Downloading the revised HMI project to the panel is the first fix to try when an alarm still disappears after about one second; changing the configured Alarm Display Time from 1 second to 30 seconds alone did not change the panel behavior in this case. A simulator showed the longer time working, so verify the deployed runtime project before changing the alarm logic or repeatedly increasing the value.
Stop repeating the time change without deploying it
Changing Alarm Display Time in the project editor changes the configured project, not necessarily the application currently running on the HMI. The panel can continue displaying messages with its existing runtime configuration until the revised project is transferred and activated.
- Do not keep increasing the value. A setting of 30 seconds already produced the intended duration in simulation; a still-short panel display points first to a difference between the project and the running panel.
- Do not treat simulator behavior as panel verification. A successful simulation confirms that the edited project can display the message for the longer interval. It does not confirm that the panel received or is running that project.
Use the panel’s active project/version information, if available, to compare the deployed application with the project you edited. Do not erase or replace a running project until you have a recoverable copy and the correct target panel identified.
Confirm which project and display behavior you changed
Before transferring anything, check that the 30-second value belongs to the alarm display behavior that is actually visible on the panel. HMI projects can contain distinct alarm objects, screens, or message presentations; changing a similarly named setting that is not used by the active display will not affect what operators see.
- Open the project intended for the affected panel and locate the Alarm Display Time setting.
- Confirm that the edited value is 30 seconds and that the affected alarm is presented by the display or alarm object governed by that setting.
- Save and build or validate the project using the project’s normal workflow. Resolve any transfer or validation errors before deploying it.
- Check the target panel identity and connection before initiating transfer.
If the project has multiple alarm displays or configurations, trace the alarm that disappears to the object and setting controlling its presentation. Do not assume every alarm message uses the same display path.
Transfer the revised project to the HMI panel
The practical correction indicated by the successful simulation is to deploy the changed project to the physical HMI. A project edit that remains only in the engineering workstation cannot change the panel’s running behavior.
- Make a backup or otherwise preserve the currently running project so the panel can be restored if the transfer fails.
- Use the HMI engineering environment’s normal transfer procedure to send the saved, validated project to the identified panel.
- Complete any prompt to activate or run the transferred project. If the transfer reports an error, capture the exact message and resolve the transfer problem rather than treating the edit as deployed.
- Confirm on the panel, using its available project or runtime information, that the revised application is active.
Keep a temporary restore path separate from the permanent repair: if production requires the former project while transfer is being arranged, restore only the known-good application and schedule deployment of the corrected project. Do not represent the original one-second behavior as fixed until the panel runs and passes the test below.
Measure the message duration on the panel
Test the physical panel after activation, not just the simulator. Trigger the same alarm under controlled conditions and time how long its message remains visible. The target in this case is approximately 30 seconds, rather than the roughly one-second behavior reported before deployment.
- Generate the same alarm used to reproduce the short display, using the normal test method for the machine.
- Start timing when the message appears and record when it disappears. Repeat the test to distinguish a consistent result from a missed trigger or a transient display condition.
- Confirm that the intended alarm appears and remains visible for the configured interval on the physical panel.
- If it still disappears after about one second, compare the panel’s active project with the transferred project and inspect the actual alarm display path again.
Do not claim a successful repair from a project download indication alone. The observable acceptance check is that the affected message remains on the panel for the intended interval.
Separate deployment faults from configuration faults
If the panel still behaves differently from simulation after transfer, use the difference to guide the next check. A panel running an older project points to deployment or activation; a confirmed revised project with the same short display points to a configuration or runtime-path mismatch.
| Observation | Next check |
|---|---|
| Simulator shows the longer interval; panel remains near one second | Confirm the revised project was transferred to the correct panel and activated. |
| Panel reports the revised project active, but the message remains short | Verify the alarm uses the display object or configuration whose Alarm Display Time was changed. |
| Only some alarms remain visible longer | Compare the affected and unaffected alarm presentation paths and their assigned display settings. |
| Transfer fails or the active project cannot be identified | Stop repeated downloads; preserve the current project and collect the exact transfer status and panel/project identification. |
A 30-second setting in a simulator is useful evidence that the edited project can produce the requested display interval. It does not by itself prove the deployed panel is using that edit.
FAQ: HMI alarm display time
What happens if Alarm Display Time is set to 30 seconds but the panel shows the alarm for one second?
First verify that the revised project was transferred to and activated on the correct panel. Then confirm that the affected alarm uses the display object governed by that setting.
What happens if the simulator displays the alarm for 30 seconds?
That confirms the simulated project displays the message for the configured interval; it does not confirm the physical HMI is running that project. Transfer the revised project and time the same alarm on the panel.
What happens if uploading the project does not fix the alarm display?
Check the panel’s active project and whether the alarm uses the edited display configuration. If the project is active and the path is correct but behavior remains wrong, stop and escalate with the project, panel identification, transfer status, and a timed reproduction to the HMI manufacturer’s official support channel.