To learn more about the Experior User Interface please click an area of the picture you wish to know more about or select one of the categories below.     Menus Catalogs & Connections Model, Script & Routes Control Panel Logs, Loads, Inputs, Outputs, Alarms, Nodes, Schedule & Change History Statistics & Solution Explorer Properties

Below the model window is a broad window with multiple functions:   1. Logs   The logs are where you can see feedback from Experior. It will give you different information on how the program is running as well as error messages and warnings if something is not working correctly. All the feedback comes with a timestamp, so you can see when it happened. This makes the logs a great tool for debugging. The feedback comes in four different colors as well as a color that matches the theme (which in this example is white):   Above the feedback window is a checkbox marked ‘tail’: By checking this checkbox you make sure that the logs window is always showing the bottom of the feedback reel.   If you right click on any of the messages in the feedback reel you will see a menu which looks like this:   CLEAR: Delete all messages in the log. COPY: Copy the highlighted text INSERT SEPARATOR: Insert a separator line at the bottom of the feedback reel.   If you click on one of the log messages you will see further information about it and be able to customize the log in the Properties window: MESSAGE: FONT: Set the font in which the log messages are displayed MODE: Choose between displaying the messages in color or monochrome TIME/CLOCK: Choose the log format for the messages. The chosen format is displayed below in the ‘log format’ line SEARCH: Will highlight any assemblies whose name matches any word in the chosen log message FILE: MODE: Choose the way the files name is displayed LOGFILE WRAP MODE: Lets you choose if and when a new log file is created FILTER: TEXT: Write any text you want the log to filter by from then on. Only messages containing this text will be shown in the log TYPE: Choose which types of messages you want to be shown in the log HIGHLIGHT: TEXT: Write any word you want highlighted in the log COLOR: Choose the color which is used to highlight   2. Loads   This window shows the loads in the scene. When you open a new model, the loads window will be empty like above. If you then add one or more loads to the scene, right click in the loads window and then press refresh the loads will show up in the window like so:   The ‘Identification’ column shows the identifier (usually a barcode) of each load (here called Unknown). If you wish to change the identifier of the load you can do so in the identification box in the properties window.  The ‘Next’ column shows the next action point the load will hit. ‘Destination’ shows the loads final destination.   If you select one of the loads, the model window will show you this specific load. The Properties window will then display the information of that specific load:   Here you can get information about the loads weight, position etc. The ‘Identification’ line will let you give the load a name to distinguish loads from each other. The color line will let you change the color of the load.    3. Inputs & Outputs   The input/output (IOs) are only relevant when dealing with low level connections. The inputs tab shows which inputs the PLC gets while the outputs tab shows the outputs from the PLC. The tabs look like this when empty:   If you right click on the empty input or output window you will see a menu that looks like this:   ADD: Add a new input or output for the PLC. You can also add a new input or output through assemblies REFRESH: Refresh the widow. The window will normally refresh automatically, but you can refresh it here manually if you want to EXPORT: Export inputs or outputs as an Excel file    From this menu you can add an input or output. They will then show up as a line in the input or output tab like this:   The lines turn black when you select them (see the first line in the picture above). Any red boxes inform you that the box has not yet been correctly filled out. In the Properties window you can change the symbol and the description of the IO.   4. Alarms   The alarms window is where you can see any alarms which you have set. You can set an alarm by right clicking a connection in the connections window and choosing the ‘alarm’ feature. Once you have added an alarm, the window will look like this:   The ‘Connection’ column shows which PLC connection the alarm belongs to. The ‘Alarm’ column shows the description which you have set for the specific alarm (in this case set as ‘alarm description’).   When the alarm goes off it shows up in the alarms window but it will also show up as a warning in the display below the model:   5. Nodes - Only for Discrete Events Mode   The nodes window shows your action points in discrete events mode. When the window is empty it looks like this:   If you want to add an action point first you must make sure you have a conveyor or a track in the scene to add the action point to. Right click the assembly and choose ‘insert action point’. The action point is represented by an x on the assembly. If you then right click in the nodes window and press ‘refresh’ the action points will show up:   Now you can see the properties of the action point in the properties window. From there you can change different attributes of the action point such as its name, color and visibility as well as whether the action point is locked or not.    6. Schedule     The schedule is where you schedule certain events to happen at specific times. If you right click in the schedule window a menu will pop up giving you the option to add a scheduled event. When you have added an event you will be able to change the settings for the scheduled event in the properties window:   TIME: Set the time for when the event will occur ACTION: Choose which action happens when the set time occurs DESCRIPTION: Enter a description of the scheduled event ENABLED: Set whether the event is active or not   ACTION MENU PAUSE: Pauses the model RESET SCENE: Resets the model RESET REPORTS: Resets internal counts (e.g. statistics)  REPORT SNAPSHOT: Save a report of the model. The report will be saved as an Excel file at the same location as your model is saved. It will be named the name of the model + the time stamp CHANGE VIEW: Change the camera angle (see below) TERMINATE: Terminate Experior SCRIPT: Write your own code to determine what happens when the event occurs (see below)   CHANGE VIEW PROPERTIES WINDOW: With the change view action you can get Experior to change the viewing angle on the model when the event occurs. In the ‘view’ box you can choose any camera view you have preset (click here to see how). You can also set if you want the action to fly to the new camera view or jump to it. If you choose fly, you can set how fast it flies.   SCRIPT PROPERTIES WINDOW: The script action is a little different from the others. By pressing the source box three little dots at the end of it will appear. When you click on them it opens a script window where you can write your own code to specify what is supposed to happen when the event occurs.    When an event occurs it will be highlighted in blue in the schedule window. To delete a scheduled event simply right click the event and choose ‘delete’.   7. Change History   When you place an assembly on to the model or change something in the model, the change will be recorded in the ‘change history’ window like this:   If you right click on any of the actions in the change history window you will be able to undo the action. You can undo your latest actions with the ‘undo’ button in the edit menu but by going in to the change history window you will be allowed to undo specific changes you did further back without loosing everything you have done since.

  The properties window displays the developer defined properties of the selected item. The window can show properties for objects like assemblies, buttons in the control panel or connections. For instance every assembly has a properties panel where alterations and specifications to different attributes can be made. Some of the properties of each item are customizable while others are locked stats which are displayed.   The customizable properties show up in white while locked information shows in gray:   The search bar at the top of the window allows you to search for any specific properties. Next to it are two buttons that lets you choose how your properties are displayed:   These buttons lets you choose if you wish to see all properties as one long list or if you prefer to have them separated into different categories.    

When the Experior layout is set to default mode, you will find the Solution Explorer and Statistics window on the top right side of the screen. This window has a few different functions:   1. Solution Explorer   The Solution Explorer contains a tree structure that lets you see every assembly you have placed onto the model floor. It has three different categories: assemblies, motors and controllers. Assemblies is sorted into sections which then shows each assembly that section contains. In the Solution Explorer you can get a quick overview of every single thing, you have placed. If you click on any of them, the model will highlight that assembly for you. You can move assemblies between different sections by dragging them into another section tab or by choosing the assembly you want to move and then changing the section it is placed under in the properties window. You can rename sections by clicking on the section and then change the name in the properties window.   If you right click on the assemblies tab, you will see a menu that looks like this:    In the menu you can choose to add a section or show all sections. You can also Collapse All which will close all the subcategories you have open. If you right click on the motors tab (motor tab is only available in Physics Mode), you will also be able to collapse all. Right clicking on the controllers tabs will open a menu which says ‘Load’. Here you can load a controller file (.DLL format) into Experior. When the controller is loaded it shows up in the Solution Explorer window like this:   If you open the assemblies menu and right click on the sections you will see a new menu:   HIDE ALL SECTIONS BUT THIS: See only this section SHOW ALL SECTIONS: See all the sections again HIDE ASSEMBLIES: Hides all assemblies as well as the floor of that section LOCK ASSEMBLIES: Locks every assembly you have placed up to that point but does not not lock new assemblies you place FIT: Resizes the floor to fit around the assemblies placed in the model DELETE (Name): Delete the chosen section. It is not possible to delete the last section to have no sections DISABLE ASSEMBLIES: When you disable the assemblies of a section all the assemblies placed in that section will turn gray to show they are disabled. When you for example place a load on a disabled assembly it will fall trough the assembly when you start the model COLLAPSE ALL: Collapses the tree hierarchy    If you right click on one of the assemblies in the assemblies tab, you will have the choice to either disable the assembly or delete it. If you right click on a motor you will have the choices to start the motor, copy it, disable it or delete it.    The solution explorer window also has a few more options to individualize the window. In the right corner you will see a small tack which will allow you to ‘auto hide’ the window. Pressing this will place the window as a bar just below the Experior menu like this:     To reset it go to the View menu and press reset. Below the tack is a search bar where you can search for any assembly or motor you have placed on the model floor and next to that is a button with three lines that will let you choose whether or not you want to see the assemblies assorted into categories.   2. Statistics The statistics window displays information about the loads in the model:   You can get information from a specific sensor or button by adding it to the statistics window. To do this you right click on the sensor you want to display and choose ‘Observe’. Now the sensor shows up in the statistics display under the Loads line:     You can observe different types of sensors, scanners, weights, counters and eaters. The scanners will show information about how many loads they have scanned, while the buttons show how many times they have been pressed.   If you want to change the name of any of the sensors just click on the sensor in the model and its information will show up in the properties window. From here you can change the name. To display the new name simply right click the sensor, uncheck ‘Observe’ and check it again. Now the sensor should show up in the statistics window with its new name.

The control panel allows you to insert controls for communicating with the PLC. By right clicking on an empty square of the control panel you will open a control menu, from which you can choose different types of controls:   The only difference between the first six controls is variation in design. The buttons work when you press them while the lamps light up when a specific PLC signal is sent. The knob button allows you to switch between many different values, which you can choose in the properties window. The gauge will show values sent from the PLC. ‘Switches’ allows you to choose between two state and three state switches:     When you have chosen a control, you can see its properties in the ‘Properties’ window. You will also be able to change its name and color here as well as changing different other values for the control:   If you right click the button you can either delete it or copy it to get another button with the exact same attributes.   If you right click on the ‘controls’ tabs at the top of the control panel you will see a menu allowing you to make changes to the tab:     RIGHT: Allows you to move the controls tab right to change the order of the tabs. NEW CONTROL PANEL: Create a new control panel DELETE (Tab name): Delete the tab with the corresponding name DELETE ALL: Delete every controls tab UNDOCK: Move the controls tab around to another position in the Experior window ALIGNMENT: Choose where in the control panel the controls tabs are situated  

When the Experior layout is set to default mode, you will find the connections and catalog window on the top left side of the screen. This window has a few different functions:   Catalog Connections   1. Catalog The catalog is where you can see the assemblies that are available to you. The catalogs function as a form of libraries where you can browse the different assemblies and other items. Which assemblies shows up depends on which catalogs you have loaded when you started Experior. In the very beginning you should see a window like this: If this window does not show up when you start the program, please read about the Experior startup options here.   This window is where you choose which catalogs will be loaded into the program. Make sure to at least include some of the catalogs, otherwise the catalog window will show up empty and you will have no assemblies to build your model from. Once you have chosen your catalogs they will show up in the catalogs window. To see what each catalog contains either double click on it or click the small arrow to the left of the catalogs name. This opens up any sub categories which you can in turn open up too, to see the individual assemblies. Once you have found the assembly you need, you can either click on it and then click on the model floor to insert it into the model or you can chose to drag it to where you want it placed and then click to place it. The catalogs window also has a few additional features. You can change the layout of the catalogs on the top left of the window: There are two different views to choose from depending on your preferences: Gallery view style:   Tree view style:      To the right of the catalog layout buttons in three view you have the option to zoom in and out on the content of your catalogs. Below that you have a search bar, where you can search for any specific assemblies in your catalogs. Above the zoom buttons is a small tack titled Auto Hide. Pressing this button will hide the catalog and connections window right below the Experior menu bar so it looks like this:     To reset the window to its original position either drag it back to where you want it and hover over that spot until you have the option to place it or go to the View tab in the menu bar and choose reset windows.   2. Connections   The connections tab is where you can connect to your PLCs or higher level systems. When you first open Experior the window will be empty. However, if you right click within the window a menu will show which allows you to create connections:   From this menu you can choose which kind of connection you wish to make. You can choose between low level (PLC connection) and high level. When you have chosen one or more PLC connections they show up in the connections window like this:    You then specify the IP address of the PLC in the properties window and right click on the connection in the connections window. Then a menu will show up which looks like this: CONNECT ALL: Connect all the PLCs at once (this only works providing you have entered an IP address for each connection) CONNECT: Connect this specific PLC ENABLE LOGGING: Log all the messages that the PLC sends and then shows them in the log window IMPORT: Import all addresses from the PLC in an Excel file EXPORT: Export the addresses as an Excel file ALARMS: Opens a new window that allows you to set alarms and which error messages they will display.  DELETE: Deletes the connection   Please note: The menu can have fewer options depending on the type of connection.   ALARMS WINDOW: The subscribe column lets you choose whether or not the alarm is activated. Address, bit and source shows the specific ‘address’ of the alarm. If you think of the address like an actual physical address, the ‘address’ column shows the road name, the ‘bit’ is the house number while the ‘source’ is the postcode.     If the connection to the PLC is address based you can only add alarms when the PLC is not connected. However, if the connection is tag based you can only add alarms when the PLC is connected. Read more about alarms here.   Besides being able to set the IP address in the properties window you also have the option to customize the connection here in other ways.  

  Experior has several different menu tabs:   Files Edit View Settings Tools Model 1. Files   NEW: Create a new file OPEN: Open an already existing file SAVE: Save your model SAVE AS: Choose a name and location for your saved file MERGE: Merge two different models XML: Import an XML file if its format can be used in Experior COLLADA: Export the model graphics as a Collada file (.dae) ABOUT: Shows a Popup with the details of the catalogues and plugins you have loaded HELP: Sends you to the Experior help page   2. Edit   UNDO: Undo your latest action REDO: Reverse the undo CUT: Cut out a part of the model to paste elsewhere COPY: Copy part of the model. However it does not move to the clipboard so this only works if you want to copy and paste a part of the model within the same Experior window COPY (CLIPBOARD): Places the copy on to your clipboard allowing you to copy and paste between separate Experior windows PASTE: Insert what you copied SELECT ALL: Select all assemblies   3. View   WINDOWS: Choose which windows you want to be displayed in your Experior interface RESET: Resets the window layout to the default BACKGROUND: Choose the color of the ‘sky’ in the models background ASSEMBLY: Choose the color of your models components as well as the color they display when they are in locked mode LOCK: Lock either the whole model or the selected assemblies so you don’t move it around by accident SECTIONS: You can control your individual sections here by clicking on the arrow below the icon SECTIONS OPTIONS: The first option allows you to choose, which sections are shown or hidden The second option lets you lock or unlock the sections The third option lets you enable or disable the sections     AUTOCAD: Import a .dwg or a .dxf file here to drop it on the ‘floor’ LEVEL: If you have a developers license, this lets you choose the different modes. None is the normal default mode, Debug gives you extra information in the log and Detailed allows you to see the physical features of the real model around the graphic model RESET: Resets the camera to default mode FIT: See all your components on the screen at once PROJECTION: Choose between perspective or orthogonal viewing projections. STANDARD VIEWS: See the ‘model’ without perspective. This allows you to see the model from different angles and align your components perfectly. Move the camera to return to normal view or press the reset button CAMERA 1-9: Review camera positions here. Save a camera position by pressing Ctrl + Shift + a number between 1-9 to save at the corresponding spot. Press the button with this view to return the camera position to the saved view CLEAR: Lets you reset your saved camera positions EXPORT + IMPORT: Lets you import or export your hidden camera positions FOLLOW LOAD: Follow a selected load around your model SHADOW: Set how much of a shadow the production line casts LIGHTING: Choose where to place the light source on the model MOTORS: Toggle visibility of motors on your model on/off ACTION POINTS: Toggle the marker of the models action points on/off   4. Settings   SETTINGS: Choose different settings for your model (see below) THEMES: Choose which theme you want Experior to display     SETTINGS OPTIONS:   PAN/ROTATION MODE: Invert the camera controls. Lets you chose to see the scene from the point of view of the camera or of the scene – thereby changing which way you pan NAVIGATION: Set hotkeys for camera movement RANDOM SEED: Set the number you wish to use to initialize a random sequence WARN ON DERTERMINISM LOST: toggle on/off if you want a warning if the random sequence differs from the previous random sequence GLOBALIZATION: Choose measurement system KEEP THE SELECTION: Toggle on/off if the new assembly continues to follow the arrow pointer when you move it around the model or it is placed at the position where you first click MOVE AND ROTATE: Enable this to assure that the assembly does not move unless you hold down the left mouse button while turning it MODE: Choose if anything you copy/paste is inserted where your mouse is or next to the object you copied it from SNAP: Turn on/off if Experior should snap any component you copy/paste onto the nearest component OFFSET FROM PREVIOUS PASTE: Toggles on/of if the assemblies are placed continuously after each other when you copy/paste several assemblies or if the assemblies you paste are all placed at the same position SNAPPING: Set the radius in which the assembly snaps to the nearest assembly automatically when double clicking SEE ASSEMBLIES: Shows how the model was build when you load it instead of loading it all at once DISPLAY WARNING SIGNS: toggle on/off whether or not the warning signs are displayed when you lock the model   5. Tools   SCREEN SHOT: Take a screenshot of the whole model ASSEMBLY SHOT: Take a screenshot of the selected assembly MEASURE: Measure the distance between different components by clicking the measure icon and then pressing the model where you want the measuring tape to appear. Now you can move the two arrows of the measuring tape to set the distance you wish to measure   6. Model   PLAY: Starts the time SCALE: Choose how fast you want the model to run.  1:1 sets time scale to real time RESET: Return time and machines to zero and delete all loads SINGLE STEP: (Developer only) Pause after every time step RECORD: Records what happens in the scene. When you press it again you will have the option to replay what you recorded. If you want to reset the recording simply use the reset button on the left (It does NOT record a video but rather a series of events) LOAD: Load any saved events recordings SAVE: Save your events recording SNAPSHOT: Exports information about the model as an Excel file INFO: Shows information about the model you are running FILTER: Adjust which parts of the model it is possible to select MOVE: Select loads without being able to move them EAT: Toggle on/off if you want loads to be deleted automatically when it hits the floor. It does not delete loads already on the floor when you toggle it on AUTO/MAN: Choose if you want Experior to calculate routes on the assembly line if more than one option is available or if you want to do it manually   

  The center window in Machine Expert Twin has three different tabs:   Model Script Routes   1. Model   The model floor or ‘scene’ is where you can place your assemblies. This will display your model and it is also here that you can see what happens when the model is running.   The three arrows in the middle shows the axes of the model, where the green arrow is the Z-axis, the red arrow is the X-axis and the blue arrow is the Y-axis. The floor is gray by default but if you flip the model to see it from below the floor will show as see through.   To zoom in or out on the model, scroll the mouse wheel or set the zoom shortcuts in the settings menu.   If you wish to enlarge the floor you can go to the solutions explorer and open assemblies🠖section1. Now you can set the floor width and length in the properties window. Any alterations you make to the floor are only saved with this model so next time you open a new model the size will be back to the default.   You can also add additional sections to your model. You do this by right clicking the assemblies tab in the Solution Explorer window. This opens up a menu where you can either add a section or show all sections. Press the ‘Add Section’ and a new section will show up on top of the first one. The second section will be named ‘Section 2’ in the assemblies tab. Unless you have changed the dimensions of the first section you will not be able to see the second section immediately as it is directly on top of the first. To change this click the second section to make it active. You will now see the information of this section in the properties window. One of the lines in this window is named ‘Position’ and looks like this: The first 0 represents the X-axis, the second 0 the Y-axis and the third 0 the Z-axis. by changing the numbers from 0 you can offset the second section from the first. If you for instance put 5000 in the Y-axis position the second section will raise itself 5000 mm above the first to look like this:   At the bottom of the floor window is a panel which shows information about the model: PAUSED/RUNNING: Shows if the time is running or paused SCAN: Shows how long it took to calculate last physics step. If the number becomes too high, the machine begins having trouble calculating the steps and will send a warning in the diagnostics panel LOCK: Shows if the model is locked or not TIME: Shows how long the model has been running TIMESCALE: Shows how fast time is running in the model. 1 being real time and two being double real time etc. Maximum is 10 times real time for physics DIAGNOSTICS: Next to the number is the diagnostics panel which is empty when you first start Machine Expert Twin. Any alarms or errors will show up here   2. Script   The script tab allows you to write script inside Experior while the program is running. Pressing the icon with the green arrow above the script named ‘build’ will integrate your code in the program.   The error list below the script shows if any part of your inputs have resulted in an error.    3. Routes - Only for Discrete Events Mode   The routes window is where you can see the connection between any assemblies and/or action points which are connected by a route network. It might look something like this:   You can manipulate the routes by dragging the assemblies around in the routes window. The routes are automatically updated by default. If you wish to change this so the routes are updated less frequently you can go to the model tab in the menu at the top of Experior and find the routes icon at the very end of the panel: By pressing this, you can switch between automatically updating the routes and manually updating. When you switch to manual the routes are not updated again until you switch it back to auto.