Complete Guide to Vijeo Designer 6.2: From Installation to HMI Deployment
Vijeo Designer 6.2 remains a cornerstone for engineers developing Human Machine Interface (HMI) applications for Schneider Electric’s Harmony (formerly Magelis) range. Whether you are a beginner or looking to upgrade from version 6.1, this guide covers everything from the initial setup to advanced project features. 1. Installation and License Modes
Before you begin, ensure your system meets the requirements for Windows 7, 8, or 10. You can install the software in three distinct modes:
Limited Edition: Allows full configuration but restricts downloads to only the HMISTO and HMISTU series. To activate this, leave the Reference and Serial Number fields blank during installation.
Trial Mode: Provides 21 to 42 days of unrestricted access to all features and HMI types.
Fully Licensed: Requires a purchased Activation ID, which you enter in the HMI License Manager after installation. 2. Getting Started: Creating Your First Project
Launching a project follows a structured workflow designed to minimize configuration errors.
Project Initialization: Open Vijeo Designer and select New Project from the File menu or Navigator pane.
Define the Target: Specify the HMI model (e.g., Magelis GTO, GTU, or iPC).
Communication Setup: If linking to a PLC, configure the IP address or serial driver. Vijeo Designer 6.2 supports multi-PLC connectivity, allowing one HMI to communicate with devices from Schneider, Siemens, Omron, and Mitsubishi simultaneously.
Interface Overview: Use the Navigator to manage project elements and the Toolchest to drag and drop pre-made graphical objects and scripts. 3. Core Development Tasks Variable Management
Variables (tags) are the bridge between your HMI and the PLC.
Creating Variables: Right-click the variable section to add internal or external tags.
Linking to PLCs: You can import variables directly from Schneider software like Concept by exporting them as a .TXT file and renaming the extension to .CCN.
Addressing: For Modbus or IEC syntax, you can use direct addressing like %MF10 instead of traditional offset addressing. Vijeo Designer | PLCtalk - Interactive Q & A
Vijeo Designer 6.2 is a configuration software used to create dynamic operator interface (HMI) screens for Schneider Electric’s Magelis/Harmony panels. This tutorial outlines the core steps to develop an HMI project, from initial setup to downloading the application to your hardware. 1. Create a New Project
Start by defining your hardware and communication protocols.
Launch the Wizard: Open Vijeo Designer and select Create New Project. Project Info: Give your project a name and description.
Select Target: Choose your specific HMI model (e.g., HMIGTO, HMISTU) from the list. vijeo designer 62 tutorial
Network Configuration: Set up your communication driver (e.g., Modbus TCP/IP or Unitelway) to define how the HMI talks to your PLC. 2. Define Variables (Variables Tab)
Variables act as the bridge between your PLC registers and the HMI screen.
Variable Types: Create External Variables for PLC addresses (like %MW100) and Internal Variables for local HMI functions like page navigation.
Naming: Use clear names (e.g., Motor_Start_PB or Tank_Level_Scaled).
Data Types: Assign the correct type, such as BOOL for switches or INT/REAL for numerical values. 3. Design the Graphical Interface
This is where you build the "dynamic screens" that operators see.
Draw Objects: Use the tool palette to place switches, lamps, and data displays.
Animations: Link these objects to your variables. For example, a "Lamp" object can change color from gray to green based on the state of a Motor_Status variable.
Navigation: Create multiple screens (e.g., Home, Alarms, Settings) and use Switch objects to navigate between them. 4. Advanced Features To make your HMI more functional, you can incorporate:
Alarms: Configure thresholds to trigger alerts when variables go out of range.
Logging/Trends: Create real-time or historical graphs to track values like temperature over time.
Recipes: Save sets of parameters (e.g., "Product A" vs "Product B" settings) that can be sent to the PLC at once. 5. Build and Download
Once your design is complete, you must transfer it to the HMI hardware.
Validation: Go to the Build menu and select Build All. This checks for errors in your variables or links.
Transfer: Click Download to Target. You can connect via USB, Serial, or Ethernet. Ensure your PC's IP address matches the HMI's subnet if using Ethernet.
Watch this guide to see how to properly upload and download project files between your PC and the HMI hardware:
For global machinery:
French and German.Change Language > Select French.RT_GetCurrentLanguage system variable to show current language on screen.Alex loaded the project onto the HMI. He pressed the button. The variable on the screen turned green (ON), but the physical motor still didn't move. Complete Guide to Vijeo Designer 6
"Why is the PLC ignoring me?" Alex asked.
"Because you haven't told the HMI how to talk to the PLC," Sarah replied. This is the most common Vijeo Designer mistake. The HMI has the variable, but it doesn't know the driver settings.
Alex went to the Navigation Tree and found the Driver folder.
Modicon M221.192.168.1.10).CONVEYOR_START was mapped to this specific driver channel.Without this step, the HMI was just talking to itself.
You have now created a complete HMI application in Vijeo Designer 6.2, including:
This foundation allows you to build industrial HMIs for real machinery.
End of Tutorial
Note: For official training, refer to Schneider Electric’s Vijeo Designer 6.2 User Manual (doc ID: EIO0000001254) or visit se.com.
To begin a new HMI application, follow these steps in the Vijeo Manager:
Create Project: Right-click in the navigator and select Create New Project.
Define Target: Select the specific HMI model range (e.g., Harmony GTO, GTU, or STU).
Communication Driver: Add a driver to connect with your PLC (e.g., Modbus TCP/IP or Schneider Electric Machine Expert Pack). 2. Variable Management Variables (tags) are the link between your HMI and the PLC:
Manual Creation: Right-click the Variables section in the Navigator to add new digital, integer, or real tags.
Importing: You can link variables directly from PLC software like Concept by exporting them as a .CCN file and using the Link Variables option.
Dynamic Messages: Use specific syntax like
In Vijeo Designer 6.2, "making a report" typically refers to documenting project configurations, such as where variables are used (Cross Reference) or logging runtime data (Data Log Reports). 1. Generating a Variable Cross-Reference Report
This report identifies every object, script, or action where specific variables are used, providing dynamic links to those locations.
Open Variables: Select the Variables node in the Navigator window to display your variables list. Access Reports: Go to the Reports menu in the top toolbar. Select Variable Report: Click on Variables. Go to Project > Languages > Add French and German
Validate: Click Yes when prompted to validate the project to ensure the report data is current.
Configure: In the dialog box, select Cross Reference by Variable Name.
View Results: Click OK. A table will appear listing variables in alphabetical order along with their associated references. 2. Data Logging and CSV Reports (IDS)
For operational reports like batch data or historical logs, Vijeo Designer uses the Intelligent Data Service (IDS).
Configure Logging: Set up a Data Log group within your project to capture variable values over time.
IDS Report Printing: Use this feature to automate the creation of a CSV file from your logged data, which can then be used for external analysis. 3. General Project Configuration Report
To document the entire HMI setup for customers or site acceptance tests:
Project Summary: Access the Reports menu and select Project Report to generate a detailed summary.
Contents: This report typically includes a list of devices, serial numbers, firmware versions, communication architecture, and protection settings. 4. Key Tutorial Milestones for Vijeo Designer 6.2
If you are building a full project report for a tutorial, ensure these core configurations are included:
Project Creation: Setting up the target HMI model and communication drivers.
Variables: Creating and linking variables (e.g., from Schneider Electric Control Expert or Concept).
Panels & Objects: Designing screens with numeric displays and graphical objects.
Alarms & Recipes: Configuring alarm management and recipe databases.
Simulation: Testing the application using the built-in simulator before downloading to hardware.
How to create and save data logging from IDS Report Printing feature
5.Login Screen: Drag the User Login component to your startup screen.