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Using Kollmorgen Visualization Builder

To work with Kollmorgen Visualization Builder, do as follows:

• Tag the PLC"Programmable Logic Controller" A Programmable Logic Controller, PLC, or Programmable Controller is a digital computer used for automation of industrial processes, such as control of machinery on factory assembly lines. Used to synchronize the flow of inputs from (physical) sensors and events with the flow of outputs to actuators and events variables you want to export and map with the HMI"Human-machine interfaces " Also known as computer-human interfaces (CHI), and formerly known as man-machine interfaces, they are usually employed to communicate with PLCs and other computers, such as entering and monitoring temperatures or pressures for further automated control or emergency response (for more details, refer to Map Variables to HMI)
• Compile your project to generate the ModbusModBus is a serial communications protocol and is now the most commonly available means of connecting industrial electronic devices. ModBus is often used to connect a supervisory computer with a remote terminal unit in supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. Versions of the ModBus protocol exist for serial port and Ethernet (it is widely used with TCP/IP over Ethernet) mapping file
• Create a KVB project 1 There is no built-in feature to import/export KVB projects within the KAS IDE"Integrated development environment" An integrated development environment is a type of computer software that assists computer programmers in developing software. IDEs normally consist of a source code editor, a compiler and/or interpreter, build-automation tools, and a debugger, and open it
• Design your HMI with KVB
• Save and close KVB
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  • Important! Be sure to use "Save" and not "Save As". The KVB is self-contained within the KAS archive and the Save As function moves the KVB out of the archive.

• Save your KAS project

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• When you create the KVB panel with the KAS IDE, all the creation and mapping procedure is done automatically after compiling your project. So you can directly go to the Design the Panel.

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• Be aware that as soon as you change the PLC variables exported for the HMI, the mapping file must be re-imported in Kollmorgen Visualization Builder to have an up-to-date version.

Create a new controller

This procedure is applicable when you use Kollmorgen Visualization Builder externally.

• After choosing to create a new project, select the type of operator panel to be used
  
  
• On the next dialog, select the Kollmorgen controller with the Modbus protocol, then click the Next button
  
  
• Enter the name of the project and where you want to create the project. Then click the Finish button
  
  

Import variables into the project

When you open the Kollmorgen Visualization Builder with your KVB panel (by double-clicking the KVB panel from the project explorer) all the variables tagged into the Dictionary are automatically imported into Kollmorgen Visualization Builder. Once the file is imported, all PLC variables are available for use within Kollmorgen Visualization Builder.

See figure for more details about tag actions

1. Select Others to display the Action column
2. You can edit the tag actions

How to perform a manual importation?

To sort out the limitation stated above, you need to manually export/import the variables (tags) of your project.

The import procedure is as follows:

• Select the Tags tab
• Click the arrow of the Import button, then select Import tags to [Controller1]… in the drop-down menu
  
  
  
  
• In the import dialog, specify the filename by clicking the … button
  
  
• Then use the open file dialog to find the .txt file
• Once the file is specified, click the OK button
  
  
• Back in the import dialog, make sure the Column separator is set for Comma, and leave all options selected
• Then click the Import button
  
  
• Specify which tags (variables) you want to import. To select all tags, click the Select All option
• When you have finished selecting the tags, click the OK button
  
  
• You are now notified how many items are successfully imported. Click the OK button to return to the project
  
  

Design the Panel

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• Do not modify Project Name and Title to keep consistency between Kollmorgen Visualization Builder and the KAS IDE.
  
  

Add Object

You can drag-and-drop predefined objects from the library to the screen. The library is located in the Home tab of Kollmorgen Visualization Builder.

Customize Object

Select an object and click the General tab to customize:

• its settings in the Settings section
• its style to a different template in the Style section

Map Variable to the Object

In the General tab, you can set the Variable or Tag that maps to the current object in the Tag/Security section.

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• Click the F1 key to open the Kollmorgen Visualization Builder online help (or use the Help button in the ribbon tab heading)

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• Be aware that as soon as you change the PLC variables exported for the HMI, the mapping file must be re-imported in Kollmorgen Visualization Builder to have an up-to-date version.

Download the Panel

To download your panel you have to use the Project ribbon in Kollmorgen Visualization Builder that contains the Transfer command .

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• For more details, refer to the online help in Kollmorgen Visualization Builder

How to download on the HMI device (AKI)

To download you must be connected directly to the HMI panel through an EthernetEthernet is a large, diverse family of frame-based computer networking technologies that operate at many speeds for local area networks (LANs) cable. As the IP address is already defined (for more details, Configure the Controller), nothing special has to be done before transferring your panel to the graphic operator terminal.

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• If you transfer your project on a USB"Universal Serial Bus" USB is a serial bus standard to interface devices stick, place it in the USB port of the AKI panel while it is booting up.

How to download on the PAC (AKC)

• Click the Transfer button (as shown below) to validate your HMI project.
  
  
• Select a desired location to save the project (a folder is created with all of the necessary files along with one executable program)
• Place this folder on a USB stick
• Copy this folder anywhere on the PAC hard disk
• Ensure you have Visualizer RT installed on the PAC (with a USB stick containing a valid license key)

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• For an easy access, you can add a shortcut to the executable program on the desktop, or to the windows startup folder so it launches automatically when the PAC boots up.

Related Documents

For further information on Kollmorgen Visualization Builder, refer to the following manual:

KVB Guide		Description
Kollmorgen Visualization Builder™ Quick Start Guide		Quick Start that covers the most important points to install and use Kollmorgen Visualization Builder, in order to configure HMI Panels and PCPersonal Computer operated control applications, including applications for PACs
Kollmorgen Visualization Builder™ User Manual		Contains all the content to help you with Kollmorgen Visualization Builder

See Also

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