and you’ve used https:// as a prefix to the IP address.

Publish HMI Program

Now that the HMI server is configured, we can create the HMI Project in XAE Shell on the Programming PC.

Once the HMI project is complete, we can publish it to the HMI server.

To do this, select the HMI program in the project tree.

At the top of XAE Shell, change the platform dropdown to “TwinCAT HMI.”

At the top of XAE Shell, select TwinCAT HMI > Publish to TwinCAT HMI Server.

If you have not created any profiles, TwinCAT will prompt you to enter a profile name. Different profiles can be used for different environments (ex: development, release, etc)

Enter the IP address of the HMI endpoint created earlier, the appropriate port (1020), and the administrator password for the HMI Server set up earlier in this guide.

You can also click the “…” button to open a pop-up of available HMI servers to connect to.

It’s a good idea to click “Validate Connection” to ensure all information is correct and a connection is successful. If an error occurs during validation, you will not be able to publish until you correct it.

Then click “Publish” in the top-right corner to publish the HMI project to the Server.

It may take a long time for the project to publish. You can track progress in the bottom bar of XAE Shell.

Full-Screen HMI Start in Chrome/Firefox

When our Beckhoff IPC is booted, we usually want it to immediately open the HMI screen instead of requiring an operator to start the HMI manually. This can be accomplished with a very simple batch script.

Open Notepad on your Beckhoff IPC and paste in the following code:

@echo off
start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --kiosk -fullscreen --incognito http://127.0.0.1:1010/
exit

@echo off
start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --kiosk -fullscreen --incognito http://127.0.0.1:1010/
exit

Save this file as “StartHMI.bat” in your startup folder. For convenience, if the HMI screen ever does need to be started manually, create a shortcut for this batch script and place it on the desktop.

This will automatically open Chrome in full screen on startup. You may want to do this step after you’ve finished other setup steps, as it can be a bit of a nuisance after restarts.

Make sure the path for Chrome in the batch file is correct. The above is the default location, but it may not be correct.

Note: Similar instructions are available for Firefox.

Once the HMI is published on the server and starts in kiosk mode on startup, you are now complete with your Beckhoff PLC and HMI.

The post Beckhoff Setup Basics: TwinCAT HMI Configuration Steps appeared first on DMC, Inc..

This blog is Part 2 of a multi-part series. Make sure to check out the other blogs on this topic:

1. Beckhoff Setup Basics: IPC Configuration Steps
2. Beckhoff Setup Basics: Getting Started with a Beckhoff PLC
3. Beckhoff Basics: HMI Configuration

Summary

This is the second installment of a three-part blog series covering all you need to know about getting started with a Beckhoff PLC/HMI. In this blog, we’ll be covering how to configure and license the PLC to run your code.

Term Definitions

Throughout this blog series, I refer to two devices repeatedly. For clarity, those devices are as follows:

1. “Beckhoff IPC” – The hardware, likely obtained from Beckhoff, that will run the PLC and HMI server. Device configuration will occur on this device.
2. “Programming Computer” – A computer, such as an engineer’s laptop, where the TwinCAT XAE development environment is installed. Programming happens on this device, as well as some of the configuration of the Beckhoff IPC.

Connect to the IPC Via a Programming Computer

First, we’ll need to check if TwinCAT XAE is able to communicate with the IPC. If you’ve done this before, feel free to skip this step.

Next, make sure your programming computer is connected to the Programming Port on the Beckhoff IPC. On the programming computer, right-click on the TwinCAT gear icon and select Router > Edit Routes.

On the TwinCAT Static Routes popup, select “Add.” The Add Route Dialog will appear. Check the Advanced Settings box at the bottom left to expose the full connection settings.

The most reliable method to find the IPC is to enter the IP address in the field at the top, then click “Enter Host Name / IP.” If the Beckhoff IPC doesn’t appear, make sure you can ping it (if the firewall pinging rules are enabled) and check your IPC’s or network’s firewall settings.

Select the Beckhoff IPC. The most reliable way to add a route is to set the address info to reference the IP address, not the hostname. This is because many plant networks don’t have DNS set up in such a way that allows access of factory devices via hostname. Select this option, then “Add Route.” Enter the proper credentials for your IPC in the popup and click “Okay.” Default credentials for Beckhoff IPCs are:

• User: Administrator
• Password: 1

If you have changed these, use the appropriate credentials. If the connection process succeeds, you should see an X or a small lock appear under the Connected column in the Add Route Dialog and the TwinCAT Static Routes window. You can exit these windows now.

From within TwinCAT XAE Shell, open your project. Then use the target dropdown menu and select “Choose Target System.”

Note: these instructions will show screenshots from 32-bit XAE Shell, but can be followed the same in XAE Shell 64-bit.

In the window that pops up, expand the browser tree and select the Beckhoff IPC. Click “OK.”

If you are prompted to change the solution platform, do so.

Set IPC Boot Settings

Before the TwinCAT project can be downloaded to the PLC, a few boot settings need to be configured. First, right-click on the PLC project in the solution explorer and make sure “Autostart Boot Project” is checked. This ensures the project starts automatically when the Beckhoff IPC boots.

Next, double-click on “SYSTEM” in the solution explorer, then navigate to the Settings tab. Select “Run Mode (Enable)” under Boot Settings (Target). This will make sure the PLC enters run mode on boot.

If you want to enable auto-login for the Beckhoff IPC, check the Auto Logon box. Enter the username and password for the IPC and click Apply to save the boot settings to the IPC.

Confirm Hardware Configuration and Activate Configuration

Next, we will need to activate the PLC configuration. Make sure your IO cards are powered and connected to the IPC before continuing with this step.

To do this, first navigate to I/O > Devices > [YourEtherCATMasterDeviceName]. For example, in this project, the EtherCAT Master device is named “Device 1.”

Double-click to open the device settings. On the Adapter tab, click “Search…”

The pop-up window should include a list of NICs with the TwinCAT RT Ethernet Driver installed. Select the NIC that will be used to connect to IO.

If no Ethernet adapters are listed, then please return to the “Install the Beckhoff Real-Time Ethernet Driver” section in Part 1 of this blog series.

If EtherCAT devices are already connected to the PLC, you can add them to the I/O tree by either manually adding the devices in the correct topology or scanning for devices. To scan, right-click the EtherCAT Master and select “Scan.”

Note: Scanning is only possible when the PLC is in Config mode.

Now you can activate the hardware configuration using the steps icon in the top ribbon:

If the button is grayed out, make sure you have selected the correct target in the TwinCAT XAE software and have a valid route.

When the Activate Configuration confirmation window appears, click “OK.”

If issues arise during this step, you may need to troubleshoot your hardware setup and verify that your TwinCAT project is configured correctly.

If your Beckhoff IPC does not have runtime licenses installed, which is common during an initial setup, TwinCAT XAE will prompt you to generate trial licenses. Click “Yes” and follow the prompts.

If you have purchased full runtime licenses, you can install them in a later step to replace the trial licenses.

Enter the Captcha required for trial licenses.

You can now click the login button to log in to the PLC. Once logged in, you can also click the start button if you need to start the PLC’s runtime.

You can now click the login button to log in to the PLC. Once logged in, you can also click the start button if you need to start the PLC’s runtime. 

Activating Licenses

Activating licenses in TwinCAT can be somewhat tricky, and this walkthrough will cover the basics. For further help with licensing, your contact at Beckhoff is a great resource.

First, you’ll need to select the proper license device. If using a USB dongle or card, it is critical that you select the right device before sending your license request file to Beckhoff. License request/response files are tied to device IDs, and so once a request has been sent and a response received, that license can only be used with that device. To change devices, you’ll have to get in touch with Beckhoff headquarters in Germany, and depending on your location, that might take some time. So try to avoid that by getting the license device correct first!

To select the proper device, go to System > License.

If you’re using a dongle and it’s already in the project, you can select it from the License Device dropdown in the “Order Information (Runtime)” tab.

If you are not using a dongle, select Target from the dropdown to bind the licenses to the Beckhoff IPC’s hardware ID. In this case, you can skip the remaining dongle-related steps and proceed directly to generating a license request.

We do recommend the use of a dongle when possible, so the IPC can be replaced without losing licenses.

If the dongle is not already configured in your project, click “Add…” to the right of the dropdown to add it. The dongle will then appear under License in the project tree.

After you click “Add…”, the License Device window will open. From here, you can select the appropriate dongle on your target Beckhoff IPC by clicking “Search in I/O Configuration…” or “Search USB Dongle on Target…”.

To use either option, TwinCAT must be in Config mode. You can switch to Config mode by clicking the blue gear icon in the TwinCAT engineering environment. After selecting the correct dongle, return TwinCAT to Run mode by clicking the green gear icon.

If the dongle doesn’t appear while searching, be sure your IO is configured correctly and the IPC recognizes the dongle. When the dongle has been selected, the dongle status information should populate.

Now that the dongle is in your project, you can go back to the License window, and you should be able to select it in the license device dropdown. Make sure that when you select it from the dropdown, the system ID changes (indicating the dongle system ID is different from the target system ID). Also ensure the system ID of the dongle is something reasonable (e.g., not a bunch of 0s; this might indicate you’re not communicating properly with the dongle).

If you have multiple license devices (e.g. target and a dongle), a “License Device” column will appear in the table at the bottom of the window. Make sure to select the correct device that you’d like to store each license on (most likely choose the dongle for all licenses).

Now that we’ve selected the correct license device, we need to generate a license request file. To do this we’ll first need to enter a license ID (provided by your contact at Beckhoff) in the license ID box. You can also enter a customer ID and a comment, but these are optional. Once you’ve entered a license ID, click “Generate File…”.

TwinCAT will prompt you to save the license request file to your programming computer. Save the file, then, when prompted to “Send license request to Beckhoff,” select “No”. We’ll send the file manually instead.

Note: This is your last chance to turn back before tying licenses to a device ID! Check over your license hardware setup and make sure everything is in order. If there are problems, regenerate the license file with the corrected settings before sending to Beckhoff.

Locate the license request (*.tclrq) file you just saved. Create a new email, attach the file, and send it to tclicense@beckhoff.com.

If everything is set up correctly and your license request is valid, Beckhoff will respond with an automatically generated email that has a license response file (*.tclrs). Save this file to your programming computer.

If the file is not attached to the email, the email will include whatever issues the automated system had with your license request, and you may need to work this out with your Beckhoff contact.

Back in the license window, use the “License Response File” button to select the license response file. For the new license response to take effect, you’ll need to restart TwinCAT on the target, which you can do with the green gear icon.

If everything worked properly, the Current Status column in the License window should be green and read valid for every license. You may need to refresh the window (close it and re-open it) to see this status change.

Now that we’ve correctly activated and configured the licenses, we are ready to configure the HMI server, which we cover in part three of this blog series.

The post Beckhoff Setup Basics: Getting Started with a Beckhoff PLC appeared first on DMC, Inc..

This blog is Part 1 of a multi-part series. Make sure to check out the other blogs on this topic:

1. Beckhoff Setup Basics: IPC Configuration Steps
2. Beckhoff Setup Basics: Getting Started with a Beckhoff PLC
3. Beckhoff Basics: HMI Configuration

Summary

This is the first installment of a three-part blog series covering all you need to know about getting started with a Beckhoff PLC/HMI. In this blog, we’ll be covering how to initially set up your Beckhoff IPC to run PLC code and a TCHMI server.

Within DMC, we often find ourselves setting up a new IPC, and it has proved very helpful to have a standardized guide to start with. So, we’ve compiled this guide to serve as a resource both within our organization and externally, and we’ve updated it for TwinCAT build 3.1.4026. Some key steps have changed significantly with build 4026, so if you are using an earlier version, please consult the version notes on the package install steps.

Note: If you aren’t planning to use TwinCAT HMI, you may disregard any steps specific to it. If you find yourself needing to use it in the future, you can perform those steps at any point.

The process below was developed and documented on a Windows 10 development machine, but the process will be functionally identical for Windows 11.

Term Definitions

Throughout this blog series, we refer to two devices repeatedly. For clarity, those devices are as follows:

1. “Beckhoff IPC”– The industrial PC that will run the PLC and HMI server. Device configuration will occur on this device. Beckhoff sells these directly. Third-party IPCs can also be used, but licensing is more expensive.
2. “Programming Computer”– A computer, such as an engineer’s laptop, where the TwinCAT XAE development environment is installed. Programming happens on this device, as well as some of the configuration of the Beckhoff IPC.

Power-On and Connection

Most Beckhoff IPCs do not have a power button; rather, they power on as soon as power is supplied. When ready, supply power. A keyboard, mouse, and monitor will also be useful for first power-on and initial configuration.

Beckhoff Device Manager

If your device is a Beckhoff IPC, Beckhoff Device Manager will generally run on startup. For a basic setup, you can step through the wizard with default options, and on the last page, uncheck the box that says “Run Beckhoff Security Wizard on next startup,” so it won’t run on startup in the future.

Change NIC Settings

We’ll begin with some basic network setup. Open up the IPC’s adapter settings by right-clicking on the Network Icon in the system tray and selecting “Open Network & Internet settings”.

From this window, select “Change adapter options” (“Change adapter settings” on the left side of the window in Windows 7).

This window should display the Network Interface Connections (NICs) available on your Beckhoff IPC. There are often two (though there may be more or less) – one that you can use to connect a programming computer and another that can be used to connect to IO racks/devices. Before you proceed, identify which NIC you will be using for each purpose and the IP addresses that you’d like to assign to these NICs. A helpful (but optional) step is to rename each NIC to describe its purpose.

To do this, right-click on a NIC and select Rename. In this example, Programming Port will be used for programming, and EtherCAT Master will be used to connect to IO.

To change IP addresses for these NICs, right-click on them and select Properties. Then navigate to Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and select Properties. You can then input your selected IP addresses. For advanced network configurations, the subnet mask can also be changed at this point.

For this tutorial, we will be using:
Programming Port: 192.168.42.42
EtherCAT Master: 192.168.43.43

(Optional) Rename PC

While this step isn’t necessary, it can be helpful to rename your PC so if it’s connected to a network in the future, it can be easily identified. To do so, navigate to Start Menu > Settings > System > About > Rename PC.

After you rename your IPC, it will prompt you for a restart. You may postpone this to save time, as some of the following steps will also require a restart.

Install Chrome or Firefox If Using TwinCAT HMI

Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox work well with TwinCAT 3, and we’ve seen issues with other browsers in the past. So, we recommend you install one of these browsers if you’re going to be using TwinCAT 3 HMI on this IPC.

If you’re working on an IPC that cannot be connected to the internet during setup, you will need a standalone installer.

• Chrome requires a special installer for this.
  • At the time of writing, Google does not make it clear on the webpage whether the installer is standalone or not.
  • The downloaded file from the given link should contain “Standalone” in its filename, which confirms it is correct.
• Firefox install files are generally standalone by default.

Download or transfer the install files to the IPC and follow the instructions in the installer. Once installed, you may want to launch the browser and disable distracting features such as suggested homepage links or password-manager prompts.

Create a Beckhoff Account

If you do not already have a Beckhoff account, you must register so you can download software. Beckhoff generally requires an account for any software downloads, so this will be useful going forward as well. Go to https.www.beckhoff.com, where you can register for an account as shown below.

Setup Packages

The installation process has changed significantly for build 4026. Package Manager is a new feature that streamlines downloading and installing packages, and it must be used when working with 4026.

Legacy 4024 installation notes

If you are using 4024, you have two options. You may install legacy packages through Package Manager. Or, you may follow the legacy installation procedure using EXEs.

The legacy installation procedure:

1. Visit https://beckhoff.com/, log in, and navigate to Download finder > Software and tools.
2. On your programming PC, you will need eXtended Automation Engineering (XAE) and the engineering versions of any TwinCAT functions.
3. On the Beckhoff IPC, you will need eXtended Automation Runtime (XAR) and the runtime versions of any TwinCAT functions.
   • Note: If you require a build of 4024 not available on the website, you will need to reach out to Beckhoff support for assistance.
   • TwinCAT Functions are Beckhoff-developed applications that allow for special functionality on the PLC. They will have their own separate EXE to install.
   • Common TwinCAT Functions include the following–install the ones required based on your project; you can install more functions later if required.
     • TF2000: TwinCAT HMI
     • TF3300: TwinCAT Scope
     • TF5000: TwinCAT NC PTP
     • TF6100: OPC UA Server
     • TF6250: Modbus TCP
     • TF6255: Modbus RTU
     • TF6310: TCP/IP
4. For any Engineering EXEs, install them onto your programming PC.
5. For Runtime EXEs, transfer the EXEs to your IPC, then install them. Install XAR first, then the remaining packages.

You cannot use the legacy EXE installation along with the newer Package Manager-based installation. If you need to upgrade or change versions, you must carefully follow the instructions in this Infosys page before installing the other version.

Install Package Manager

You will need Package Manager on the IPC–it should come preinstalled with Beckhoff 4026 IPCs. You will likely also need Package Manager on your programming computer.

Once you have registered or logged in on Beckhoff.com, go to Download Finder as boxed in the figure below.

Package manager should be the first option at the top of the page; if it isn’t, search for it in the download finder.

Download the available version as an EXE, and install it on your programming computer and IPC if it is not already installed.

Configure Feeds

Feeds are repositories of packages that Beckhoff provides. Beckhoff provides a Stable Feed, Outdated Feed, and Testing Feed. We recommend using the Beckhoff Stable Feed for any production systems. See this Infosys page for details on each feed.

If your IPC is (or can easily be) connected to the internet directly, you will likely find it easiest to download and install your required packages from the online feeds.

If the IPC cannot be connected to Beckhoff’s servers, then you can follow these instructions from Beckhoff to transfer the packages onto your offline IPC. Beckhoff supports using a file directory with package files as a personal feed. Beckhoff also supports a compressed file containing all selected packages, transferred from a programming computer.

To configure the feeds, launch Package Manager.

Click the “+ Add new feed” button to add a new feed.

As discussed, you may enter the Beckhoff online feeds if connected to the internet, or if offline, you may use any local folder as a feed.

If selecting the outdated feed, you may get a disclaimer as shown. If you are comfortable with the disclaimer, you may accept it by clicking “Yes,” and the feed will be added.

Multiple feeds can be added, as necessary, and will be used in the priority order displayed.

Package Manager will next ask to integrate with Visual Studio (if installed), or XAE Shell or XAE Shell 64-bit. XAE Shell 64-bit is a more modern, faster version of XAE Shell, newly added with the release of 4026.

Select a location to install the TwinCAT Packages.

Note: This is a different default location than legacy 4024 XAE/XAR installations.

Use Package Manager to Install TwinCAT Packages

Once Package Manager is set up, we can now install packages onto the IPC.

If the IPC is connected to the internet and can access the Beckhoff-hosted feeds, you will see a list of available packages to install.

The packages can be filtered by Engineering Packages and Runtime Packages:

• Engineering Packages are meant to be installed on your programming computer and will allow you to connect, modify, or control the PLC.
  • Common examples include:
    • TwinCAT Standard
    • TwinCAT XAE Shell / XAE Shell 64-bit
    • TE9000: Safety Editor
    • TE1300: TwinCAT Scope
    • TE2000: TwinCAT HMI
• Runtime Packages provide applications that will run on the Beckhoff IPC.
  • Common examples include:
    • TwinCAT Standard
    • TC1000: TwinCAT ADS
    • TF2000: TwinCAT HMI Server
    • TF3300: TwinCAT Scope Server
    • TF5000: TwinCAT NC PTP
    • TF6100: OPC UA Server
    • TF6250: Modbus TCP
    • TF6255: Modbus RTU
    • TF6310: TCP/IP
    • Beckhoff Device Manager

Select all the packages that you need for your system. Then either click Install (Blue Download button) to install locally, or Download to send to an offline IPC (Press 3 dots button, then “Download”).

Once all the packages are selected, either click “Apply Modifications” to install them locally, or click “Start Download” or “Start Download as a Zip”. Please refer to Infosys for more information on installing offline feeds.

Install the Beckhoff Real-Time Ethernet Driver

Next, you will need to install the Beckhoff Real-Time Ethernet Driver on the NIC to which you plan to connect your IO. This will allow the Beckhoff IPC to communicate with said IO.

Navigate to C:\TwinCAT\3.1\System and run TcRteInstall.exe.

In the Compatible devices section, select the NIC that you will use for IO (EtherCAT Master if you configured your NIC settings as described earlier) and click Install.

After the process is completed, the NIC should move to the Installed and ready-to-use devices (real-time capable) section. You can close out of the application.

Set Firewall Settings

It’s important to maintain secure firewall settings on industrial devices to avoid allowing unwanted access to an industrial network, especially if said devices will be connected to the internet. But we must allow communication to the TwinCATTwinCAT runtime/HMI server via a programming computer to download code. To do this, we will enable a few rules within the firewall. Beckhoff will pre-configure certain ports on IPCs, but we recommend going through these steps to confirm that no traffic will be blocked. You may also need to refer to this section if firewall settings are inadvertently changed or reset.

Navigate to Start Menu > Settings. In the search bar, search “firewall” and open Windows Defender Firewall.

In the window that appears, select Advanced Settings on the right.

In the Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security window, select Inbound Rules on the left and click New Rule on the right.

Details on important TCP/UDP ports required for TwinCAT Services can be found on Infosys, but in our experience, the most important ports are:

• TCP 48898 (TwinCAT ADS Not Secure)
• UDP 48899 (TwinCAT ADS Discovery)
• TCP 8016 (TwinCAT ADS Secure)
• TCP 1010 (TwinCAT HMI <=1.12 Local)
• TCP 1020 (TwinCAT HMI <=1.12 Incoming)
• TCP 2010 (TwinCAT HMI >=1.14 Local)
• TCP 2020 (TwinCAT HMI >=1.14 Incoming)

Step through the wizard, using Port as the rule type, and add rules for all required ports.

Change AMS Net ID

The AMS Net ID is used by the TwinCAT XAE programming suite to identify specific PLC runtimes, and to connect to that runtime. It is made up of 6 values from 0-255, period-delimited. At DMC, we usually set the AMS Net ID to be the same as the IP address of the programming port of the Beckhoff IPC, followed by “.1.1”, for instance, “192.168.42.42.1.1”. This makes it easier to remember than using an entirely different number (though any value technically works).

Click on the TwinCAT gear icon in the system tray and select Router > Change AMS Net ID. If this gear icon does not appear in the system tray, you may need to restart your IPC first. After typing in your selected AMS Net ID and confirming, you will be prompted to restart. Now is a good time to do so.

Legacy Troubleshooting Steps

In the past, when using build 3.1.4024, we have sometimes seen an error message when trying to put the PLC into Run Mode:

Init4\RTime: Start Interrupt: Ticker started >> AdsWarning: 4115 (0x1013, RTIME: system clock setup fails)

We have not seen this yet with build 3.1.4026 but have preserved the resolution here. If you encounter this error, you can navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Beckhoff\TwinCAT\3.1\System and run win8settick.bat as administrator. This sets some TwinCAT-required clock settings and resolves the error.

The post Beckhoff Setup Basics: IPC Configuration Steps appeared first on DMC, Inc..

Table of Contents

1. Installation
2. Configuration
3. Workloads and Packages
4. Conclusion

TwinCAT Package Manager is Beckhoff’s new innovative way of managing packages within the TwinCAT environment. Released with their latest build 4026, Package Manager allows for quick and easy downloads of TwinCAT versions and workloads (collections of one or more packages), as well as individual packages. Let’s get started with some of the key features of the TwinCAT Package Manager.

Installation

Download the latest version of the TwinCAT Package Manager from the Beckhoff website. This blog will use the full installation, which includes the UI. If you would prefer the command-line-only install, some common commands are available on Beckhoff Infosys.

Follow the installation procedure to install TwinCAT Package Manager.  

Configuration

Once TwinCAT Package Manager is installed successfully, open it. If this is your first time launching Package Manager, you should be greeted with the Introduction screen. If you have previously launched Package Manager, but want to follow along, you can access this screen with the Settings button (gear icon) in the bottom left.

Introduction

If you’re installing Package Manager on a system with a previous build of TwinCAT already installed, there will be a migration tab instead of a location tab. We will deal with that in a later section. Click Next.

Feeds

The next section is for configuring the feeds for Package Manager. Click the “Add new feed” button to add one of these feeds.

By default, Beckhoff provides three feeds: the stable feed, the outdated feed, and the testing feed. The stable feed contains officially released Beckhoff products and is typically the main feed for most workloads and packages. Select the URL that ends with “/stable” to add the stable feed. The feed name should auto-populate, but can be changed. Enter your valid myBeckhoff account credentials and click Save to add the feed. You can create your own myBeckhoff account if you don’t already one.

You’re also able to create your own feed, which you can access here. This would allow you to easily share custom libraries with other developers on your team. We won’t go in depth on how to do that in this blog, but the Beckhoff community GitHub repo has an example structure.

You should now see the feed added. You’re able to disable, edit, or delete the feed from this view if needed.

The outdated feed contains previous TwinCAT builds. If you used TwinCAT prior to build 4026, this is essentially the new version of Remote Manager. The testing feed contains test versions of workloads and packages. It’s most commonly used if you need access to an unreleased feature or are testing packages with Beckhoff engineers.

Follow the steps above for the stable feed to add the outdated and testing feeds, making sure to use their respective URLs.

Once you add the outdated and testing feeds, your Feeds tab should look like the one above. You can reorder the feed priorities using the up and down arrows on the right side. It’s recommended to keep the stable feed as priority 1 since it contains the officially released packages. If you reordered the feeds, click the save button in the top right. If you click next with unsaved changes, you will get this warning.

If you see this warning, click “Yes” to save changes. Click “Next.”

Integration

The next screen asks which versions of TwinCAT XAE to install. Since TwinCAT XAE is built on Visual Studio, it requires the same Visual Studio version (32-bit or 64-bit) to be installed. If you’re working on a project in build 4026 or newer, it’s recommended to use the 64-bit version when possible. If you’re working on a project in a build prior to 4026 or on a 32-bit computer system, the 32-bit version of TwinCAT XAE is the only option. You can always add or remove these XAE versions later, so for now, let’s install both. Click “Next.”

Migration

If you had a previous build of TwinCAT, you will be prompted to complete a Migration screen. If you did not have a previous build of TwinCAT, feel free to skip to the Location section.

The migration tool will attempt to capture existing user settings on previous versions of TwinCAT, uninstall previous versions, install the latest versions, and reapply the user settings. Let’s click “Start Migration” to get started.

When getting to step 2 of the preparation screen, you may see a notification that you need to install the MigrateCli package. Click “Yes” to continue.

Once the migration tool is installed, click “Start Simulation.”

Once the migration simulation runs, you should see a list of all existing products in the system and how TwinCAT Package Manager plans to upgrade them to packages and workloads.

Assuming all the products can be upgraded to packages and workloads, we are ready to start the migration. Click Start Migration.

Depending on the products you have installed, you may need to reboot your system. Press Ok and the TwinCAT Package Manager should automatically start up after rebooting and continue the migration.

Once the migration is complete, click Finish. You should see all the latest versions of the products you had previously installed on the system.

Location

If you did not have a previous version of TwinCAT installed, the final screen asks where to install TwinCAT. The default location is fine unless you have a reason to install it elsewhere. Click Finish.

Workloads and Packages

The workload view should be the default view when opening Package Manager for the first time. It can be navigated to by hovering over the package icon with a W in the bottom right and selecting workloads.

Workloads

Workloads are groupings of packages that closely align with Beckhoff’s licensing structure. For example, if you’re planning on using Beckhoff XTS in your solution, you can search for “XTS” to find the TF5850 | TwinCAT 3 XTS workload. This will install the necessary packages to work with XTS. If you are using XTS in your solution, check out our blog series on XTS to help get started!

The workloads in the general section are the ones we should install first. Let’s start by installing the latest version of TwinCAT Standard Engineering and the latest versions of TwinCAT XAE Shell 32-bit and 64-bit. If you’re installing the latest version, simply click on the blue download button associated with that workload.

You’ll see the planned installations added to the right side of Package Manager under selected products. Click Apply Modifications to start the installation.

Some workloads will require a restart. The TwinCAT Standard installation is one of them. Click Accept to continue.

If a pop-up appears asking you to allow the TwinCAT Package Manager to make changes to your device, click “Yes.”

The installation may take a few minutes, but Package Manager will give you a download and installation status.

Once the installation completes, Package Manager will show a check mark next to the workloads that were successfully installed.

We didn’t explicitly install TwinCAT Standard Remote Manager or TE9000 | TwinCAT 3 Safety Editor. Why are they showing as installed? TwinCAT Package Manager will install all dependencies needed to install the selected workloads! These workloads are dependencies for TwinCAT Standard and are automatically installed for us.

Workloads (Other Versions)

One of the nice things about TwinCAT Package Managers is the ability to access prior versions of all the workloads. Each workload has an ellipsis on the right side. Clicking on this provides the option to select other versions.

Click on the other versions option for TwinCAT Standard.

We can see that the latest version is currently installed and can be uninstalled here if needed. If we wanted to install a previous version, say 4026.21.2, we could click the icon next to that version. That icon is the downgrade icon. This would uninstall 4026.22.0 and downgrade TwinCAT Standard to 4026.21.2.  However, TwinCAT Standard Remote Manager can be used when working on multiple solutions across different versions.

Click the triple-dot icon next to TwinCAT Standard Remote Manager, then select other versions.

The icons here are install icons instead of downgrade icons, even though we already have the latest version installed. This is because the TwinCAT Standard Remote Manager supports multiple versions, as indicated by the AllowMultiple attribute in the top left. Installing from here will allow both versions to coexist on the same system. To illustrate this, I’ll install version 4026.21.2.

The Package Manager workload for TwinCAT Standard Remote Manager now shows a [ + 1 ] to indicate multiple builds are installed.

When opening TwinCAT XAE, we now have multiple builds to select from!

Installing Pre-4026 Builds

If you haven’t already, make sure you’re connected to the Beckhoff outdated feed. You can configure your feeds by clicking on the settings icon in the bottom left.

Once you have the outdated feed configured, hover over the package icon with the database in the bottom right. Select the “Beckhoff Outdated Feed.”

The only workload associated with the Beckhoff Outdated Feed is the TwinCAT Standard Remote Manager. From the outdated feed, we can install pre-4026 builds of TwinCAT.

I’ll install build 4024.75.4 to illustrate.

After installing build 4024.75.4 on TwinCAT Package Manager, it is now selectable in the build dropdown.

*NOTE: This is only available in the 32-bit XAE. The 64-bit version of XAE only supports builds 4026 and newer.

Packages

So far, we’ve been dealing with Workloads. Workloads are groupings of packages that TwinCAT organizes primarily according to Beckhoff’s licensing structure. TwinCAT projects reference packages directly. Let’s open a new TwinCAT XAE project to see this.

In the References folder of a brand new TwinCAT project, there are the Tc2_Standard, Tc2_System, and Tc3_Module packages.

Let’s switch back to the package manager. On the left, you should be able to go to the package view menu and select Packages.

This will show the individual packages that are available and installed on the system. Let’s search for Tc2_Standard.

We can see that Tc2_Standard is installed.

How To Deal with a Missing Package

If you have a missing package on a TwinCAT project, you will be greeted with a warning sign that looks something like this:

The package with the warning symbol next to it is missing from the project. Double-clicking on the package shows that the library is not available and does not have an effective version listed.

Right-click on the missing package and open the properties window. The resolution will show the version of the package that the TwinCAT PLC project is expecting.

If we go back to Package Manager and search for the Tc2_System package, we can see that although it is installed, it is not the same version the PLC project expects.

Click the ellipses next to the package, then select other versions.

Similar to Workloads, Packages have multiple versions that can be installed onto the same system. In this scenario, we have Tc2_System v3.10.1 installed already, but do not have v3.9.1. Tc2_System allows for multiple versions to be installed, indicated by the AllowMultiple tag. Let’s install v3.9.1 and see if that resolves our issue. Click the download button next to v3.9.1 and click “Apply modifications.”

If you see a message about “TwinCAT XAE / Visual Studio stop required,” be sure to close all open XAE windows before clicking Accept. Once the package is installed successfully, we can check the previously missing package.

The library is now available and has an effective version of v3.9.1. We have installed our missing package through Package Manager!

Conclusion

The TwinCAT Package Manager is a huge improvement in how engineers can manage the various Packages and Workloads that make up a TwinCAT solution. TwinCAT Package Manager is just the start of the improvements that TwinCAT build 4026 brings to development. A complete list of changes is offered on the Beckhoff website. If you’re starting a project in 4026 or upgrading an existing solution to 4026, reach out to DMC and see how we can help! We have extensive experience with upgrading and developing across all TwinCAT builds.

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In this post, I’ll detail some of the pros and cons, as well as the typical applications of Arduino microcontrollers, PLCs and custom embedded projects.

What’s the Difference?

Arduino is a common brand of microcontroller with built-in digital and analog, inputs and outputs. Their specific performance, memory, and input/output (IO) capabilities vary from model to model, making it easy to switch from one to another as changes are needed.

The tremendous number of tutorials for Arduino platforms also make them a great choice for learning programming and quickly prototyping early design. For this reason, Arduino’s an excellent choice for rapid prototyping and small-scale hobby projects.

PLC stands for Programmable Logic Controller. PLC manufacturers include Siemens, Allen-Bradley, Honeywell, Omron, Beckhoff, and countless others. Like Arduino, the performance memory and IO capabilities all vary from model to model, but, unlike Arduinos, most PLCs have little to no built-in IO.

Instead, most PLCs use IO cards that add digital and analog, inputs and outputs. These features contribute to PLCs for being known as more rugged then Arduinos since individual parts can be replaced as they wear out or are damaged. In general, PLCs are the solution of choice for rugged environments like factories, where reliability is paramount.

Custom hardware solutions, often called embedded solutions, is a generic name given to custom hardware and software designs made for specific applications. As a whole, it’s the most versatile of the three groups presented here, but individually each solution is typically tailored to do only one particular task. Because the processor(s), and hardware are largely designed specifically for the project the performance, memory, and IO can all be adjusted independently to suit the project’s needs.

Why are these Devices Used?

Arduino provides a free IDE (Integrated Develop Environment), that uses a slight variation of the common C programming language, making it a good starting point for new and experienced programmers alike. Most Arduino hardware is based on TTL (Transistor-Transistor Logic), with voltages of 5V or less (relative to ground), and current sourcing and sinking abilities of a few hundred milliamps total. This makes Arduinos well suited for battery or low power applications, although it limits their ability to control relays, motors, and solenoids.

Below is an example of a text based language used by Arduinos and most embedded projects. 

void ShowSplashScreen(){
  display.clearDisplay();   // clears the screen and buffer
  display.setTextSize(2);
  display.setTextWrap(true);
  display.setTextColor(WHITE);
  display.setCursor(15,5);
  DisplayString("DMC inc.", 8);
  display.setCursor(4,23);
  DisplayString("Do-Dad Box", 10);
  display.setTextSize(1);
  display.setCursor(19,43);
  DisplayString("(303) 223-1801", 14);
  display.display();
}

void ShowSplashScreen(){
  display.clearDisplay();   // clears the screen and buffer
  display.setTextSize(2);
  display.setTextWrap(true);
  display.setTextColor(WHITE);
  display.setCursor(15,5);
  DisplayString("DMC inc.", 8);
  display.setCursor(4,23);
  DisplayString("Do-Dad Box", 10);
  display.setTextSize(1);
  display.setCursor(19,43);
  DisplayString("(303) 223-1801", 14);
  display.display();
}

Below is an example of Ladder Logic used by most PLCs. 

Arduinos vs. PLCs

The most striking difference between Arduinos and PLCs is the size. PLCs have been ruggedized to work in industrial environments to work at higher voltages (typically 12V-24V) and use differential voltages to reduce noise and interference on communication lines. The output cards also have the capability of sourcing or sinking multiple amps, specifically for relays.

Most PLC applications are expected to work for years if not decades without interruption, and for the most part, they do. Programming PLCs is mostly done in Ladder Logic, an easy to read and modifiable language based off relay wiring. Combined with the visualization tools most modern IDEs have, it’s relatively easy to identify and fix faulty wires, sensors, and actuators.

While Arduinos and PLCs are prebuilt controllers, with pre-selected processors and IO capabilities, embedded projects have a near limitless variety of processor, IO, and hardware. This variety makes custom embedded projects the solution of choice for large volume or consumer goods, where even small savings on part costs can quickly add up to significant overall savings. The downside to embedded programming is the longer development time. Every aspect that is designed custom takes time and upfront cost.

Whether you’re using an Arduino, a PLC, or designing everything from scratch, it’s important to know your tools and be able to select the best tool for the job.

DMC provides solutions for all three of these controls. Contact us today to learn about how we can help you with your automation and control project. 

Learn more about DMC’s Manufacturing Automation and Intelligence Services.

Learn more about DMC’s Embedded Development and Embedded Programming Services.

The post Automation with an Arduino, PLC, or Custom Embedded Controls? appeared first on DMC, Inc..

The hardware setup for one portion of the machine included several Sick IO-Link sensors. These sensors were used to measure the location of mechanical arms on the machine and move them accordingly for different machine setups. Before diving into the nitty-gritty of the final solution to this integration, let’s take a closer look at IO-Link.

Background on IO-Link

IO-Link paves the way for more smart devices and can replace the standard input or output devices currently in the field. The devices are designed to communicate directly over a single serial channel with the PLC standard of programming (IEC 61131) to provide three types of information: Process data, Service data, and Events.

This information can be used to collect data about the device during operation such as the latest state of the sensor, version, type, serial number, configuration, diagnostics, etc. There are multitudes of ways to use this information. It allows the user to have more control and the device can even alert the user if maintenance is needed due to low battery or device failure.

The great advantage of these devices is their ability to be implemented with any controller. The devices come with an IO Device Description (IODD) file from the manufacturer, which describes the exact configuration needed to integrate their hardware. This file eliminates all the “heavy lifting” of the programmer by automatically filling in all the module parameters in the PLC programming software.

System Hardware Goals & Difficulties in Commissioning

In the specific machine Andrew and I were working on, we had a Siemens S7-1518F Safety PLC communicating through Profinet to a Beckhoff EK9300 Profinet coupler with a Beckhoff EL6224 IO-Link Master card as one of many terminals on the coupler.

This IO-Link card was the input interface for the SICK DT35 laser distance sensors and had to follow the path back just described to get communication to the PLC. For a Siemens Profinet coupler, the drag-and-drop style of programming would have been possible through a program which functions in union with TIA Portal, the Port Configuration Tool (PCT). This software allows the user to select the Siemens Profinet coupler and import the IODD for any device connected to it.

However, the PCT could not be used for the Beckhoff coupler even with the General Station Description (GSD) imported to TIA Portal. Because of the cross-platform implementation, we were not able to directly remove the “heavy lifting” with a simple drag-and-drop of the IODD file.

Final Solution and Functionality

Our first step in configuring the device was utilizing a Beckhoff controller with the identical hardware setup. This setup allowed the drag-and-drop style configuration to automatically take place using only Beckhoff hardware and its respective TwinCAT programming software. From this initial functionality, we were able to see the direct parameters imported from the IODD file through the Beckhoff device manager.

This tool is a web page created from the Beckhoff Profinet coupler. It shows all the cards configured on the coupler and provides the necessary module parameters needed to establish communication with the IO-Link devices. Taking these parameters, we could then manually input these into TIA Portal to match the configured hardware in TwinCAT. This process allowed the PLC to receive the sensor value properly and be used other places in the controls.

For a more detailed step-by-step please see the steps below.

Visual Studio (Beckhoff) Implementation

The image above shows the quick links involved with importing the IODD for the sensor into the Beckhoff hardware configuration. The Import Device Description button allows the user to bring in the IODD file that is then available for selection in the catalog at the right and can be assigned to the specific port on the device. Once the proper hardware is selected in the project (EK9300 coupler and EL6224 IO-Link card), this process is completed.

Port Configuration Tool (Siemens)

This image shows the available right-click options for equivalent Siemens devices in TIA Portal. The second option listed, Start device tool, allows the user to launch PCT and then import the IODD file for the IO-Link device as shown below.

Under the Options tab at the top is the link to import IODD files. The device will then appear in the catalog to the right side of the screen. As you can see, the catalog tree is expanded to show the SICK sensor we were using.

Through these two methods, the IO-Link device configuration is very straight forward and primarily functions as a drag-and-drop configuration. The website for the Sick sensor also provides example code for use with their sensor on both Siemens and Beckhoff platforms. However, since we were integrating across both platforms, we had to resort to using the following combination of steps.

Siemens Hardware Configuration

Once the Beckhoff EK9300 coupler imports the GSD file, the different cards available for remote IO can be selected from the catalog menu on the right. The IO-Link card is the Beckhoff EL6224 and populates the available slots in the device overview window.

From this point, the individual channels can be configured for the IO-Link card. This specific piece of hardware had four channels depicted by the highlighted region above. Due to the inability to configure this hardware in the drag-and-drop fashion, we had to use 16-byte generic in/out channels for the submodules.

When the individual channel is selected, the parameters for communication are found under Module parameters in the Properties menu. These settings were the key to starting communication with the sensors.

We started by trying to locate these settings in the IODD file (which is not a recommended course of action) but ended up using the TwinCAT setup along with the Beckhoff Device Manager online portal to see what settings were mapped to the IO-Link card. The Beckhoff Device Manager gives live information from the EK9300 coupler including module parameters, device state, and diagnostic information for further debugging. This tool was the final piece to the puzzle in clearing up communication settings across the devices. Access to the device manager is available through the IP address configured on the Profinet coupler.

Lastly, below is an image of the parameters sent to the device from TwinCat when accessed from the Device Manager:

Learn more about DMC’s PLC Programming expertise. 

Learn more about DMC’s partnership with Siemens.

Thumbnail image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The post Siemens PLC to Sick IO-Link Sensor Through Beckhoff Coupler appeared first on DMC, Inc..

Web-based Control and Monitoring

The most appealing aspect of Beckhoff’s platform is that it leverages the internet to allow end users to control and monitor their PLCs from anywhere. Interfacing with industrial controllers via the internet is a common request for DMC, and the TwinCAT HMI makes this easier than ever before with integrated server- and client-side development connecting easily to the underlying PLC access. The key benefit is that a web-based HMI can be accessed from any number of different clients – a traditional monitor screen nearby the device being controlled, a tablet carried around the area by a supervisor, or even a mobile phone halfway around the world. The HMI includes a responsive grid designed to facilitate development for multiple device sizes.

WYSIWYG Web Page Design

As any web developer can tell you, managing the location and arrangement of content on the page can be one of the most time-consuming aspects to do manually. Development for TwinCAT gets around these issues using a What You See Is What You Get style editor, paired with other features to make life easy for developers. Selecting and arranging components is as simple as dragging them in from a menu. The HMI features dozens of prebuilt components, including commonly used displays and controls, as well as advanced charts. We walked through a demo project using several different charts, which update live when linked with the PLC data, making it very easy to display live system data of all sorts to your end users.

Development in Visual Studio

This is a good point to bring up the ease of development afforded by the IDE. Development for the HMI is integrated directly into Visual Studio, which is very familiar to DMC from our extensive .NET development. The Visual Studio pane and menu system’s familiarity makes navigation quick, and Beckhoff’s custom screens are also very easy to use. Integrating development into a widely used and well-regarded editor allows engineers to develop a simple web-based HMIs for their PLCs without requiring extensive knowledge of web technologies. However, developers familiar with web technologies (like DMC) still have access to the generated results, allowing us to tailor a solution to the exact needs of our clients.

Easy Extension and Customization

As mentioned, Beckhoff’s existing framework controls allow for rapid development, especially for simple applications. However, the HMI is also very extensible, allowing for flexible and very custom solutions. DMC took an additional course in designing extensions for custom applications. The extensibility allows for custom Javascript interactive controls, in the case that the provided components don’t quite fit the bill. Further, the HMI allows for custom server controls in C#, which allows us to develop connect to any system, use any library, or employ any custom code from our .NET expertise. The flexibility of these extensions, combined with the ease of creating a simple solution, makes us very excited to work on projects with this new HMI.

Thanks to Zachary Daulton and co. at Beckhoff for hosting us and giving us a preview of the software!

The post DMC Attends Inaugural TwinCAT HMI Training appeared first on DMC, Inc..

TwinCAT is a software system from Beckhoff that can turn almost any PC into one or multiple controllers for real-time systems.

As the TwinCAT product manager for North America, Daymon was able to give us some insider information on exciting new features coming soon to TwinCAT, as well as a lot of insight into the history, theory, and application of the platform.

We were especially excited to hear about some new I/O options for TwinCAT, including Vision and Speech, which Daymon helpfully mapped onto human anatomy!

Daymon was also kind enough to help introduce some TwinCAT fundamentals to our colleagues who are newer to the system. Lastly, he gave us a deep dive into some technical details of TwinCAT architecture and communication, including the clever design and advantages of EtherCAT communication.

It was great as always to see our friends from Beckhoff, and we appreciate the updates and discussion.

DMC is a proud member of the Beckhoff Integrator Network (rebranded the Beckhoff Integrator Group in 2020), which recognizes our experience and proficiency in implementing Beckhoff and TwinCAT 3 programming solutions. Contact us to find out more.

Learn more about DMC's Beckhoff expertise.

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Here are a couple of the features integrated into Beckhoff’s new HMI worth taking note of:

• Web-based Control and Monitoring
• WYSIWYG Web Page Design
• Development in Visual Studio
• Easy Extension and Customization

Read on for more details and benefits of these features that we took away from our training on the new Beckhoff HMI. 

Web-based Control and Monitoring

The most appealing aspect of Beckhoff’s platform is that it leverages the internet to allow end users to control and monitor their PLCs from anywhere. 

Interfacing with industrial controllers via the internet is something DMC does regularly, and the TwinCAT HMI makes this simpler than ever before with an integrated server- and client-side development that effortlessly connects to the underlying PLC access.

The key benefit is that any number of different clients can access a web-based HMI. It could be a traditional monitor screen nearby the controlled device, or a tablet carried around an area by a supervisor, or even a mobile phone halfway around the world.

The HMI includes a responsive grid designed to facilitate development for multiple device sizes.

WYSIWYG Web Page Design

As any web developer can tell you, managing the location and arrangement of content on the page can be one of the most time-consuming aspects to do manually. Development for TwinCAT gets around these issues using a What You See Is What You Get style editor.

Selecting and arranging components is as simple as dragging them in from a menu. The final version served to your end users will look identical to the one in the editor, and the development environment features both a live preview and the ability to launch to a browser to test out dynamic components and routines.

The HMI features dozens of prebuilt components, including commonly used displays and controls, as well as advanced charts. We have used several of these charts in our projects. They update live when linked with the PLC data making it very easy to display live system data of all sorts to your end users.

Development in Visual Studio

The IDE affords ease of development. HMI development is integrated directly into Visual Studio, which is very familiar to DMC’s extensive .NET development. The Visual Studio pane and menu system’s familiarity makes navigation quick, and Beckhoff’s custom screens are also very easy to use.

For example, managing dynamic behavior on the client side is made easy by a drag-and-drop event editor which allows users to define the behavior of their components clearly without having to write their JavaScript. 

You control Visual styling in the Theme edit window, which is much easier to manage and update than writing a CSS file. Most usefully, any value on a client-side control (the text of a label, the color of an indicator, etc.) can be bound to a symbol on the PLC or the server via an intuitive menu system.

Overall, the design of the IDE allows an engineer to develop a simple, web-based HMI for their PLC without requiring extensive knowledge of web technologies. However, developers familiar with web technologies (like DMC) still have access to the generated results, allowing us to tailor a solution to the exact needs of our clients.

Easy Extension and Customization

As mentioned, Beckhoff’s existing framework controls allow for rapid development, especially for simple applications. However, the HMI is also very extensible which makes possible flexible and custom solutions. DMC took an additional course in designing extensions for custom applications to further assist with our projects.

The extensibility allows for custom Javascript controls, in the case that the provided controls don’t quite fit the bill. Further, the HMI gives custom server controls in C#, which has allowed us to develop connections to any system, use any library, or employ any custom code from our .NET expertise.

The flexibility of these extensions, combined with the ease of creating a simple solution, has made us successful on projects using this new technology.

Thanks to Zachary Daulton and everyone at Beckhoff for hosting us and giving us a preview of the software! 

You can download Beckhoff’s materials here. 

Learn more about DMC’s Beckhoff programming expertise.

The post Beckhoff’s New TwinCAT HMI appeared first on DMC, Inc..

Program

The program began presentations from Beckhoff breaking down IoT into its basic components and services. Attendees learned how to connect real-world applications, machines and data to the cloud using available solutions from Beckhoff, including standard industrial hardware and the TwinCAT IoT software suite. 

DMC Presentations

Pete Rijks, a DMC Senior Application Developer, discussed different IoT platforms and services, including Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. His talk covered Azure IoT Hub and devices, and streaming analytics and data ingestion in Azure. Pete demonstrated a real-world example of data connection to an Azure IoT Hub, including set-up and configuration. He also went over several real world IoT cloud case studies of projects DMC has implemented. DMC Project Director, Matt Puskala, gave a brief overview of DMC and showcased a few case studies of DMC’s recent Beckhoff TwinCAT solutions for our clients.

DMC Senior Application Developer Pete Rijks discusses Azure IoT at the Beckhoff IoT Seminar

DMC Project Director Matt Puskala presents at the Beckhoff IoT Seminar

Beckhoff and IoT

The Beckhoff TwinCAT platform excels at connectivity to devices, networks, databases, and the cloud, which makes them the leader in the industrial IoT space. In practice, cloud connectivity lends itself to applications collecting factory data to drive continuous improvements and OEE. For OEM companies, cloud connectivity can enable central collection of data and remote maintenance for regional, national, and global deployments in several locations.

Demos on display at the IoT seminar showed examples of collecting and sending real world signals and data to the cloud.

DMC is an official member of the Beckhoff Integrator Network, which recognizes our proficiency in implementing Beckhoff automation solutions and our close partnership with Beckhoff. We had a wonderful time sharing our Beckhoff project experience and IoT expertise at this year's seminar!

Learn more about DMC's Beckhoff programming and Microsoft Azure expertise. 

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