01 Getting Started

Version 23.1 by Stone Wu on 2022/08/19 09:58

The HMI configuration software help can help you master the basic operation and usage of the configuration software more quickly, and assist you in completing your work successfully.

The following steps will show how to install PIStudio.

Requirement

PIStudio installation package downloaded.

Windows 7 (32bit / 64bit)
Windows 8 (32bit / 64bit)
Windows 8.1 (32bit / 64bit)
Windows 10 (32bit / 64bit)

Download

Official Website https://ftp.we-con.com.cn/Download/Software/PIStudio20211210.zip

Google Drive https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Im7YS2rtnRI7yFIHmqHDVPBUyWahqSXN

Installation

Steps:

Decompress downloaded file get PIStudio installation package.
Select PIStudio installation package.
Right click it.
Select "Run as administrator".
Select language for PIStudio interface, it supports Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), English, Italian, Russian.

Click "Next".

If there is a previous version of PIStudio on the PC, please remove it before installation.
Select a folder for PIStudio installation, or use the default folder, then click "Next".

Click "Browse" to specify a folder, or use the folder suggested by the program, click "Next" to continue the installation process.

Select additional tasks, for example: "Create a desktop icon". Click "Next".

At this stage, all settings have been completed. Please check if it is correct. If there is any need to re-select the part, please press "Back". If all is correct, please press "Install" to start the installation process.

Installer execution

Please check "Launch VC Runtime" to install "Microsoft Visual C++2008" in your PC.

Result: Users could see shortcuts to PIStudio's features in the "Start" » "All Programs" » "PIStudio" directory.

✎Note:

In case of the incompatible problems, it is suggested to install and run PIStudio as administrator.
Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 provides the necessary runtime components for PIStudio

PISuite (Toolkit)

In addition to being editable on PIStudio, HMI has other related components that can be used.

Open the "Start" ->"All Programs" ->HMI Editor installation directory to quickly open functional tool.

The tools of toolkit are as follows.

Tool	Icon	Function
Download		Get information about HMI such as upload and download project, updata HMI's time, get HMI version, get machine colde etc,.
Decompile		After reading the project from HMI to PC, you need to decomcompile the project before opening it with PIStudio.
DataLogTool		To view the "DB" such as file data records, alarm records or operation records collected by HMI. You could also convert it to "excel" format.
LogoMakerTool		To make the boot logo of PI series HMI.
DataUpload		Upload data record ,alarm records or operation records collected by HMI.
PIRecordUpload		Monitor devices in real time, update and export data records, alarm records or operation records collected by HMI synchronously. (Only supported by ig Sseries)
CreatInstallmentPwd		The installment payment mode is dynamic password. You can use the Installment password tool "CreatInstallmentPwd" to generate the dynamic password.
PIMonitor		LAN monitoring of 3000 series HMI screen.
Levi2PI		Convert LEVI series engineering to PI series engineering.
HMIPrjStdNeutral		Project conversion between PI standard and PI neutral version
PIRptEditTool		Convert the record files generated by LEVI or PI to the specified format.
HMIProjectReportTool		Analyze and generate HMI engineering report.

✎Note: HMI supports the use of USB and Ethernet to download/upload project and record files.

Getting Started

This chapter provides a quick and precise introduction of PIStudio.

It does not contain a comprehensive list of all functions, but it only takes 6 simple steps to create a new project.

Operation	Description
Create a new project	Click the "New Project" in the upper left corner of the software to create a new project. You could click "Screen" to create a new screen. See the "Screen Style (only for ig series)" for details.
Project Settings	Click "Communication" and "Project settngs" to set communication protocol and port parameter.
Project design	Create sreens and place the objects you need. You could draw your own project through "draw", import the required pictures and vector maps using "Shape" library, and enrich the project as much as possible by using the diversified objects .
Compile and save	You need to "compile" every project before downloading to it HMI. When uploading a project from the HMI to the PC, you need "Decompile".
Simulitaion	PIStudio provides two simulation modes: offline simulation and online simulation. Offline: Simulate the operation of the HMI and PL on the computer. There is no need to connect with PLC. Online: Simulate the operation of the HMI and PL on the computer, but require the PC to be connected to the PLC and set the correct communication parameters. There is a 30-minute time limit for using online simulations.
Download project	Download is the last step. After completing the download, the HMI can run the designed project, and the project downloaded to the HMI can also be uploaded to the PC.

Create new project

The following steps will show how to start PIStudio and create a project.

Requirement

PIStudio programming software is installed.

OperatingProcedure

Start PIStudio software by click icon, or from Start Menu.
Find "PIStudio" folder.
Click "PIStudio" icon to start software.

Click "New project".

Configure project name, project path.
Select HMI model and communication protocol.
Click "OK" to save setting.

Result

User could find a folder named HMIProject on the desktop.
In the folder user could find a file with a suffix named ".pi". Double click the file to open the project.

Add screen

The following steps will show how to create and rename screens in PIStudio.

New screens, which are still blank, could be created using the "Common object". User could choose different objects to design screen according to project's requirements.

Requirement

The "Quick_Start" project is open.

Steps:

Create a new process screen: Clicking "New" will appear "New screen" setting.

Set screen parameter in "New Screen", such as screen number, screen name, background type.

After making a new screen, user could insert objects in screen. For example, button and trend.
Add button object in screen.
Set button object parameters, such as read address, mode etc.

Add "Trend Chart" from "Chart".

And "Function key" for screens switch.

Result

Do a project screen with bit button, one chart display object, and one Function key for switching screen

Project size limits

3000 series limits the project file size to 25M
3070i series limit the project file size to 25M
3070ie series limit the project file size to 22M
3070ig series limit the project file size to 25M
8000&9000 series limit the project file size to 165M

Create communication with WECON PLC

HMI

Download PIStudio Software

Please visit the link below to get the latest version LeviStudioU for HMI programming:

Download or Download

Create a new HMI project connect with PLC

Check the link below for the video to show you how to get started with a new project

Video

For more videos, please visit our Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/Wecon2004/videos

General

HMI could communicate with PLC and support many PLC protocols. It is easy to operate and set communication parameters. This demo shows how to make a communication with PLC device, use WECON LX3V Series PLC as an example.

Protocol settings

The communication between two devices requires a protocol. The following contents show the steps of protocol settings.

Please select the protocol, when creating a new project.

Select the COM port for communication;
PLC type: It means PLC brand, like WECON;
PLC model: It shows the model of PLC, such as LX3V;

If you want to change the protocol for existing project, please click [Program] → [Communication] to open the [Communication] windows, shown as the following figure.

The steps to change the protocol for project are as follows.

Click [Setting] to open the [Communication device] window;
Select communication port, such as COM1;
Select Serial port for communication, such as RS422;
Select device type (device brand), such as WECON;
Select the protocol for communication, such as WECON LX3V;

Parameter settings

The parameters settings are in [Communication] window, shown as following below.

Click [Setting] to open the [COM port setting] window;
Set the parameters such as [connection], [Baud rate] and so on;

Click [Setting] to open [Timeout] setting window, you could set the parameters according your requirements, or just use the default value.

Set PLC address in HMI screen

Place the objects to HMI screen;
Double-click the object to open the setting window;
Click “Edit” to open the address setting windows;
Connection: select the serial port in HMI;
Address type: All the PLC address types will be display in this list, such as M;
Address No.: Please input the number of this address, such as 0;

Communication cable

In order to ensure the stability of communication, please use the twisted-pair communication cable with good grounding. The following figure shows the pin out definition.

HMI communication PLC use Modbus

HMI setting: https://docs.we-con.com.cn/bin/view/PIStudio/12.PLC%20protocols/
PLC setting: https://docs.we-con.com.cn/bin/view/PLC%20Editor/8.1.%09Communication/

PLC

Download PLC Software

Please visit below link to get the latest version PLC Editor for HMI programming

LX3V:Download link
LX5V:Download link

Start a new PLC project

Start a new PLC project by clicking “New” on the left top corner of screen, select the PLC mode from the drop-down list.

Change the PLC mode

Add a new instruction

Double click on the ladder, select the ladder symbol (instruction) from the drop-down list, then enter the address for this symbol.

You could also select the ladder symbol from the menu bar directly.

Add comment to PLC program

Add the statement to PLC program

Add the statement by single click on “Statement”, when finished, single click on “Statement” again to go back to Ladder edit.

Compile

You need to compile the PLC program before downloading or running Off-line simulator. The background color will be changed from purple to white when there is no error.