Getting Started with Keyence VT Studio

VT Studio is the HMI programming platform developed by Keyence for their VT series HMIs. This guide will cover the basic capabilities of this software and how to get started with your own HMI programming project. In this tutorial, we will use Keyence’s PLC backend with KV Studio, as it pairs best with the software.

Creating a New Project

After you open the platform for the first time, go to “File” > “New” (Or use the shortcut Ctrl+N) to create a new project.

A pop-up screen will appear asking you to select the series and model of the HMI you are programming for. You may also select whether you wish to use a slide tab and what location it will exist in. Select the correct configuration and press “PLC model settings.”

In PLC model settings, you can select from a variety of manufacturers, including Rockwell, Siemens, Mitsubishi, and more. The communications are Ethernet- based, and you can select a general Modbus TCP protocol, allowing you to link any controller capable of Modbus to your VT series HMI.

For our purposes, we will use a Keyence KEV-X500/X300 PLC platform as our target PLC. There is also a “Multitalk” function that lets you communicate with multiple controllers. They don’t need to be the same type either. Once you select your PLC platform, click “OK” to continue.

You will then see the project editor for your new empty project. You may begin using components to design your HMI screen, but first it is good practice to link your PLC to the HMI project and set an IP for the HMI itself.

To set the HMI IP address, navigate to “VT setting > Ethernet/Language/Video” and ensure “Send VT setting” is enabled so you may set the IP addresses of the HMI panel ports.

Setting Up the KV-Studio PLC Tags for HMI Access

Since we are using a Keyence KV-Series PLC as our controller, first make sure the tags we want the HMI to access are configured properly. Open up the Variable Edit viewer for the group of tags you wish the HMI to have access to, and make sure that the OPC UA setting is configured to either “Output” or “InOut” depending on if you want the HMI to have read or read/write access to your tag. The “Output Information” box must be checked as well. Make sure your project is saved and keep it open while you navigate back to VT Studio.

Importing KV-Studio Tags Into VT Studio

Once back in your VT Studio project, navigate to the “Device comment/variable list” tab on the right-hand side of the program and press “Import.”

This will open a pop-up that should have your KV Studio project under the “KV STUDIO currently running” option. If your project is not currently open, then you can select it via the “KV STUDIO project” option. Press “Execute” after you select your project.

Now the tags you have configured in KV Studio should be visible in the “Variable” tab within the “Device comment/variable list.”

To finish linking the PLC, navigate to “Periphery connection > PLC communication condition” under “System setting” and ensure your target PLC is set to the correct PLC address, and the same number you imported.

Background Screen Creation

The best way I have found to develop screens within VT Studio is to first create a “Background” screen that will be used as the basis for all other screens. This allows you to keep a header, footer, or other elements consistent throughout all of the other screens you create. Start by adding a background color to this screen. Right-click the screen in the project editor and press “Screen attribute settings.”

There, you can modify the Screen ID, which references the screen itself. We can leave this standard for now, but we will change the background to something other than black.

Once we pick the background, we can create a header on our background screen. Using simple drawing tools, text objects, and buttons, we will create a title as well as navigation options. We will also use the parts catalog to add a clock to the header, but there are plenty of other options if needed.

The final background screen + header includes a title, two navigation options, and a clock to read the current time. Next, create two additional screens, link them to the navigation buttons, and ensure the background screen is used.

In the project navigation screen, press the “New screen” button to open the “New screen” pop-up. In this view, we will ensure the Page No. is unique, give the screen a name, and press “OK.” Ensure the background color matches across all new screens you create. Do these steps to create two unique screens.

Once you’ve created these screens, go back to the first screen we are using as a background and double- click on the “Screen 1” button. On this screen you can add different actions that occur on button press. Change the current “Switch function” to “Switch page” and ensure the Page No. matches the Screen 1 page we created, and then press “OK.” Do the same thing for the “Screen 2” button as well.

Key Takeaways

At this point, you’ve built the basis of your VT Studio project, connected your PLC tags, created your initial sceens, and configured buttons to navigate between them. With the basic project structure and screen navigation in place, you’re ready to explore more of VT Studio’s HMI development capabilities.

In Part Two, we’ll continue building on this project and walk through additional VT studio features to create a more functional HMI application.