Beckhoff releases machine vision-specific HMI control software

Expanding the toolbox of available HMI controls, Beckhoff has released its TwinCAT HMI Control. In combination with the company’s image processing software, TwinCAT Vision, the control gives users the option of directly integrating image processing into the TwinCAT HMI operator interface.

TwinCAT Vision can transmit live video and images from machine vision systems into TwinCAT HMI. The image display control enables direct linking of multiple machine vision images and switching between currently displayed images.

The HMI software also supports freezing an image allowing detailed analysis of the last capture, as well as scaling and moving the image within the vision control by means of touch gestures, mouse input or direct entry of specific values. Users can also draw shapes (points, lines, rectangles, ellipses and polygons) to set regions of interest and display graphics (a cross, rectangles and circles) or image overlays for the purpose of setting up and positioning cameras and workpieces.

In addition, the TwinCAT Vision HMI package’s color control offers three options for entering and displaying color values and conversion between various color formats (e.g. grayscale, RGB and HSV). The color control also supports JavaScript programming and can also link to a four-element array variable to edit a color filter directly from the PLC.
www.beckhoff.com