Several reputable industrial automation companies offer free, high-quality HMI graphics libraries featuring SVGs, PNGs, and specialized symbols for manufacturing, HVAC, and process control. Recommended Free HMI Graphics Libraries Opto 22 SVG and GIF Library : A comprehensive collection of free SVGs, PNGs, and animated GIFs
. It includes field devices like pumps, valves, and motors, plus HVAC equipment and process sensors. Siemens SIMATIC HMI Template Suite
: Provides expert-designed templates and high-quality icons specifically for TIA Portal and WinCC projects. Open Automation Software (OAS) : Offers a library of common industry symbols for HVAC, water/waste water, and industrial applications
. Symbols are available in multiple colors (red, green, blue, etc.) and perspectives. LVGL (Light and Versatile Graphics Library) : An open-source embedded graphics library free hmi graphics library
for creating modern GUIs on microcontrollers (MCUs) and MPUs. It is highly portable and MIT licensed DIY Design & Customization Tools
If you want to "make a piece" from scratch or modify existing graphics: SIMATIC HMI Template Suite
Since truly complete and free off-the-shelf HMI libraries are rare, the most practical approach combines: Base framework – Qt for C++, or Python
QML Canvas or HTML Canvas drawing routines (no asset needed)Finding a "free hmi graphics library" is step one. Step two is making it work without breaking your runtime performance.
The XML/SVG Workflow: Most modern SCADA systems (Ignition, VTScada, WinCC Unified) support SVG natively.
Pro Tip: Free libraries rarely come with tag databases. You will need to manually alias your PLC addresses to the graphic's animation properties. Includes: Isometric tanks
Google’s Material Icons aren't industrial, but the community has created "Industrial Material" forks. These are flat, modern, and perfect for touchscreens.
While Flaticon is a general repository, their industrial vertical is excellent. You must filter by "Free" licenses.
| Limitation | Workaround | |------------|-------------| | Limited 3D or isometric views | Use Inkscape to rotate/extrude 2D SVGs | | No built-in touch gestures | Add JavaScript (for web HMIs) to detect swipe or long-press | | Missing modern color schemes | Recolor with CSS filters or theme variables | | No dynamic text localization | Manage labels externally via JSON resources |
Designing a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) for industrial automation, embedded systems, or IoT dashboards requires a delicate balance between usability, performance, and aesthetics. While premium tools like Ignition or WinCC offer built-in assets, many developers turn to free HMI graphics libraries to accelerate development without licensing costs.
Below is an essential guide to the best free resources, their features, and how to integrate them into your next SCADA or embedded project.