Import ISA-101 symbols into Siemens WinCC Unified
WinCC Unified prefers scalable vector (SVG) assets — they render crisply on any panel size and stay light in memory. The HMI Library WinCC pack ships as one SVG per kind/state, ready for direct import into TIA Portal's external graphics library.
Step-by-step
Download the WinCC pack
From the catalog, click the ↓ WinCC pack button. The zip contains SVG files organized by category (motor/, pump/, valve/...). File naming: {kind}_{state}.svg.
Open your TIA Portal project
In Portal view, switch to Project view. Expand your HMI device → HMI graphics → External graphics.
Add external graphics
Right-click External graphics → Add new external graphic. Browse to the unzipped motor/ folder, multi-select all SVGs and click Open. Repeat for each category.
Alternative: drag-drop the SVG files directly from the file explorer onto the External graphics node — TIA Portal V18+ accepts batch drops.
Create a Graphic List for state switching
To switch images by PLC value, build a Graphic List:
- HMI device → Lists → Graphic lists → Add new graphic list. Name it after the equipment kind (e.g.
GL_Motor3ph). - Select Graphic list type: Value/Range.
- Add 9 entries (0..8) and assign each one to the matching SVG you imported.
Place a Graphic IO Field on a screen
Toolbox → Elements → Graphic IO Field. Drop on the screen.
In the inspector window:
- General → Graphic list: choose
GL_Motor3ph. - General → Process tag: bind to your PLC state INT (one word per equipment, encoded 0-8).
- General → Mode: Output (read-only).
(Optional) Wrap as a Custom Faceplate
For projects with many of the same equipment, create a Faceplate in WinCC Unified:
- Library → Add new faceplate. Name
FP_Motor3ph. - Inside, place the Graphic IO Field bound to a faceplate-internal tag
State. - Add a Text Field bound to
Tagfor the equipment label (P-101, M-201...). - Drop the faceplate on screens; bind
StateandTagto the actual PLC tags per instance.
Recommended PLC encoding (S7)
Use a single INT word per equipment in your data block, encoded 0-8:
Comfort Panel fallback (Classic WinCC)
If you target Comfort Panels (KP/TP series) running Classic WinCC instead of WinCC Unified, SVG isn't natively supported. You have two options:
- PNG via Weintek-style import: use the Weintek pack (PNG 256×128 transparent) and import via Toolbox → Graphics → Bitmap. Bind through a Graphics List the same way.
- SVG re-rasterized: TIA Portal converts imported SVGs to internal vectors; on Comfort Panels they render at fixed PPI. Test on the target device — text legibility differs from Unified Panels.
Recommended panel sizes
| Panel | Recommended graphic size | Pack |
|---|---|---|
| MTP1500 / MTP1900 Unified | 320×160 | WinCC pack (SVG) |
| MTP700 / MTP1000 Unified | 256×128 | WinCC pack (SVG) |
| TP700 / TP900 Comfort | 192×96 to 256×128 | Weintek pack (PNG) |
| TP1500 / TP1900 Comfort | 256×128 to 320×160 | Weintek pack (PNG) |
Common pitfalls
- SVG text doesn't render: WinCC Unified rasterizes SVG fonts at compile time. If your SVG includes
<text>tags with Inter, fonts may not be available — use the catalog's "Tag on top" off and overlay a Text Field instead. - Graphic List entries collapse to "default": ensure each value (0-8) has a distinct graphic. Empty entries fall back to entry 0.
- Slow screen load: for screens with 30+ equipment, prefer Faceplates with shared graphic lists rather than 30 individual Graphic IO Fields.
What's next
- Why these 9 states are the right encoding
- ISA-101 reference — the design philosophy behind the calm palette
- Use the catalog's Style preset → Siemens TIA for a colorway closer to the WinCC default styling.
Try the catalog free
12 symbols unlocked, no signup. See how the Graphic List approach looks before you commit.
Open the catalog →