Graphical Software

I was wondering what people used to create their graphics for their HMI's. I'm working on my second full HMI program, the first is due for a new revision during a planned upgrade. I am using Red Lion and while I can make widgets in Crimson the outcome is not as professional as I would like.

It doesn't look bad at all. It is representative of what is there, is simple, serves all functions, and is better than some OEM interfaces. But I want a more polished look, something to make the corporate jobs go 'wow,' I'm trying to get them to start an automation department since they are so backward right now.

Anyway I have tried a couple of programs like Sketchbook, but they don't really fit the bill. Does anyone export CAD drawings and add textures and gradients? I would go for something with layers and did basic gradients. Price is an object, but I see this as an investment in my carrier, especially if I break out on my own in a few years.

IMHO if you take a look at this thread http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=42656&highlight=advanced+hmi

Which is about Advanced HMI by Archie Jacobs the objects are the best i haveever seen on any HMI hands dowm and i have seen a lot of them.

I wish the Manufactures of HMI software but this much detail into their graphic objects.

Thanks for pointing that out PLC Kid. I remember seeing that a while ago before I really got into rolling my own, instead of contracting the work. That software does is not going to work on a Red Lion G3 however. I also have a lot of application specific machinery that I seriously doubt anyone will have graphics for. Hence why I was wondering what graphics software, if any, the HMI developers around here use to generate graphics for Crimson, View Studio, or whatever they might use.

I use Inkscape:
http://inkscape.org/

I is a free vector drawing program sort of like Illustrator. There is little bit of a learning curve if you haven't done any vector graphics yet but you can't beat the price!

For more of a photoshop type free program I use Paint.net
http://www.paint.net/

Just an FYI, the graphics in AdvancedHMI were drawn using Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw. As Norm points out, Inkscape is a good free alternative.

If you do not have experience with vector graphics, you may find a little bit of a learning curve for complex or detailed graphics.

Archie

Where could one learn vector Graphics? Do you know of any good books or tutorials?

Is it possible to make objects like this and make them work with FT View or Wonderware?

Vector graphics as used here is a generic term for lots of different programs. All it refers to is the fact that the image is constructed from basic shapes. You could take a class, get a book, play with the software, Google searches, etc.

As pointed out a few times, Adobe Illustrater is a good program. Inkskape isn't bad and it's free. There are many others...This question has nothing to do with PLCs, industrial anything, etc, etc.

The Plc Kid said:

Archie

Where could one learn vector Graphics? Do you know of any good books or tutorials?

Is it possible to make objects like this and make them work with FT View or Wonderware?

Click to expand...

There are plenty of Inkscape tutorials on Youtube

I found more than I needed.
Google Docs has a simple SVG editor that can export graphic files in different formats. I would start with Google docs and then move to Inkscape when you have the need.

The Plc Kid said:

Where could one learn vector Graphics? Do you know of any good books or tutorials?

Is it possible to make objects like this and make them work with FT View or Wonderware?

Click to expand...

You can find many books on Adobe Illustrator. Maybe not as many on Inkscape, but there is plenty of community support on the internet. Youtube is a very good resource for tutorials.

Most of the programs will export to just about any format. I export my graphics PNG format because of it's size to quality ratio is the best compromise for what I do. If your HMI software will let you import PNG, BMP, JPG, SVG, etc, then you will be able to use the graphics you draw.

I'm not sure what would be involved if you are wanting to create aimated controls from the graphics.

Archie

How would you get the "Smarts" into the object for lack of a better term.

If you create a AMP meter Graphic how do you give it the ability to have needle movement and correspond to a tag or Value?

Much like your meters and gages in Advanced HMI?

The Plc Kid said:

Archie

How would you get the "Smarts" into the object for lack of a better term.

If you create a AMP meter Graphic how do you give it the ability to have needle movement and correspond to a tag or Value?

Click to expand...

For standard HMI software, you would create your object in several layers, animating or tagging each as required, and then group them together.

Meters are a good example, the base image might be just a rectangle. On top of that, you could add dynamic text values for the range of the meter. Then you add a line (as a pointer), and animate it as rotational around an end-point. Next, put another rectangle on the bottom of the mess to hide the bottom of the needle to make it look like a standard rectangular panel meter.
Finally, group it all together, and pray that your software allows for substituting tags in grouped objects.

For animation of any type, InTouch is hands down the easiest to use and most flexible I've ever seen.

If I could give anyone designing HMI graphics just one piece of advice it would be to turn on the grid an stick to it!

Yes, when designing in vector graphic packages (Illustrator , Inkscape etc) you can always resize later without loss of resolution but it is so much easier when everything is initially designed to the same grid. Then when scaling, you can apply the same scaling factor to all objects at once vs. trying to get them to line up later.

This also applies to simply using the tools of the HMI manufacturer. So many screens I see are a shade off looking professional because objects are a pixel off here or there when it is so easy to line them up on the grid.

Graphics with Illustrator

I've created some graphics using Adobe Illustrator for a project I'm currently working on. This will give you an idea of what you can do with vector graphics. The bottom of the kettles were done with a mesh gradient and as far as I know Illustrator is the only vector software that has that option.

When it comes to animations, I create controls in Visual Basic to do the actual movements of things like the meter needle. But based on what Bob is saying, it sounds like you could export the drawing in parts to an HMI package and stack them as layers, then add tags to the parts that you want to animate, such as a needle on a meter.

You mentioned Crimsion (Red Lion) and as far as I know a G3 only have 256 colors which greatly limits the smoothness of gradients. So check your HMI resolution and available colors before you spend too much time making graphics with a lot of detail.

Archie said:

I'm not sure what would be involved if you are wanting to create aimated controls from the graphics.

Click to expand...

If you are like me you cheat. I create a small program that uses the clock to toggle thru various pictures (500 ms is a good time base). I then create 2 or 3 pictures (3 or more if I am showing direction). Think of it like creating a cartoon when you were in school. These pictures are ovelaid so basically it is the same picture with certain elements in different positions. If the animation is moving across the screen you can do the same thing but change the position cordinates of the drawing. One suggestion for animation you are going to reuse. Do not put your clock counter in your PLC. You can have some pretty wicked swings in updates depending on Tag Number, Comms..etc..

Also, animation is really an optical illusion so you will have to tweek it a bit.

I did a lot of HMI development on a contract basis. I quickly learned over the years that most customers do NOT appreciate fancy graphics. Generally, they are more interested in "bang for the buck", i.e., getting what they need to competently run their processes. They are not interested in having you, the developer, waste time on activities that add little or no value, like fancy graphics.

Now, I'm lead facilities control engineer for a major semiconductor fab plant; again, we are more concerned with having functional screens rather than "gee, wow" screens.

Leave the art projects to the artists, us engineers should stick to what we do best.