21.5" High Performance Wide-Screen HMI with Capacitive Touch with CODESYS

The built-in CODESYS runtime for the cMT and cMT X series supports the following protocols for communicating with external party devices:

• Modbus TCP/IP (Master, AKA. Client), up to 32 devices
• EtherCAT (Master, AKA. Client), up to 65,535 devices
• EtherNet/IP (Master, AKA. Client), up to 32 devices
• CANopen (Master, AKA. Client), up to 126 devices
• PROFINET (Controller, AKA. Master), up to 64 devices

When structuring a project in CODESYS IDE for the cMT Series’ built-in CODESYS runtime, users are advised to utilize the following drivers:

Note: The built-in CODESYS runtime is not natively able to act as a Modbus TCP Slave/Server using a single Modbus Slave/Modbus Server device in the Device Tree of a CODESYS IDE project. Users can, however, utilize function blocks provided by the ModbusTCP Slave library to achieve similar functionality.

Note: The built-in CODESYS runtime must be running on a cMT series device featuring a CANbus interface to offer CANopen functionality in CODESYS IDE projects.

Yes, the iR series remote I/O couplers and modules can be used with any device that supports the following protocols:

WebVisu is primarily intended for browser based deployment. Our CODESYS-activated HMIs concentrate on local visualization, providing fast performance, reliable operation and simplified configurations for machine-level applications.

If more supervisory-level devices are needed, our IPCs support CODESYS WebVisu. Offering Linux or Windows based flexibility, larger storage, more processing power with the option to run multiple WebVisu clients simultaneously, making the ideal for centralized supervisory visualization with distributed operator access.

Pairing one of our IPCs with our Web HMIs, you’re getting a durable, industrial-grade touchscreen interface with minimal setup. You can display any WebVisu project hosted on our IPC, with no additional CODESYS licensing or programming required on the HMI.

If you’d like to learn more about how to use CODESYS WebVisu with our product, check out our how-to article, giving you step by step instructions on how to set up our WP4000 Series or our cMT Series Web HMIs with an IPC running CODESYS Linux SL Runtime using the CODESYS WebVisu functionality:

How to use CODESYS WebVisu on a Web HMI

Yes! Our CODESYS SoftPLC Platform does support PROFINET IO Master functionality now! This enhancement allows our advanced and high-performance HMIs and cMT-CTRL01 to function as a PROFINET IO controller, facilitating command transmission to various PROFINET IO devices, such as remote IO, drives, and sensors. This upgrade significantly boosts system integration and scalability, delivering a comprehensive PROFINET communication protocol solution.

Some of the key features of CODESYS SoftPLC Profinet IO Master:

• Diverse Device Communication: With our CODESYS activated devices functioning as a PROFINET IO Master, you can seamlessly connect to multiple major brand PROFINET IO Slave devices, enabling easy selection and rapid deployment of field devices for enhanced communication and control.
• Easy Setup via CODESYS: PROFINET device GSDML files can be imported into the CODESYS development environment, streamlining configuration and datapoint setup with minimal learning barriers.
• Real-Time, Stable Performance: Real-time control that addresses the most demanding industrial applications, PROFINET provides high-speed data transmission, combined with our CODESYS Runtime System built in on our pre-activated cMT-CODESYS devices.
• Multi-Protocol Integration: Supporting Modbus TCP, EtherNet/IP, CANopen, EtherCAT, and now PROFINET, our CODESYS activated SoftPLC devices serve as a multi-protocol integrated controller, ideal for complex environments with devices from various brands and mixed systems.

If you’d like more information on how to configure a cMT-CODESYS project as a PROFINET Controller, check out our Technical note 5160

First you’ll want to make sure your device supports CODESYS:

• HMIs with CODESYS pre-activated

Next, you’ll need to install the CODESYS Development System on your PC. This installs the IDE only, not the runtime on your device (we’ll get there):

• Go to Maple Systems Software Downloads and Upgrades
• Click on the download link for CODESYS IDE (32bit or 64bit)

Then, make sure to install our add on package. This ensures CODESYS knows how to talk to your cMT device:

• Go to Maple Systems Software Downloads and Upgrades
• Click on the download link for CODESYS & Remote IO Package

Now, we’re going to install and update the CODESYS Runtime on your Maple Systems device:

• If you don’t have EBPro installed, go to Maple Systems Software Downloads and Upgrades and click the download link for EBPro.
• Once that’s installed, open EBPro Utility Manager and choose the model number of the device you’re using.
• Select CODESYS Firmware Upgrade. The latest Firmware can be found in the Software Downloads and Upgrades page.

Your HMI has now become a PLC runtime that can execute IEC 61131-3 Logic!

Ensure your PC and cMT device are on the same network/subnet. Your device will show a CODESYS runtime IP address on the screen, you’ll need this IP to connect from CODESYS IDE.

To create a new CODESYS project, in the CODESYS IDE system:

• Click on File – New Project
• Choose the model number (this will only show up after you’ve installed the CODESYS & Remote IO Package)
• Select your preferred programming language (LD, ST, FBD, SFC, etc.)

Now you’re ready to create your project, download it, run and debug!

It depends on which protocol you’re using:

See our full list of CODESYS-activated HMIs.

The allocated memory for “Data, Input, Output, Memory, Code” is the maximum size of a CODESYS IDE project. Project files may not exceed the available memory on the cMT series’ CODESYS runtime, or else “Out of code memory…No download possible” errors will occur.

Memory limits on CODESYS firmware revisions prior to v20240703 are as follows:

Additional memory is available on cMT/cMT X series devices running version v20240703 or higher of the CODESYS firmware. Memory limits on CODESYS firmware revisions v20240703 and higher are as follows:

NOTE: “CODESYS & Remote IO Package” version 1.5.3.500 or later must be used in CODESYS IDE for cMT/cMT X series devices is running CODESYS firmware v20240703 or higher.

Select cMT and cMT X series devices can operate their own built-in CODESYS runtime to run PLC programs defined in CODESYS IDE. Below are some baseline metrics that can help explain how fast the cMT series’ built-in CODESYS runtime is:

It’s important to note that these metrics do not necessarily determine how fast a project developed in CODESYS IDE will execute on the cMT series. Execution speed will depend heavily on a variety of factors such as:

• Task configuration of the CODESYS projects
  • Number of POUs called by a task
  • Execution type of the task (Cyclic, Freewheeling etc.)
  • Task priority
• Complexity of POUs being executed
• Blocking/non-blocking behavior of POUs in Tasks

It’s important to consider the overall structure and design of a CODESYS project, as well as the complexity of individual POUs that are called in the project’s tasks. Small optimizations or more fleshed-out programs can significantly improve the execution behavior of a project on the cMT series.

The cMT series‘ built-in CODESYS runtime is compatible with wide range of standard libraries and features available in CODESYS IDE, with some limitations. Generally, libraries that do not require OS and hardware support are compatible with the cMT series’ CODESYS runtime.

The table below lists libraries known to be compatible with the cMT series’ built-in CODESYS runtime:

Libraries incompatible with the cMT series’ CODESYS runtime can be added to a CODESYS IDE project and compiled or downloaded without issue. However, they may cause “unresolved reference” errors when logging in via CODESYS IDE, or certain function blocks may not operate correctly, leading to compile errors. This indicates incompatibility, and such libraries should be removed from the project.

Compatible libraries may still have limitations. For instance, using the SysTimeRtcSet function from the SysTimeRtc library will result in a “Not implemented” error in CODESYS IDE, as the cMT’s CODESYS runtime does not control the hardware clock.

The cMT series’ built-in CODESYS runtime does not support the following features:

• OPC UA features
• Network Variable List
• Alarm Configuration (Alarm Manager)
• Redundancy Configuration
• CODESYS TargetVisu
• CODESYS WebVisu
• CODESYS HMI
• SoftMotion
• CODESYS IIoT Libraries SL
• CODESYS OPC UA Client SL
• CODESYS OPC UA Server SL
• CODESYS Safety for EtherCAT Safety Module SL

Note: It is always suggested users verify functionality of any CODESYS IDE logic prior to using external libraries & function blocks in a production environment.

Some users may implement Array of Arrays tags in CODESYS or Schneider PLC programs to create a multi-dimensional array. These will not function properly when imported into EBPro, and cause errors. To resolve this, users can instead use alternative syntax to declare multi-dimensional arrays.

An example declaration of an array of arrays that will not appear correctly in EBPro when imported is as follows:

VAR
	arrayOfArrays : ARRAY [0..5] OF ARRAY [0..5] OF INT;
END_VAR

Here, an array is declared that contains 6 more arrays of 6 INTs. When these tags are imported into EBPro, individual INT instances within the full array cannot be selected, and an “address is invalid!” error occurs.

Instead, users should utilize the syntax for declaring a multi-dimensional array:

VAR
	multiDimArray : ARRAY [0..5, 6..11] OF INT;
END_VAR

Using this method, users can achieve the same effect as an array of arrays and not encounter errors when selecting imported tags in EBPro.