HMI · Free online course

FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge

Rockwell's new HMI platform from the first screen to the edge: Optix Studio, communication, containers and responsive design, object-oriented graphics, aliases and UDTs, faceplates and libraries, alarms, datalogger, recipes, reports, users and languages, Micro800, Modbus, Siemens and REST drivers, MQTT and OPC UA, sizing and View SE integration.

13 modules
9h 52m of video
Beginner
English
₹0, free

FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge course cover

₹0Free for good

Worth ₹4,999 by length and depth against classroom training. It has always been free; that is not a former price.

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Overview

About FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge

FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in automation and control. It has 13 modules and 9h 52m of video lessons by Rockwell Automation, Wayne Welk, The Reynolds Company and others, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.

Who it is for: Engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in automation and control

This course includes

9h 52m of video lessons
13 modules with written notes and diagrams
One final assessment: 15 questions, pass mark 60%
Ask-an-engineer support from practising engineers
Lifetime access, the course does not expire
Optional verifiable certificate when you finish

Step 1 of 3
Learn the 13 modules
9h 52m of video lessons, written notes and a practice task per module, at your own pace.
Step 2 of 3
Pass the final assessment
15 questions drawn from every module, pass mark 60%, 3 attempts.
Step 3 of 3
Take the certificate, if you want it
Optional, paid once, only if you choose it. The course stays free either way.
See the certificate and its price

A look inside

FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge: Syllabus at a glance — Syllabus at a glance

FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge: What you will be able to do — What you will be able to do

FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge: Tools and credits — Tools and credits

From the lessons

What Optix Is and Getting the Software
by Wayne Welk
Containers, Responsive Design and Object-Oriented HMI
by Rockwell Automation
Reusable Graphics, Aliases and UDTs
by Wayne Welk
Alarms, Alarm History, Trends and the Data Logger
by Rockwell Automation
Users, Languages and Presentation Engines
by Rockwell Automation
Optix at the Edge: MQTT, OPC UA and NetLogic
by Wayne Welk

Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits and are shown from YouTube.

What you learn

What you will be able to do

Build FactoryTalk Optix applications with responsive, object-oriented screens bound to Logix, Micro800, Modbus and Siemens controllers, use aliases, UDTs, faceplates and libraries, configure alarms, logging, recipes, reports, users and languages, deploy to native and web engines, and use Optix as an MQTT and OPC UA edge gateway.

Install Optix Studio and build responsive, object-oriented screens
Link to Logix, Micro800, Modbus and Siemens controllers
Use aliases, UDTs, faceplates and libraries
Configure alarms, logging, recipes, reports, users and languages
Deploy to native and web presentation engines
Use MQTT and OPC UA at the edge and size runtimes

Syllabus

Course content, module by module

In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.

Modules: 13
Video lessons: 54
Of video: 9h 52m
Final questions: 15

01
What Optix Is and Getting the Software
3 lessons · 30m
02
Studio Interface, Communication and the First Screen
3 lessons · 11m
03
Containers, Responsive Design and Object-Oriented HMI
3 lessons · 22m
04
Linking to a Logix Controller
3 lessons · 51m
05
Reusable Graphics, Aliases and UDTs
4 lessons · 37m
06
Faceplates, Popups and Library Deployment
4 lessons · 1h 0m
07
Alarms, Alarm History, Trends and the Data Logger
5 lessons · 39m
08
Recipes, Reports, ODBC and ListView
5 lessons · 56m
09
Users, Languages and Presentation Engines
4 lessons · 35m
10
Other Controllers: Micro800, Modbus, Siemens and REST
6 lessons · 1h 17m
11
Optix at the Edge: MQTT, OPC UA and NetLogic
8 lessons · 2h 4m
12
Deploying, Sizing and View SE Integration
5 lessons · 49m
13
Final Assessment
1 lesson · 2m
Final assessment · 15 questions, pass mark 60%

Show all 13 modules

Project

The course project

Optional practice that ends in the kind of job the course prepares you for, with the documents that go with it.

About 18 hours

Tablet-coater HMI on an OptixPanel: Logix UDT aliases, alarm grid, batch report and audit trail

Design, build, test and document a FactoryTalk Optix application for a pharmaceutical tablet-coating line: responsive screens on the ISA-101 four-level hierarchy, graphics aliased to CompactLogix UDTs, an ISA-18.2 alarm list in the alarm grid, a datalogger and a PDF batch report, recipes, user roles and an audit trail of operator actions. You deliver the Optix project, your own HMI specification, tag list and FAT record, and the backup and restore note. The sample pack shows what an integrator hands over.

Sample document pack, 10 documents, filled in for the scenario

URSUser Requirements: Coater CT-1 Operator Interface and Batch Records
HMI specHMI Specification: Screen Hierarchy and Screen Specification, Coater CT-1
Tag listTag List: Logix Tags, Optix Paths and Naming Convention, Coater CT-1
Alarm philosophyAlarm Philosophy: Solid Orals Coating Area
Alarm listAlarm List (Master Alarm Database): Coater CT-1
SDSSoftware Design Specification: Optix Application CT1_HMI
IP planIP Address Plan and Device List: Coating Area Network
FATFactory Acceptance Test Record: Optix Application CT1_HMI
O&M manualOperation and Maintenance Manual: Coater CT-1 HMI (Operation, Backup and Restore)
Training recordOperator and Maintenance Training Record: Coater CT-1 HMI

Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.

Tools

Software, hardware and lessons

Software

FactoryTalk Optix Studio (free to develop) and Logix Echo or the Micro800 simulator

Hardware

None required. An OptixPanel or PanelView Plus 7 makes deployment real.

Who it is for

Beginner to intermediate. Any HMI experience helps.

Video lessons by

Rockwell Automation
Wayne Welk
The Reynolds Company
ASEM S.r.l.
Daniel Van Dam

Independent creators, credited in full under Credits.

Software you need

What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.

The Micro800 simulator in Connected Components Workbench gives Optix a free PLC to talk to.

Required

01
FactoryTalk Optix Studio
Rockwell Automation
Free edition: Studio Standard
Runs on
Windows 10 or 11 64-bit, or Windows Server 2016 to 2025
Account
A free Rockwell Automation account (check the download page)
FactoryTalk Optix Studio Standard is a free download for building and testing HMI applications on your own PC. Studio Pro adds cloud features and has a 90-day cloud trial. Runtime devices need a runtime licence; unlicensed devices run in demo mode and stop after two hours.
Show the 5 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open the FactoryTalk Optix Try it now page on rockwellautomation.com.
2. 2.Choose the free FactoryTalk Optix Studio Standard download and sign in if asked.
3. 3.In the Releases section tick FactoryTalk Optix Studio, click Download Now, then accept the licence agreement.
4. 4.Run the downloaded .exe, choose Customize, then Install.
5. 5.Open FactoryTalk Optix Studio, create a new project and run it on your PC to test it.
- Rockwell lists 8 GB RAM and 20 GB free disk as the minimum.
- Testing on the development PC does not need a runtime licence.
Official download pagerockwellautomation.com

Optional

Useful, not needed to finish the course.

02
Connected Components Workbench Standard Edition
Rockwell Automation
Free
Runs on
Windows 10 or 11 Pro or Enterprise 64-bit, or Windows Server 2019/2022
Account
A free Rockwell Automation account (sign in to the Product Compatibility and Download Center)
The Standard Edition is free and needs no activation. It includes a demo version of the Micro800 Simulator; the full simulator comes with the paid Developer Edition.
Show the 5 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open the Connected Components Workbench page on the Product Compatibility and Download Center.
2. 2.Click Available downloads next to the latest version (23.00.00 on 27 Sept 2026) and sign in.
3. 3.Accept the licence agreement and download the installer.
4. 4.Run the setup as administrator; it installs .NET Framework 4.8 if needed.
5. 5.Start Connected Components Workbench, add a Micro800 controller and open the Micro800 Simulator to test your program.
- Rockwell lists 8 GB RAM and 20 GB free disk as the minimum.
- The installer does not work on the very first Windows 10 releases (1507 and 1511); update Windows first.
Official download pagecompatibility.rockwellautomation.com
Alternatives
- FactoryTalk Design Workbench: Rockwell's newer free Micro800 design tool.

Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.

What you walk away with

Your certificate for FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge

Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.

Sample Wartens Certificate of Completion for FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge, issued through the EDWartens training portal — Sample. The issued certificate carries your name, your final score, a unique certificate ID and its own QR code.

Verifiable by anyone
A unique certificate number and a public verification page. A recruiter checks it in ten seconds.
Adds to LinkedIn in one click
Issuer, credential ID and URL prefilled, with 5 matching skills to pin to your profile.
QR code on the certificate
Scans straight to the verification page, so a printed copy proves itself.
Names what you can do
Lists the topics covered, from optix studio, communication and screens to micro800, modbus, siemens, rest, mqtt and opc ua.
A permanent link
Put it on a CV, a portfolio or an application. The URL never changes.
Earned, not attended
Issued only after every module and a final assessment at 60%, with 3 attempts. That is why it stands up.

Learning is free. The certificate is optional.

Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$23.99, with a receipt.

Issued by Wartens Ltd (England and Wales, company no. 15262249) through the EDWartens training portal, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold in India by Wartens Automation Private Limited. It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.

FAQ

Common questions

Is Optix replacing FactoryTalk View?

It sits beside View ME and SE and shares data with them; new projects increasingly start in Optix, which is why it is worth learning now.

Is the software free?

Optix Studio is free to download and develop with; only deployed runtimes are licensed.

Which PLCs can it talk to?

Logix, Micro800, Modbus TCP, Siemens S7, OPC UA servers and MQTT brokers, all covered in the course.

Is the FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge course really free?

Yes. Every module, practice task and assessment. You create an account so your progress is saved and the assessments can be marked. The certificate is the only paid item, and only if you want it.

What certificate do I get, and is it a vendor qualification?

An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a vendor credential and is never described as one.

Who made the video lessons in the FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge course?

The creators named in the Credits block at the foot of this page, on their own YouTube channels. EDWartens did not make the videos and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.

How long does the FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge course take?

Plan on about 15 hours in all, including the video lessons, notes and practice tasks. It is self-paced, so you work through the thirteen modules at your own speed.

Is the FactoryTalk Optix HMI and Edge course free in India, and what does the certificate cost?

Yes. Learning costs ₹0 in India: every module, the written notes, the practice tasks and the final assessment, with no card and no trial period. The only paid item is the optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹499 including GST for this beginner course, paid in rupees through Razorpay, and only if you want it after passing the final assessment.

Is there classroom HMI training in India as well?

Yes. EDWartens India runs the Automation Engineer Program (AEP), a classroom programme at its Electronic City centre in Bangalore. The Automation Engineer Program (AEP) teaches you to build HMI screens for PLC programs, in person at our Electronic City centre. This free course is separate and fully online; it is a good way to try the subject before deciding on classroom training. Details are at edwartens.co.in/hmi-training-bangalore, and the programme itself at edwartens.co.in/courses/aep.

All course facts

Price: ₹0, free for good. No trial, no card. Comparable classroom training of this length costs about ₹4,999.
Who it is for: Engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in automation and control
Format: 13 self-paced modules, 9h 52m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
Level: Beginner. Beginner to intermediate. Any HMI experience helps.
Brand: Allen-Bradley
Software: FactoryTalk Optix Studio (free to develop) and Logix Echo or the Micro800 simulator
Hardware: None required. An OptixPanel or PanelView Plus 7 makes deployment real.
Certificate: Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹499 inclusive of GST for learners in India, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
Video lessons by: Rockwell Automation, Wayne Welk, The Reynolds Company, ASEM S.r.l., Daniel Van Dam (independent creators, credited below)
Language: English
Last updated: 27 September 2026

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Credits

Who made the video lessons

The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.

Rockwell Automationthe FactoryTalk Optix getting-started and feature series
Wayne Welkthe Optix get-started playlist
Wayne Welkthe Optix for HMI playlist
Wayne Welkthe Optix for edge playlist
Wayne Welkthe Optix PLC communications playlist
The Reynolds Companya lesson in "Alarms, Alarm History, Trends and the Data Logger"
ASEM S.r.l.a lesson in "Optix at the Edge: MQTT, OPC UA and NetLogic"
Daniel Van Dama lesson in "Deploying, Sizing and View SE Integration"

If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.