Wonderware, HMI, C-More, Etc

Hello all,
Im involved in a project that is aiming to teach mechatronics & PLCs to high-schools and community colleges. We created a low cost trainer that uses the CLICK PLC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBGCg_1LQHw
Ive been getting some feedback from folks saying the next step is to have an HMI or SCADA software to have some buttons and graphics representing the parts of the trainer. What is the most common HMI software that could communicate with the ethernet click PLC. Any feedback or ideas are definitely appreciated.
Tim

Advancedhmi is free, I would start there.

I used AdvancedHMI with an Ethernet Click to build the most over-engineered balcony garden watering system you've ever seen. Works well, and I can recommend it, although I would caution that if your students don't have at least a basic grasp of Visual Basic it can be quite limited.

I've also used a C-More HMI with an Ethernet Click to build a machine to build houses backwards. Very intuitive and quite easy to set up, I could recommend that as well.

If it were me, I'd probably lean towards the C-More. They're some of the cheapest HMI's on the market, easy to learn if you starting from scratch, and the programming would be quite similar in nature to the way your students would program any other HMI in the field.

Of course, the C-More isn't quite as cheap as "free", so the AdvancedHMI option also has it's benefits. It's a little different to programming a purpose-built hardware HMI, but If your students have some general IT and Visual Basic skills, you can do a whole lot more with AHMI than you ever could with a C-More.

Thank you for replies. This is a quality forum. I didn’t do a good job of explaining what I’m trying to do. C-more definitely for the Hmi. What I’m looking for is PC control of the Click PLC. My students will definitely have no experience with visual studio. Automation direct has point of view which seems to work. A guy I work with is raving about wonderware so I was hoping that would work with a click PLC....Tim

I would also recommend the advancedhmi route. Wonderware is a fine product, but it is not cheap to get started. And it can have a big learning curve.
Vb can also be hard for a beginner. The difference is Google is full of people using vb.

I wouldn't worry about students needing to know VB for AdvancedHMI.

If all you are doing is basic pushbuttons and indicators making a working HMI is drag & drop, then assigning the driver and PLC address,.

The VB part comes in when trying to modify or create functions.


It's free to download, just need to have all the .NET Windows features installed and install Visual Studio Community - also free

As far as I know, wonderware should have a driver that would work. Are you aware of the cost?

+1 AdvancedHMI

AdvancedHMI to Click PLC Communication - Modbus TCP
http://accautomation.ca/click-plc-advancedhmi-communication/
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVOaEjGMzKQ

Factory IO is another software that you might want to consider. It will also communicate Modbus TCP (Ethernet) to the Click.
http://accautomation.ca/plc-programming-example-pick-and-place/
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDm-9yXyWXM

Regards,

Sold on the Advanced HMI. Appreciate all the help.
Tim