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Creating Vector EMF Graphics in Microsoft Visio for SIMATIC PCS 7 WinCC Faceplates

Creating Vector EMF Graphics in Microsoft Visio for SIMATIC PCS 7 WinCC Faceplates

To create scalable vector graphics for SIMATIC PCS 7 WinCC block icons and faceplates using Microsoft Visio 2016, export your artwork using the standard 'Enhanced Metafile (.emf)' option (File > Export > Change File Type > Enhanced Metafile). Visio 2016 does not list a separate export option labeled 'EMF+'; the 'Enhanced Metafile (.emf)' format incorporates 32-bit vector GDI/GDI+ metafile records natively supported by WinCC Graphics Designer. Importing .emf vector graphics into WinCC ensures sharp rendering, seamless geometric scaling, and zero pixelation across varied monitor resolutions and 4K operator displays, unlike raster image formats (such as .bmp or .png).

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Designing high-performance human-machine interface (HMI) graphics for SIMATIC PCS 7 operator stations requires graphical elements that scale crisply across disparate monitor resolutions, multi-screen video walls, and high-DPI displays. While raster image formats (such as BMP, JPG, and PNG) suffer from jagged edges, blurriness, and pixelation when scaled inside WinCC Graphics Designer, vector graphic formats preserve mathematically defined geometry regardless of zoom level or display scaling.

Automation engineers creating customized plant equipment symbols, valves, pumps, and process vessels frequently utilize Microsoft Visio as their primary vector authoring tool. However, engineers working with Visio 2016 often seek an explicit 'EMF+' export selection and question whether the available 'Enhanced Metafile' option produces the correct vector format required by WinCC. This technical guide explains the structural mechanics of Windows Metafile formats, clarifies why Visio's 'Enhanced Metafile (*.emf)' option satisfies PCS 7 requirements, and details best practices for importing, grouping, and dynamizing vector symbols in WinCC Graphics Designer.

Architecture and Fundamental Mechanics

The graphic rendering engine in WinCC Graphics Designer processes graphical formats through distinct GDI and vector parsing pipelines:
1. Metafile Format Evolution:
* WMF (Windows Metafile): Legacy 16-bit vector/raster format dating back to Windows 3.1. It possesses limited color palettes and poor floating-point precision, making it obsolete for modern HMI design.
* EMF (Enhanced Metafile): Standard 32-bit vector format providing curved bezier lines, arbitrary transformations, font metrics, and extended color models.
* EMF+ (Enhanced Metafile Plus): An extension introduced with Microsoft GDI+ in Windows XP. EMF+ records are embedded directly within standard .emf container files (dual-format or plus-only), allowing backward-compatible readers to parse basic EMF records while modern engines leverage GDI+ antialiasing and alpha transparency.
2. Visio Export Behavior:
* In Microsoft Visio 2016, selecting Enhanced Metafile (*.emf) outputs a modern 32-bit vector metafile container containing standard EMF vector primitives and GDI+ extensions.
* There is no independent file format with the extension .emf+; EMF+ records reside entirely within the .emf file specification.
3. WinCC Graphics Designer Integration:
* WinCC Graphics Designer features an integrated vector import parser. When an .emf file is inserted into a process picture (.pdl) via the 'Windows Metafile' or 'Graphic Object' tool, WinCC reads the vector draw commands (lines, arcs, polygons, fills).
* When an operator zooms in runtime or when a picture is rendered on a high-resolution 4K monitor, the WinCC graphics engine recalculates the vector equations dynamically, producing perfectly sharp boundaries without the memory overhead or pixel distortion associated with large raster bitmaps.

Step-by-Step Implementation Procedure

Step 1: Author the Vector Symbol in Microsoft Visio

  1. Open Microsoft Visio 2016 and create a new blank drawing.
  2. In Design > Page Setup, set the page size to 'Fit to drawing content' or adjust margins so there is no excess white space around your symbol.
  3. Draw the required equipment symbol (e.g., centrifugal pump, valve body, reactor agitator) using native Visio vector shapes (lines, arcs, circles, rectangles).
  4. Apply flat, modern color fills conforming to NAMUR / ISO 11064 standards (neutral greys, standard status colors).
  5. Select all elements of the drawing, right-click, and select Group > Group (Ctrl+G) to ensure all paths are bonded into a single unified object.

Step 2: Export as Enhanced Metafile (.emf)

  1. In Visio, navigate to File > Export.
  2. Click Change File Type.
  3. In the list of file types under 'Image File Types', select Enhanced Metafile (*.emf).
  4. Click Save As.
  5. Select your target directory (e.g., C:\Cielo2\Graphics\EMF_Symbols\) and save the file (e.g., Pump_Centrifugal.emf).

Step 3: Copy the Vector Graphic into the WinCC Project Folder

  1. Copy the exported .emf file into the GraCS (Graphics) directory of your WinCC project:
    <ProjectRoot>\<OS_Project_Name>\GraCS\
  2. Placing files in GraCS ensures that WinCC can resolve graphic file references across redundant servers and OS clients.

Step 4: Insert and Dynamize the Symbol in WinCC Graphics Designer

  1. Open the target process screen in WinCC Graphics Designer.
  2. In the Object Palette under 'Standard Objects', select Graphic Object (or drag the file directly from the WinCC Project Library).
  3. Draw a rectangle on the canvas where the graphic should appear.
  4. In the Object Properties dialog for the Graphic Object, navigate to Pictures > Picture.
  5. Select your exported .emf file (Pump_Centrifugal.emf).
  6. Verify that the symbol renders sharply.
  7. Test scaling: resize the object to both very small and very large dimensions: verify that vector lines remain perfectly sharp without pixelation.

Verification

  1. In Graphics Designer, scale the imported .emf object to 400% zoom: confirm that line contours and curves remain mathematically smooth.
  2. Save the process picture and launch WinCC Runtime.
  3. View the picture on both standard 1080p and high-DPI / 4K displays: confirm identical, crisp rendering across all screen resolutions.
  4. Attach a dynamic color dialog or dynamic wizard script to toggle symbol visibility or border colors based on a live PLC status tag, and verify responsive runtime updating.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

  1. Extremely complex CAD drawings exported to EMF with tens of thousands of individual vector vertices can increase WinCC graphics rendering time; simplify CAD drawings in Visio prior to export.
  2. Do not use 'Compressed Enhanced Metafile (*.emz)' unless explicitly tested, as some legacy WinCC versions cannot decompress .emz archives on the fly.
  3. EMF graphics inserted into custom block icons must reside in the project GraCS directory of all servers and clients to prevent missing graphic placeholders.
  4. Text annotations embedded within Visio drawings may experience font scaling anomalies if the exact font is not installed on the runtime OS client.

Engineer FAQ

Is EMF+ a different file extension than EMF?

No. EMF+ records are an internal GDI+ protocol extension embedded inside standard .emf file containers. Exporting as 'Enhanced Metafile (*.emf)' in Visio provides full EMF+ compatibility.

Why should I use EMF instead of PNG in WinCC?

PNG is a raster format that becomes blurry and pixelated when scaled on high-resolution displays. EMF is a vector format that scales infinitely with mathematical precision, ensuring sharp visuals on 4K monitors.

Can I dynamically change the fill color of an EMF symbol in WinCC?

A single Graphic Object displaying an .emf file cannot have its internal path fill colors modified dynamically. To achieve color switching, export multiple .emf symbols with different colors (e.g., Pump_Green.emf, Pump_Red.emf) and bind the Picture property dynamically to a status tag.

Where should EMF files be stored in a PCS 7 project?

Always store them in the GraCS folder of the WinCC project so they are automatically packaged and synchronized across OS clients and servers.

Can I use Adobe Illustrator or AutoCAD instead of Visio?

Yes. Any vector illustration tool capable of exporting 32-bit Enhanced Metafile (.emf) format is fully compatible with WinCC Graphics Designer.

Technical References

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Related Tags

  • EMF
  • Visio
  • WinCC Graphics Designer
  • Vector Graphics
  • HMI Faceplates
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