Weintek Love in the Wild

Stepping into the world of HMI for the first time! 🛠️ This week, I took on a new challenge: integrating a Weintek HMI touch screen into my control system. Despite it being my first time working with this hardware, I managed to get it fully operational in just 2 days. Key Progress: • Seamless Communication: Established Modbus TCP connectivity through a network switch. • Data Visualization: Successfully mapped 22 sensor values and 8 actuator settings for real-time monitoring. • Mobile Integration: Topped it off this afternoon by implementing Bluetooth on the controller board, enabling full system access via smartphones and tablets. I'm excited about how quickly this interface came together. It’s amazing to see how modern HMI tools can streamline industrial workflows when you dive right in!

I have already used several Weintek product lines, including EMT, MT, and cMT, specifically MT8072iP, cMT-2078X, FHDX-820 with CODESYS, and the cMT-G01. Weintek provides a large amount of well-structured online tutorials, a fast learning curve, excellent cost-benefit, free software, and high technology. What stands out the most, overall, is the huge number of available drivers and the architectural flexibility of the platform. The cMT line can act as a server for the MT line, remote access through EasyAccess 2.0 works very well, and the cMT-G01 operating as an OPC UA server (15,000 free certified nodes) is impressive. In addition, having native MQTT, direct integration with AWS IoT Core and Microsoft Azure, Modbus server functionality, and features like cMT Viewer puts many external tools aside — it even replaces solutions where Node-RED is often used. Because of the wide range of drivers and features, Weintek solutions are suitable for almost any application scenario. As a suggestion for improvement: It would be very useful if the MAC address of the Ethernet port on the MT series were explicitly visible on the HMI system. Currently, when the navigation button is hidden, retrieving this information can become unnecessarily difficult.

Our production line wants to create an awareness dashboard with modern web technology. We want to extract data logs via Weintek, as our current system uses Siemens PLCs and HMI. The old vendor used Siemens environment tools like WinCC and TIA Portal to create a dashboard, but we can't afford to purchase a license. So we've decided to extend our topology using Weintek instead.

Ignition doesn't support CANbus. Probably not a deal killer for most situations. At my company my colleague wants to start using Ignition Edge for ALL of our HMI projects. Which makes sense. But I am making an HMI for diesel engines. The lack of CANbus support means I have to jump through a 3rd party OPC-UA to convert it before sending it to HMI. I think I am just going to use the a Weintek/Maple HMI for this project because it has CANbus support built in. Other than that, the only downside I can think of is that an Ignition Edge license is $1300. If that is per panel, it's going to get really expensive in a hurry. Our application needs 7 HMIs per machine.

Weintek are really powerful and very cheap. Software is free and you can do online simulation before you have to purchase anything. I have written a HMI program and connected to a PLC with online simulation where my laptop acts like a HMI and then controlled all functions as normal. Then I purchased the HMI and installed. They offer screen less HMIs as well, I recommend you take a look at their products. Well worth the money and they have hundreds of drivers.

I require remote access to my projects that are away from home. I did some homework and decided that Weintek looked to have a good solution. Set up my first Weintek touch screen yesterday. I set up a domain on Weincloud - free. A secure VPN connection. I had purchased a remote access card when I purchased the screen - about $90 AUD. I set up the screen with appropriate IP addresses - modem was connected complete with an inexpensive data only SIM card - entered modem IP address as appropriate - rebooted the touch screen and clicked add screen on the cloud interface. I added the hardware number of the screen and the serial number on the access card and viola - I was connected to the screen via EasyAccess software and Weintek CMT viewer. Operating switches and the like. The hardware number and access card number are locked together. My PLC was connected to the second Ethernet port on the touch screen and my laptop was connected to the PLC as well through a switch and I was online to the PLC. I clicked on 'pass through' on the cloud connection - added the IP address of the PLC - the software noted that there already was a connection to the PLC (my laptop) - said it would be disconnected - clicked OK - my laptop Ethernet connectiion was disconnected and was then connected through the modem/cloud connection - absolutely seamless. I think back to how I used to have to connect with expensive Extranet cards - having to use a DNS server to find out the public IP address or have an expensive VPN account and program the modem mystery bag - do routing tables in the PLC software - painfull. Very impressed and the screens are not expensive - graphics pretty good as well - a heap of drivers for just about any PLC brand. I did not have to do any programming in the modem either - its default IP address was out of the way of everything so no need. In this case I used a Teleorigin modem but guess that probably any brand would do. Many have a default IP address of 192.168.1.1 which is inconvenient as that is the default address of most routers as well so the IP address would need to be changed before connecting to anything. Now on to discovering about the email feature from the screen through Weincloud using a SMTP mail server. Then on to push messages to mobiles with EasyAccess running on them. My customer will also have access to the screen from mobile phones and computers using the EasyAccess app - everyone is happy. Next one will be setup next week - will have to put together a detailed instruction sheet for my colleagues. Red Lion have a solution of course but it is so expensive and does not appear to have all the features Weintek does have. Recommended. Apparently they have a special solution for CODESYS and Seimens PLCs as well - no experience there as I do not use either of them - currently doing this with Omron PLCs. It is necessary to add a DNS server apparently - just used the Google default DNS 8.8.8.8 - easy.

Honestly they are all pretty good, under 10inch and standalone machine i go with the IE/iP series, simply because of the price, nothing comes close. Anything bigger or part of the PLC network I go with CMT X series, you can set them up to access all the CMT HMIs from any other CMT HMI, obviously all password protected but I have a headless CMT HMI in my office connected to a big monitor showing me every HMI on the plant, it's no replacement for a good scada system but it still allows me to make adjustments and monitor data at a glance without loading up or running extra applications on my laptop. But any of them will work, and that's the biggest benefit to me, 1 version of 1 application will do them all

Used their cMTx series several times with AB PLCs and have never had any issues. I actually prefer them over AB HMIs. They have a lot of functionality and are pretty easy to set up. Just export your tags from Studio 5000 and import them as a csv into EasyBuilder Pro.

I absolutely love them. They work better with AB PLCs than Panelviews do. Easybuilder Pro can read tags from an L5x file, and even read tags directly from a connected PLC.

I use a lot of Weintek HMIs. They can like the automation direct C communicate with almost anything. They are relatively inexpensive and come with a lot of features. There are some quality of life stuff lacking in setting them up but generally they are quite excellent. For a facless one they start at 120 GBP and a 15" one will run you about 1,000-1,100. They communicate with just about anything so I have been using them to communicate with GE products, modbus (TCP & RTS RS485), Allen Bradley & ASCII over TCP. The HMI programming software is free so you can download it and set up an HMI, run a simulation on your PC and see if you like it. They have a lot of YouTube videos on how to set everything up. Allen Bradley products generally communicate using Ethernet/IP protocols and not Modbus. We also use a lot of FactoryTalk products but generally you get about 1/4 as much and have limited functionality. If all you want to do is communicate with AB than it's a good option. Programming them between multiple is a pain as the files are stored on your computer and challenging to transfer so you need to create a backup and transfer it that way..

Used their cMTx series several times with AB PLCs and have never had any issues. I actually prefer them over AB HMIs. They have a lot of functionality and are pretty easy to set up. Just export your tags from Studio 5000 and import them as a csv into EasyBuilder Pro.

I use the MT8xxxie series all the time and communicate with multiple PLCs over Ethernet at the same time. I have one 15” HMI pulling from AB and Mitsubishi at the same time so I can check on machines. I also have another that acts like a go between for a modbus power monitor and an AB PLC. Edit to add: I was very sceptical about Weintek when I first used one - a guy I know that runs another plant told me about them. I’ve had one of their HMIs running for about 4 years now, no problems at all. I now have several running 24/7 364 and I can’t say I’ve ever really had an issue with them. They are easier to work on than our PanelView HMIs (far better software IMO), so as our panel views get damaged I replace them with Weintek.

I require remote access to my projects that are away from home. I did some homework and decided that Weintek looked to have a good solution. Set up my first Weintek touch screen yesterday. I set up a domain on Weincloud - free. A secure VPN connection. I had purchased a remote access card when I purchased the screen - about $90 AUD. I set up the screen with appropriate IP addresses - modem was connected complete with an inexpensive data only SIM card - entered modem IP address as appropriate - rebooted the touch screen and clicked add screen on the cloud interface. I added the hardware number of the screen and the serial number on the access card and viola - I was connected to the screen via EasyAccess software and Weintek CMT viewer. Operating switches and the like. The hardware number and access card number are locked together. My PLC was connected to the second Ethernet port on the touch screen and my laptop was connected to the PLC as well through a switch and I was online to the PLC. I clicked on 'pass through' on the cloud connection - added the IP address of the PLC - the software noted that there already was a connection to the PLC (my laptop) - said it would be disconnected - clicked OK - my laptop Ethernet connectiion was disconnected and was then connected through the modem/cloud connection - absolutely seamless. I think back to how I used to have to connect with expensive Extranet cards - having to use a DNS server to find out the public IP address or have an expensive VPN account and program the modem mystery bag - do routing tables in the PLC software - painfull. Very impressed and the screens are not expensive - graphics pretty good as well - a heap of drivers for just about any PLC brand. I did not have to do any programming in the modem either - its default IP address was out of the way of everything so no need. In this case I used a Teleorigin modem but guess that probably any brand would do. Many have a default IP address of 192.168.1.1 which is inconvenient as that is the default address of most routers as well so the IP address would need to be changed before connecting to anything. Now on to discovering about the email feature from the screen through Weincloud using a SMTP mail server. Then on to push messages to mobiles with EasyAccess running on them. My customer will also have access to the screen from mobile phones and computers using the EasyAccess app - everyone is happy. Next one will be setup next week - will have to put together a detailed instruction sheet for my colleagues. Red Lion have a solution of course but it is so expensive and does not appear to have all the features Weintek does have.

I totally understand the getting away from AB pricing. But, I can get a 12" Weintek for less than $900 and I can talk to any PLC I want. But, the AB integration is so simple hence the reason we switch (with customer approval). BTW the OnLogic screens look sleek. That is actually what we are using for this project. Not Edge though. Maybe I need to look more into that I haven't really looked at all.

I absolutely love them. They work better with AB PLCs than Panelviews do. Easybuilder Pro can read tags from an L5x file, and even read tags directly from a connected PLC.

What the... we currently are using weintek with Siemens s7-1500 Easy builder pro 6.10.01.217 and up imports everything automatically with one click also we also use it to pass info from Siemens to Allen Bradley PLC PS as you can suggest we usually use only Allen Bradley with weintek combo it's waaaaaaaaay better then anything with the label Siemens on it

I actually like them. I have used their HMIs in the past and liked them for most "simple" applications. They have a ton of very useful options, and their driver support is excellent. Yes, I have done a few from scratch. For instance, the program for the scenario I listed in this post has about 19 screens with anything from trends to recipe management. Took me a couple weeks (I am the only controls engineer at my plant, so I couldn't work on it all day every day lol)