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Vijeo Designer 62 Tutorial

Getting Started with Vijeo Designer 6.2: A Beginner's Tutorial

Vijeo Designer 6.2 remains a cornerstone software for configuring Schneider Electric’s Magelis (now Harmony) HMI terminals. Whether you are automating a factory floor or managing a simple machine interface, mastering this tool is essential for efficient operator control.

This guide provides a structured walkthrough to help you go from a blank project to a functional HMI screen. 1. Project Creation and Terminal Setup

The first step is defining your hardware. Vijeo Designer needs to know exactly what screen you are using to provide the correct resolution and communication drivers. Launch the Wizard : Open Vijeo Designer and select "Create New Project." Identify Your Hardware : Choose your specific model from the Harmony (Magelis) GTO, GTU, or STU Configure IP Settings

: Under the "Network" tab, assign a static IP address to your terminal. This ensures your PLC and PC can consistently find the HMI on the factory network. 2. Establishing PLC Communication

Your HMI is only as smart as the data it receives. You must create a bridge between the software and your controller. Add an I/O Manager : Right-click on "I/O Manager" in the Navigator pane. Select Driver : For modern Schneider PLCs (like the M241 or M251), select Modbus TCP/IP SoMachine Network Define Equipment

: Add a "New Equipment" entry under the driver and enter the IP address of your PLC. 3. Variable (Tag) Management

Variables are the data points shared between the PLC and HMI (e.g., Start_Button, Motor_Speed, or Tank_Level). External Variables : These link directly to PLC addresses (%M or %MW). Internal Variables

: These exist only within the HMI for local logic or navigation. Variable Import

feature to pull your tag list directly from EcoStruxure Machine Expert to save time and reduce addressing errors. 4. Designing the User Interface

This is where you build the screens the operators will interact with. Static Elements

: Use the drawing toolbar for shapes, lines, and text labels that don't change. Switches and Lamps

: Drag a "Switch" onto the panel to toggle a bit. Assign it a variable (e.g., ) and choose a "Toggle" or "Momentary" operation. Data Displays

: Use "Numeric Display" for viewing variables like temperature or RPM. Use "Numeric Input" if you want the operator to change a setpoint. 5. Using the Toolchest Don't reinvent the wheel. The is a library of pre-made industrial graphics. Industrial Graphics vijeo designer 62 tutorial

: Find high-quality icons for pumps, valves, tanks, and fans. Animations

: Right-click a graphic to add "Visibility" or "Color" animations. For example, make a pump turn green when the Pump_Running variable is True. 6. Simulation and Download

Before sending your project to the physical hardware, use the built-in simulator. Simulation

to launch the runtime simulator. You can manually toggle variables to see if your animations and navigation work correctly. Build and Download

: Once satisfied, click "Build All." Connect your PC to the HMI via Ethernet or USB and select "Download to Terminal." Summary Checklist Correct terminal model selected? PLC IP address and protocol configured? Variables linked to the correct PLC addresses? Navigation buttons added to reach every screen? or how to set up Data Logging recipes for this version?

To begin a new HMI application, follow these steps in the Vijeo Manager:

Create Project: Right-click in the navigator and select Create New Project.

Define Target: Select the specific HMI model range (e.g., Harmony GTO, GTU, or STU).

Communication Driver: Add a driver to connect with your PLC (e.g., Modbus TCP/IP or Schneider Electric Machine Expert Pack). 2. Variable Management Variables (tags) are the link between your HMI and the PLC:

Manual Creation: Right-click the Variables section in the Navigator to add new digital, integer, or real tags.

Importing: You can link variables directly from PLC software like Concept by exporting them as a .CCN file and using the Link Variables option.

Dynamic Messages: Use specific syntax like within text resources to display live data in event messages. 3. Designing the Interface (Panels) The visual application is built using two types of panels:

You're looking for a tutorial on Vijeo Designer 6.2! Getting Started with Vijeo Designer 6

Vijeo Designer is a software tool used for designing and configuring human-machine interfaces (HMIs) for industrial automation applications. Here are some resources that might help:

Official Tutorials:

  1. Schneider Electric's Official Website: You can visit Schneider Electric's official website and search for "Vijeo Designer 6.2 tutorial" or "Vijeo Designer tutorial". They might have some official tutorials, user manuals, or guides available for download.
  2. Schneider Electric's YouTube Channel: Schneider Electric has an official YouTube channel where they publish various tutorials, including Vijeo Designer tutorials.

Online Courses and Tutorials:

  1. Pluralsight: Pluralsight has a course on "Vijeo Designer 6.2" that covers the basics of designing and configuring HMIs.
  2. Udemy: Udemy has a course on "Vijeo Designer 6.2 - HMI Design and Configuration" that covers the fundamentals of Vijeo Designer.
  3. Industrial Automation Training: This website offers a tutorial on Vijeo Designer 6.2, covering topics like project creation, screen design, and alarm management.

PDF Guides and Manuals:

  1. Vijeo Designer 6.2 User Manual: You can search for the user manual online, which usually includes tutorials and step-by-step guides.
  2. Vijeo Designer 6.2 Getting Started Guide: This guide provides an introduction to the software and its features.

Communities and Forums:

  1. Schneider Electric's Community Forum: You can join Schneider Electric's community forum and ask questions or search for discussions related to Vijeo Designer 6.2.
  2. Reddit: r/IndustrialAutomation and r/ControlSystems might have some users who are familiar with Vijeo Designer and can provide guidance.

Remember to always follow proper safety procedures and guidelines when working with industrial automation systems.

The Project Browser (The Control Center)

When you open VD62, you are greeted by the Project Browser. Unlike older HMI software, everything is nested by logic:

  • Application: Your HMI screens and logic.
  • Target: The physical HMI hardware (Magelis GTO, GTU, etc.).
  • IO Manager: The bridge to your PLC (Modbus, Ethernet/IP, OPC UA).
  • Variables: The heart of your data.

Tutorial Action: Create a new project. Select File > New. Choose a target. For this tutorial, select Magelis GTO5310 (a common standard model).

Part 3: Creating Variables (Tags)

Variables link HMI objects to PLC memory addresses.

  1. In the Project Browser, double-click Variables and Communication → Variables.
  2. Create the following 3 variables by clicking the Add (green plus) button each time:

| Name | Type | Address (Modbus) | Data Type | Initial Value | |------|------|------------------|-----------|----------------| | Motor_Start_Stop | Read/Write | 40001 | Bool | 0 | | Motor_Running | Read Only | 40002 | Bool | 0 | | Run_Seconds | Read/Write | 40003 | UInt | 0 |

📝 Address 40001 is a holding register. For Boolean (bit) control, Vijeo uses the least significant bit of that register.

Shortcut: To make it easier, set all three to Internal memory first (no PLC address). You can switch to Modbus later.

7. Creating an Alarm

  1. In Project Browser, double-click Alarms → Discrete Alarms.
  2. Click New.
  3. Configure:
    • Message: Motor temperature too high!
    • Trigger Tag: Temperature
    • Condition: Greater than or equal to 80
    • Acknowledge: Required
  4. Go back to Screen1.
  5. From Toolbox, drag an Alarm Viewer.
  6. Resize it to show at least 3 rows.

Now when temperature ≥ 80, the alarm appears. Online Courses and Tutorials:

Getting Started with Vijeo Designer 6.2: A Tutorial Deep-Dive

Why 6.2 still matters
While Schneider Electric has moved on to EcoStruxure Machine Expert, Vijeo Designer 6.2 remains widely used in legacy industrial systems and mid-range HMI projects. It’s powerful, Windows-friendly, and tightly integrated with Schneider PLCs like Modicon M221, M241, and M251.

But finding a structured, step‑by‑step tutorial for version 6.2 isn’t always easy. Here’s what a proper tutorial should cover — and where to look.

Lesson 4: The Stuck Bit (Scripting Logic)

Finally, the system worked. The button was pressed, the PLC saw the signal, and the conveyor moved. But there was one last problem.

The operator needed to press "Start" to begin, but the button stayed "ON" forever, even when the emergency stop was hit.

Alex wanted the button to act as a "Momentary" push-button (hold to run), but also show status.

He learned about Vijeo Designer Scripting. Instead of a simple "Set Bit," he used a small script on the button's "On Mouse Down" event:

CONVEYOR_START = 1

And on "On Mouse Up":

CONVEYOR_START = 0

He also added an Indicator Light next to the button. He didn't want the light to just show the button state; he wanted to show the actual motor output. He created a new variable MOTOR_FEEDBACK (mapped to the PLC output address) and linked the color of the indicator light to that variable.

12. Runtime simulation and debugging

  1. Use the built-in simulator to run screens and test behavior without hardware.
  2. Test tag reads/writes using simulated PLC or loopback.
  3. Use Diagnostic/Communication monitor to view traffic and errors.
  4. Fix address mismatches and timing issues before deployment.

The Story: The "Silent" Conveyor Belt

Alex, a junior automation engineer, had just finished wiring a Schneider Modicon M221 PLC to a conveyor belt system. The physical wiring was perfect: 24V DC was flowing, sensors were lighting up, and the motor hummed when forced on.

He opened Vijeo Designer 6.2, confident that the software side would be the easy part. He created a new project, dragged in a button, and uploaded it to the Magelis HMI panel.

He pressed the button on the screen.

Nothing happened.

The conveyor stayed dead still. Alex panicked. He checked the wiring. He checked the voltage. Everything was fine. He stared at the Vijeo Designer screen, confused. The button was there, it looked pretty, but it was essentially a "ghost."