Twin HMI screen set up

[Stuffmat 0]

Hi, I am trying to set up a Twin HMI system on a machine. (screens on each side mirror each other during operation)

I have a GE Versamax Micro Controller PLC and two 10” Quickpanel+ HMI screens.

This is a newer version of one of our older systems that operated in the same way, the only physical difference is the serial cable arrangement as the old system used 8” Quickpanel HMIs with different connectors.

HMI 1 is connected from COM1 via RS232 serial cable to Port1 on PLC. (Connects and interacts with PLC ok individually)

HMI 2 is connected from COM2 via RS485 serial cable to Port2 on PLC. (Connects and interacts with PLC ok individually)

There is a Cat 5 Ethernet cable between the HMIs.

The software for the old system works with the new set up and the ViewNetwork consoles on the HMI screens appear behind the ViewRuntime and display the neighboring Target screen and their IP connection details.

I have adapted our latest single screen machine software into a Twin screen version in the same way as the old software as far as I can see but with the newer software the ViewNetwork consoles are blank with No target connections. Each screen interacts with the machine ok but they do not mirror last data or page selected from the other screen etc. as the old version did.

I have been through all the options I can find in the old software and set the new software the same but with the same blank ViewNetwork console.

What settings do I need to adjust to enable each HMI to mirror the other and see each other through the ViewNetwork consoles.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance,

[Steve Bailey 118]

I have never set up a system like this myself. The help files seem more geared toward multiple View Runtime targets on computers rather than multiple Quick Panels. However, there does seem to be a distinction made between clients and servers with the implication that one HMI needs to be a server and the other a client. On the client, it appears you need to set up a directory for the data shared over the network. The following is from Proficy version 9.5 help.

On the Client computer, create a folder where logging, alarming, and networking files will be stored. Share the folder as 'FrameworX'. See your Operating System guide for information on how to share folders.

Have you set up a directory on one of the Quick Panels and is it shared? 

[Stuffmat 0]

Following up on this, I now have mirroring actions between screens.

There are no settings or options that need to be set up to get the ViewNetwork to target the other screen, the Proficy software does this itself as long as I reference the equivalent tags on the other screen and each HMI has an IP address set.

For example: If I press a BACK button on HMI_01 to go to Screen 1, I could run this script when pressed:

>PanelOpen Screen1

>HMI_02.PanelOpen Screen1

Unfortunately, I will now have to go through every button on every screen to ensure the other HMI is referenced. 

[Steve Bailey 118]

I guess the question that needs to be asked is why is it necessary that both monitors display the same screen when an operator at either screen could easily navigate to any screen?

[Stuffmat 0]

It is not so much about screen navigation in this case as there are situations where the displays need to match.

For example, the main operation screen has speed control selection, if a desired speed is selected on HMI_1 then we want this to mirror onto HMI_2 so that they don't both show different desired speeds. 

Operating individually, whichever HMI commanded last would set the running speed but the other HMI would still show the desired speed that it last set.

It now works as desired and the ViewNetwork console is displayed to Target the other screen behind the ViewRuntime display.

Thanks for your suggestions.