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How to Build a Basic HMI and Connect it to a Modbus Slave (Udemy.com)

Build your very first Human Machine Interface and animate it by connecting it to a Modbus Slave device

Created by: Emile Ackbarali

Last updated May 2026

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What you will learn

  • Understand the basics of a Human Machine Interface
  • Become familiar with key software applications
  • Understand the basics of an HMI Development Application
  • Create an HMI Application
  • Add Data Points to an HMI Application
  • Add and Configure Graphical Objects to an HMI Application
  • Animate Graphical Objects in an HMI Application
  • Monitoring Communication between the HMI App and Modbus Slave

How it compares

Against the other 1,182 rated Udemy courses in IT & Software on CourseDuck:

  • Rating4.8 out of 5higher than 97% of them
  • Reviews266#751 of 1,183 by number of reviews
  • Length1.9 hoursshorter than 85% of them
  • Last updatedMay 2026more recently than 75% of them

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Course Description

First and foremost, this course is ultra-practical. 

It walks you through the building of a Basic Human Machine Interface (HMI) application using software tools that you can download and use for free. The videos will walk you through the building of a live HMI Application that communicates with a Modbus slave simulator. 

What makes this course very effective is that you can do everything that is shown in the course without purchasing any additional software tools. Once you do exactly what is instructed in the videos, at the end you will have a very firm grasp of HMI application development. 

Furthermore, the HMI Development application used is a real product used in the industry and priced at only Euro 49.00. So if you are involved in the HMI Application development in your work or hobby areas, you can purchase the software to unleash it's full power and use it in your own projects. 

The knowledge that you will gain here is not some set of abstract concepts floating around in space, but real skills that can be applied immediately and relevantly to the process automation industry. 

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Instructor Details

Emile Ackbarali

          I have been working in the fields of Software Development, Software Systems Integration and Process Automation since 1996. In 2003, I stepped out on my own and started working for myself providing software development and systems integration services to small and medium businesses.       

          Teaching has always been a passion for me. I have taught at the tertiary level for many years on the subjects of programming, control systems as well as systems integration. In the last few years I found myself incorporating more and more videos into the curriculum with amazing results. 

          When I heard of uDemy I just could not help but sign up. With teaching in a classroom, you can reach only so many students, but with uDemy you can reach the world! I plan to publish and promote as many courses as I possibly can on the uDemy platform. 

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Reviews

4.8

266 ratings on Udemy

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By Geraldo Tchipenda on 6/17/2026

I continue to be impressed by the courses provided by Instructor. This course is very practical, well-structured, and provides a solid introduction to HMI development. The step-by-step lessons make it easy to build a real HMI application using free and less expensive software tools while covering essential topics such as data points, graphical objects, animations, and Modbus communication. The content is directly applicable to real-world automation projects, making it an excellent learning experience. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to develop practical HMI and automation skills. Thank you!

By Germán Garrigós on 2/8/2021

El curso está muy bien, es corto y conciso. Las explicaciones son buenas y se trata el tema del curso completamente. No hay rellenos que hacen el curso más largo sin aportar nada. Para mi, el curso está muy bien.

By Joseph Robinson on 7/10/2020

I have taken four courses so far at Udemy. One to brush up on my degree in EE and the others involving the Solar Energy field. This course to me relates more to what my current employer is needing talent wise, is one of interest to me as I was seriously looking into PLC programming to automate both tasks and monitoring. At this very early point on the course, it seems that the instruction is very engaging and the instructor thinks as I do.

By Dimitri Zubarev on 12/27/2019

Wow, just wow. I have been desperately looking for a way to get into PLC/HMI programming over the past 12 months at least and have found high barriers to entry - you need to buy a real PLC, download software and configure it all yourself which is impossible as you are only a learner. In steps Emile Ackbarali who builds his courses on easy to access and free software and you can actually follow along and begin the journey. Thank you Sir

By Luis Manuel Rodríguez Mancera on 3/15/2018

Good job again Emile, talking about options I think this is the one, a more robust program with more options, were I can solve the errors or problems more easily. As you said, I would like to continue with this course, to make reports, data management, seetting alarms, events, etc. Thank you again and keep going. Cheers. Luis

By Phillip Donald on 2/23/2018

"How to Build a Basic HMI and Connect it to a Modbus Slave" is an excellent choice for someone who has a little experience with either HMI or PLC programming, or both. The course marries fundamental ideas of the two systems to demonstrate a practical, working application that could actually be used in the real world. Emile is careful to explain not only how to accomplish the lessons, but he's also careful to explain why things are done a certain way. I recommend this course for anyone who wishes to get a better understanding of how to connect a HMI to a PLC.

By Douglas Crowder on 9/27/2017

Excellent course. The presenter is very pleasant to listen to. The pace is good and the material is broken up into appropriate length videos. He has selected good software that you can download for free (trial version at-least) so you can work through the material yourself.

By Sergio on 8/27/2017

Very good training. I Worked with Simatic Winc and i was suprised to see the features of Winlog. Maybe could be useful to insert in the training only a reminder on "programming" the plc using its embedded software.

By Prashant Parkhe on 7/7/2017

........Excellent .....described to the point, course was short and simple. i am a hobbyist it was my first course related to HMI, i have wasted lot of time searching about SCADA and Modbus on the net.....but did not get a link like this .....Thanks to .....Ackbarali

By Marlon Bramble on 2/10/2017

The course is great and I am learning. If you want to make good use of the demo software install it when you are ready to do the course and then try to do the entire course in 14 days. The course is great. The software great.

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Overall Score : 96 / 100