# HMI screen for VFD, C-more??



## MotoGP1199 (Aug 11, 2014)

Looking at putting some HMI screens on some Danfoss drives (about 15 of them). I was looking at the C-More HMI touch screens due to price and availability. Are they any good? Also I have never programmed an HMI screen before. With the danfoss drive I know it will work with Modbus. My gaol was to have a screen the user could easily read and NOT touch the VFD control panel. I wanted the screen to be capable of:

-Turn motor on/off
-View current pump speed, amps.
-Input data for 4-20mA signal (min/max)
-Have a few setpoints the user could change on their own based off of time.
-(maybe) Put in basic motor info, HP, Voltage, amperage, RPM, etc.
-Possibly have a Kilowatt per hour counter that is reset-able. Kind of like an odometer on your car.
-(Maybe) Reset alarms, the same ones the reset button would handle.

Is this going to be something I could learn to program rather easily (couple of weeks to a month)? If so I would greatly appreciate some info on where to look and learn from. I was hoping to do this my self so I could do it for future installs and I enjoy learning new things.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

I would call tech support, and read off that list. They will guide you on the model you would need.


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

I haven't used that brand but normally you have to pull Modbus in to a plc then convert it to the network for the hmi to understand it. The hmi is technically a mini computer so maybe you can skip the plc if it has a modbus connection.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

If you like learning, I'd absolutely try it.

We did a grain handling facility a few years ago and couldn't find an automation contractor that had time to take it on. I work with automation contractors fairly regularly and always paid attention to the work they were doing and how they laid their PLC cabinets out, etc. So I figured I'd take a stab at building some PLC cabinets and ethernet'ing several Automation Direct Do-More racks together with a C-More just by watching their online instruction videos and using common sense. It's been running now without a hiccup since Oct 2015. It was my first major PLC project. I'm not trying to toot my own horn, I'm just saying you sound like a person with a similar mindset as myself that could probably accomplish similar goals with the right motivation. I haven't done Modbus yet, but I know if I had a project I could learn on, that wasn't mission critical like this one, I bet I could learn it. Same for you.

Besides, you figure it once, you'll have the program files forever for reference, along with the experience, for future projects. In my mind, that's priceless.


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## CoolWill (Jan 5, 2019)

I'm not an expert in drives and HMIs by any stretch. But I upgraded some old foam processing machines last year with new drives with HMIs and had to build the interface. I'll say this: You don't have enough time to learn it from scratch. So... There are probably some example screens included in the software package. Start with one of those and copy and paste what you want into it from other examples.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

I used this video, and had the hmi up and running in about an hour. If you know how to program your plc, this shouldn't be too much of a learning curve.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Man did that ever remind me of creating database front ends or what.......

Adding buttons and installing functions to make the buttons do things like change screens or compile searches or you name it, I did it. 

One thing though - about the example- 3 different colored screens is referred to angry fruit in the database design world. Pick one theme- usually you use one color with a slightly deeper bold color- and a subdued color at that for your screens. I guess though if it is just a machine front end you don't have to spend all day in front of it, so who the hell cares anyway if it is angry fruit, so long as it gets your attention.


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## SCR (Mar 24, 2019)

I just finished a project like that with Schneider vfds using a brx plc and C-more Hmi. You definitely need a plc between the drives and the c-more. That'll make it a lot easier.In fact i think its impossible without a plc. If the vfds are all in the same general location, you can use one plc to talk with multiple vfds and hmis.
AD has great free video tutorials available for the BRX plcs. However,the c-more is more learn as you go, though it's quite easy once you start getting the hang of it.


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

Worst part is while learning you will discover a new trick that's just so neat that you will want to go back and change everything. Its kind of addictive as you can always make it better and add more.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

gpop said:


> Worst part is while learning you will discover a new trick that's just so neat that you will want to go back and change everything. Its kind of addictive as you can always make it better and add more.


I agree with this!!! I noticed the same thing when learning on my first program....


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## MotoGP1199 (Aug 11, 2014)

dronai said:


> I used this video, and had the hmi up and running in about an hour. If you know how to program your plc, this shouldn't be too much of a learning curve.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7yp-7kry1U


Great video,thanks


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## paulengr (Oct 8, 2017)

You CAN directly read/write the Modbus registers with a C-More HMI without a PLC. So as long as the VFD by itself does everything you need it’s fine. So you could start, stop, read Amos, RPM, set the speed, etc...most of the things you are asking about. At some point though you need a PLC in between. But if you can do what you are asking off the keypad chances are you could do it with just the HMI. How far you can go with this depends on the HMI and VFD capabilities. For instance the Red Lions let you put control code in them. You can do some things with triggers in C-More but it’s limited.


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## MotoGP1199 (Aug 11, 2014)

paulengr said:


> You CAN directly read/write the Modbus registers with a C-More HMI without a PLC. So as long as the VFD by itself does everything you need it’s fine. So you could start, stop, read Amos, RPM, set the speed, etc...most of the things you are asking about. At some point though you need a PLC in between. But if you can do what you are asking off the keypad chances are you could do it with just the HMI. How far you can go with this depends on the HMI and VFD capabilities. For instance the Red Lions let you put control code in them. You can do some things with triggers in C-More but it’s limited.


Ok great, that's what I was hoping. Yes, everything I was asking can be done through the drives control panel


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