This document provides answers to frequently asked questions about WECON's PI series of industrial touch panel PCs. It covers topics such as available operating systems, included support, the PI Studio software for project development, communication ports, functions like data recording and alarms, differences from the LEVI series, and calibrating touch screens.
1. WECON PI Series Q&A
WECON Technology Co., Ltd.
WECON PI Series
Q&A
WECON Technology Co., Ltd.
Website: http://www.we-con.com.cn/en
Technical Support: liux@we-con.com.cn
Skype: fcwkkj
Phone: 86-591-87868869
Tech forum: http://wecon.freeforums.net/
2. WECON PI Series Q&A
WECON Technology Co., Ltd.
Catalog
1. About PI series....................................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Introduce...................................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 What’s other OS could be installed in PI series........................................................................................................... 1
1.3 What’s support you will get when you order PI series panel....................................................................................... 1
2. PI Studio software.................................................................................................................................................................. 2
2.1 Where download PI Studio software? ......................................................................................................................... 2
2.2 How to create a new project in PI Studio?................................................................................................................... 2
2.3 How to access PLC registers in HMI screen?.............................................................................................................. 2
2.4 How to design project?................................................................................................................................................ 2
2.5 Is there help documents? ............................................................................................................................................. 2
2.6 How many COM part in PI series?.............................................................................................................................. 2
2.7 How to download project from software to HMI? ...................................................................................................... 3
2.8 What operate systems required? .................................................................................................................................. 3
3. Functions ............................................................................................................................................................................... 4
3.1 What new functions added in PI SCADA system?...................................................................................................... 4
3.2 How to use data record function?................................................................................................................................ 4
3.3 How to use alarm function?......................................................................................................................................... 4
3.4 How to use curve? ....................................................................................................................................................... 4
3.5 How to use recipe? ...................................................................................................................................................... 4
3.6 What is access HMI remotely?.................................................................................................................................... 5
3.7 How to connect and control IP Camera? ..................................................................................................................... 5
3.8 Could PI series support WIFI? .................................................................................................................................... 5
3.9 Why PI 3000 can’t support access HMI remotely and IP Camera?............................................................................. 5
3.10 How to calibrate for touch screen?............................................................................................................................ 5
4. The differences between the PI series and LEVI series.......................................................................................................... 6
4.1 Hardware parameters................................................................................................................................................... 6
4.2 Could LEVI project run in PI HMI?............................................................................................................................ 6
4.3 The difference between access HMI remotely and WEB-Server?............................................................................... 6
4.4 The difference in video input function ........................................................................................................................ 6
3. WECON PI Series Q&A
WECON Technology Co., Ltd.1
1. About PI series
1.1 Introduce
PI is the abbreviation of pioneer, PI series is LEVI 8000 series before. In order to differentiate between
new and old series, so we renamed it to PI series.
In this series, there are 2 kind of type, one is PI 3000, the other is PI 8000, PI 3000 is economical type
in PI series, PI 8000 is advanced type in PI series.
1.2 What’s other OS could be installed in PI series
WECON PI Series Embedded Industrial panel PC can pre-install WINCE 7.0 system and LINUX
system according to users’ needs. Please contact sales for detailed information.
1.3 What’s support you will get when you order PI series panel
Item WECON OS WINCE 7.0 Linux
Description Come with PI SCADA
Use PI Studio software to
develop HMI screen
Come with WINDOWS CE
OS, basic interface driver
included
Come with LINUX OS, basic
interface driver included
Developme
nt Tool
PI Studio (Free) Visual Studio.net QT etc. programming
language
Cost Free Operating System Pay for Genuine Operating
System
Free Operating System
System
Tool
Adjust display, configure
communication parameter
CETOOLTool No
Help
Document
Yes Microsoft Help Document No
Technical
Support
Get help from Wecon
professional hardware and
software engineer
Consult us about driver
development only. No
application development
support.
Consult us about driver
development only. No
application development
support.
Defult
Screen
WECON factory screen Windows CE Desktop Standard LINUX command
line, opened root
4. WECON PI Series Q&A
WECON Technology Co., Ltd.2
2. PI Studio software
WECON R&D department provide PI Studio software to customers to create application for it, PI
studio is Embedded WEB SCADA software.
2.1 Where download PI Studio software?
We have uploaded this software to google drive; please click the following link to download it,
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0j9uum1UPXbfjZDdDlmSjhsTnQyQzhqb09oTmZaVDJCM1ZCc
3YydFlTczJ1TC1WQnFQb0k
2.2 How to create a new project in PI Studio?
Please click in the left top corner of software, and select , or please click
in menu directly.
2.3 How to access PLC registers in HMI screen?
It requires select protocol for PLC device, and then PLC registers can be accessed. Protocol can be
selected when create a new project, or please click “Project”->”Communication”, and then select protocol.
The defend protocol for project is “WECON SIMUTOCOL”.
2.4 How to design project?
Create the new screen and add the proper objects to screen. All the objects can be found in objects
library, it located in right of software.
2.5 Is there help documents?
The help documents are contained in PI Studio, and some parts of pictures contain more information,
when you find your mouse arrow change into a hand, please click this part.
2.6 How many COM part in PI series?
In PI 8000, there are 3 COM ports,
COM1 could support RS232 and RS485 at the same time, or support RS232 and RS422 at the same
time.
COM2 could support RS232 and RS485 at the same time.
COM3 only support RS485 (it uses same COM port with COM2).
So PI 8000 could connect 5 devices at the same time.
5. WECON PI Series Q&A
WECON Technology Co., Ltd.3
In PI 3000, there are 2 COM ports,
COM1 could support RS232 or RS485 or RS422.
COM2 could support RS232 orRS485.
So PI 3000 could connect 2 devices at the same time.
2.7 How to download project from software to HMI?
There are 3 ways to download project.
1) Using COM2 port via RS232 cable
2) Using USB-B port via USB cable
3) Using Ethernet port via network. (PI 3000 also could support it, but require Ethernet port)
2.8 What operate systems required?
So far, we finish the test in Windows XP and Windows 7, and now we are testing the Windows 8 and
Windows 10.
6. WECON PI Series Q&A
WECON Technology Co., Ltd.4
3. Functions
3.1 What new functions added in PI SCADA system?
Compare to Levi series, PI series get more functions, as following shows
1) Access HMI remotely
2) IP camera
3) Support WIFI
4) SQL database (developing)
3.2 How to use data record function?
Data record function can record registers data according customers’ requirements, and it will create data
record files as setting, those files can be stored in HMI flash, USB flash disk or SD card.
There is data record display object for viewing recording data, we just add registers in data recording
area, please click “Project”-> “Data record” to add registers. More detailed, please refer to help documents.
3.3 How to use alarm function?
Alarm function is divided into bit alarm and word alarm; they could meet all the requirements of
monitor. Alarm function also could create alarm record files; those files can be stored in HMI flash, USB
flash disk or SD card.
There is alarm record display object for viewing alarm information, it displays alarm information by 2
ways, one is current alarm, and the other is history alarm. More detailed, please refer to help documents.
3.4 How to use curve?
There are 4 kinds of curves, history trend display, trend display, XY trend display and history XY trend
display.
Trend graph shows the data as a dynamic curve, the X axis represent the time, Y axis represent the data.
We just add the registers in “Trend Chart” area. And then select the curve style in object’s setting windows.
History trend display, the real-time data in HMI cache will display curve graph, which X axis represent
as time, Y axis represent as data. History trend is basic on data record.
XY trend display, the real time data in cache will display as continuous curve or separated points, each
point in XY plot needs 2 addresses to set a point. We need each curve’s style and read registers’ in object’s
setting windows.
History XY trend display, the data in cache will display as continuous curve or separated points, each
point in XY plot needs 2 addresses to set a point. Each curve read from “History XY Plot”.
3.5 How to use recipe?
PI series also could support recipe function, recipe function could read or write the array. Please click
7. WECON PI Series Q&A
WECON Technology Co., Ltd.5
“Project”->“Recipe” to edit parameters, recipe could support many data format, like 16-bit signed, 16-bit
BCD, 16-bit unsigned, 32-bit signed, 32-bit BCD, 32-bit unsigned, 32-bit floating, string.
3.6 What is access HMI remotely?
This is similar with WEB-server function; customers could view and control HMI by Ethernet. But it is
more convenient than LEVI series, because customers no need to do “home.asp” file for this viewing HMI
data. And customers could see HMI’s screens by browser. But this function only available in PI 8000, PI
3000 can’t support this function.
3.7 How to connect and control IP Camera?
Control and display the camera image, the camera can only communicate with HMI though Ethernet
port. Use dynamic control instruction: read a string from designated system address, and then combine the
instruction to control the camera image. But this function only available in PI 8000, PI 3000 can’t support
this function.
3.8 Could PI series support WIFI?
At present PI series didn’t built-in WIFI module, but PI 8000 could support USB WIFI extend module.
3.9 Why PI 3000 can’t support access HMI remotely and IP Camera?
Because PI 3000’s CPU only 600 MHZ and its flash is 128 MB, so if it supports this function, PI 3000
panel can’t work normally.
3.10 How to calibrate for touch screen?
There are 2 ways to recalibrate for touch screen.
1) Holding press left top corner of screen.
2) There is a “Recalibration” button in download windows, please click it.
8. WECON PI Series Q&A
WECON Technology Co., Ltd.6
4. The differences between the PI series and LEVI series
4.1 Hardware parameters
Item PI 8000 PI3000 LEVI standard
CPU Cortex A8 720 MHZ Cortex A8 600 MHZ 32-bit 400 MHZ
Flash 4 GB EMMC 128 MB 128 MB
RAM DDRⅢ 512 MB DDRⅢ 128 MB DDRAM 64M
Serial COM
port
COM 1: RS232 & RS485 /
RS422
COM 1: RS232 / RS422 /
RS485
COM 1: RS232 / RS422 /
RS485
COM 2: RS232 & RS485 COM 2: RS232 / RS485 COM 2: RS232 / RS485
COM 3: RS485 COM 3: — COM 3: Optional
Color 260,000 (16,000,000) 260,000 (16,000,000) 6,5536
4.2 Could LEVI project run in PI HMI?
The LEVI project is made by LeviStudioU software, but PI project is made by PI Studio software, they
are quite different software, so the project is not universal.
Note: LeviStudioU software only for LEVI HMI, and PI Studio only for PI HMI.
4.3 The difference between access HMI remotely and WEB-Server?
In PI series, there is no need to do a special .asp file for access HMI, only input panels’ IP in browser,
which support HTML format, and then customers could view HMI’s screen and data, because PI project
screen is in HTML. It is more convenient for customers.
In LEVI series, it requires customers do “home.asp” file for Web-functions. And only data could be
viewed by Ethernet, if customers didn’t have skill of making web page, this function is useless for them.
4.4 The difference in video input function
Both in PI and LEVI HMI has video input function to meet customers’ requirements in monitor. But
there are some differences between those two kinds of series.
In PI series, it support IP camera, so it is higher quality video images, and customers could store the
video in SD card by camera, and there is no limit in distance between HMI and camera.
In LEVI series, it only supports analog video, the quality of video images is poor, and video can’t be
stored.