A beginners level course in Rockwell (Allen Bradley) HMI programming
In this course, you will learn all the fundamentals required to design Allen-Bradley HMIs using FactoryTalk View Machine Edition (ME).
What you’ll learn
- Learn what an HMI (Human Machine Interface) is.
- Learn to navigate the FactoryTalk software environment.
- Learn to program objects in FactoryTalk View Machine Edition.
- Learn how to connect HMIs to PLCs and make the interface work.
Course Content
- Introduction –> 3 lectures • 16min.
- Getting started –> 1 lecture • 23min.
- Hardware setup –> 1 lecture • 10min.
- Software environment –> 6 lectures • 1hr 32min.
- Objects –> 7 lectures • 1hr 57min.
- Demo applications –> 1 lecture • 8min.
- Project file for download –> 1 lecture • 1min.
Requirements
In this course, you will learn all the fundamentals required to design Allen-Bradley HMIs using FactoryTalk View Machine Edition (ME).
HMI stands for Human Machine Interface. It is used alongside PLCs to create an interactive interface for monitoring and controlling industrial machinery. HMIs are widely used across industries such as automotive, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, aerospace, oil and gas, and many others.
The main focus of an HMI project is designing screens that allow operators to monitor system status, control devices, adjust parameters, and respond to alarms within an industrial machine.
To better understand the relationship between PLCs and HMIs, consider this analogy:
- The HMI is like the front-end of a website — the pages users interact with.
- The PLC program is like the back-end — the logic that processes inputs and controls outputs behind the scenes.
This course covers all the essential components required to build HMI applications from scratch. You will learn how to design professional HMI screens, configure communication with PLCs, and understand or modify existing HMI projects.
A basic understanding of PLC programming — especially with Allen-Bradley PLCs — is recommended for getting the most out of this course.
Allen-Bradley PLCs and HMIs are widely used in industrial automation, particularly in the North American market, where this brand has a strong presence. If you work in or target the North American automation industry, this course will be especially valuable for you.
By the end of this course, you will have the confidence and skills to design, develop, and maintain professional HMI applications for real-world industrial systems.