Tag Archives: Visualization

CODESYS Visualization (and WebVisualization)

A CODESYS Visualization or Viz, is a way to embed a graphical interface into a PLC program. Interfacing with the PLC programs visually allows for quicker troubleshooting among other benefits. Further to that WebVisualizations publish a CODESYS visualization in HTML5. This enables user access to a PLC visualizations via a web browser.

Several examples of Visualizations and WebVisualizations exist online. Visualization and WebVisualization screens are created with drag and drop objects which are configured instead of coded. This simplifies screen development instead of having to build Java or HTML based objects for web accessible screens on the PLC.

The collection of YouTube based Visualizations highlighted below showcase the possibilities with the various screen objects across various applications – some industrial and some exemplar/illustrative.

The first example  is of an elevator application built in CODESYS. Credit to donkeykowng on creating this for a school project.

The next example is of an industrial mixing process with multiple tanks with levels updated dynamically. Credit to tweektweak23.

The next two credited to Kye-Hun Park .
Tetris . This visulization was built in SoMachine 4.1 which uses CODESYS 3.5
Snake game
 
Combination of  2D conveying and tank on a filling application.
CNC application courtesy of Martin van rijn
Another tank level application. Credit to Huseyin Gevrek
Material handling example with a couple of axis of a pick and place and a conveyor.
Credit to binyam .yo
More recent update of Codesys includes support for multi-touch. (from CoDeSysMotion YouTube page)
 A key benefit of a visualization is that it allows for parts of the PLC program to be graphically represented and viewed without the PLC programming software. This is given that the programmer or designer of the system designs and embed appropriate visualizations to represent the system. Being able to pull up a graphical representation of the system on a PC/tablet/phone browser allows for preliminary  troubleshooting without too many people having to have the programming software license . If the problem  is beyond wiring , mechanical or I/O issues , then someone with the programming software can be dispatched.

 

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