TwinCAT HMI project quickstart

Create a New HMI Project:

• In Visual Studio, right-click on your solution in the Solution Explorer and select Add > New Project.
• Choose TwinCAT HMI Project from the templates and name it appropriately.

Add the Runtime to the PLC:

• By default, the HMI project contains only the local runtime. To add the runtime to the PLC:
  • In the Solution Explorer, navigate to HMI Project > Server.
  • Double-click on ADS.
  • Expand the Runtimes section and click + Add runtime.
  • Name the runtime (any name is fine), but ensure that the AmsNetId points to the ADS route previously defined to connect to the PLC.

Design the Layout:

• Open Desktop.view in the HMI project to start designing the interface.
• Use the Toolbox on the right to add UI elements (e.g., buttons, sliders, indicators).
• For each element, use the Data Binding option to link it to PLC variables.
• Ensure the PLC runtime is activated beforehand to enable variable selection during binding.

Visualize Using Live Mode:

• Open Live Mode by navigating to the menu Extensions > TwinCAT HMI > Windows > TwinCAT HMI Live-View.
• In Live Mode, interact with the interface in real time and verify that the elements correctly reflect and manipulate the PLC variables.