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6. Connecting to a PLC that Speaks OPC-UA

6.1 Download the »HELIO Playground PLC«​

Head over to the HELIO Playground PLC page and download it from there. It is a software-based demo PLC that can be downloaded for free and executed on your development computer right away. It is a nice little helper when you want to learn how to connect HELIO an industrial machine that communicates using OPC-UA.

6.2 Create a New Connection​

  1. Open your project in the Project Editor and switch to the Data View.
  2. In the Data Source Explorer, add a new OPC UA Connection using the default settings.
    Tip: Test the connection before creating it!
  3. Once you've successfully connected and established the connection, you can explore the data tree of the Playground PLC.

6.3 View Your HMI with Live Data in the Content View​

  1. Switch from Data to Content View.
  2. Switch from Placeholder to PLC mode.
  3. You should now be able to see live data from the PLC if you reference any variable that has been linked to the PLC.
Mission accomplished!

You finished the entire quick start guide like a boss!

Learn more with the following resources: