A TwinCAT HMI update

By integrating the Human Machine Interface into the engineering environment of Visual Studio^® and TwinCAT 3, Beckhoff opens the way for the next HMI generation.

The TwinCAT 3 HMI (human-machine interface) integrates itself into the well-known Visual Studio^® development environment. Based on the latest web technologies (HTML5, JavaScript), it allows the user to develop platform-independent user interfaces that are responsive, i.e. they automatically adapt to the screen resolution, size and orientation at hand. With the graphical WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) editor, controls can be easily arranged via drag-and-drop and linked with real-time variables.

The TwinCAT 3 HMI Server is a modular web server that provides the human-machine interface (HMI). It supports all CPU classes from Arm^® to multi-core. The powerful architecture enables a wide range of application scenarios from local panel solutions to multi-client, multi-server and multi-runtime concepts.

The TwinCAT 3 HMI Server includes a connection to one client (browser) as standard. Optional client packages are available for establishing further connections at the same time, e.g. to a mobile device or panel. Optional packets are available for 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 25 or 100 clients. The number of supported clients is not tied to the devices employed, the HMI Server only counts simultaneous (browser) connections.

The TwinCAT 3 HMI Server can be expanded modularly and flexibly via extensions. The software development kit (.NET) can be used for programming application-specific solutions (e.g. business logics, proprietary protocols). In addition, user IP (intellectual property) is protected, and existing functions can be accessed by the server (e.g. ADS, logging).

OPC Unified Architecture is a vendor-independent communication interface for linking TwinCAT or other controllers. The extension includes the OPC UA client, which enables integration of an OPC UA server.

The TwinCAT 3 HMI Scope software oscilloscope can be used to display time sequences with high resolution. The extension enables integration of the software oscilloscope into the TwinCAT HMI and provides ready-made scope control.

The TwinCAT 3 HMI Server includes a connection to one controller as standard. Optional target packages for 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 25 or 100 targets are available for connecting further control systems. The HMI Server only stores the number of physical targets, based on the unique addressing. The engineering process can be more flexible and modular, and the efficiency increased.

The TF2400 TwinCAT 3 HMI Audit Trail extension contains 250 audit trail symbols as standard. If more symbols need to be monitored, optional packages are available with TF24x0 to increase this number. The number at the end of the package name is the number of symbols that are included (e.g. the TF2430 TwinCAT 3 HMI Audit Trail Symbols Pack 1000 has 1000 additional symbols). The total number of audit trail symbols is calculated from the sum of the individual packages.

The TwinCAT 3 engineering components enable the configuration, programming and debugging of applications.

The basic components can be extended by TwinCAT 3 functions. The functions are classified into various categories. e.g. motion control, measurement technology, control technology and communication.

The TwinCAT software system turns almost any PC-based system into a real-time control with multiple PLC, NC, CNC and/or robotics runtime systems.

TwinCAT offers many features and various software function blocks for all automation tasks.