Industrial-Grade HMI Solution Based on SoM330 (T113-i, Dual-Core Cortex-A7)
In the context of rapidly advancing digital factories and intelligent equipment, industrial-grade Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) have become core interactive platforms for manufacturing, building control, mechanical equipment, and energy systems. Enterprises require not only cost-effective display and control platforms but also embedded hardware solutions with high stability, long lifecycle, and rich industrial interfaces.
The embedded platform based on SoM330 (T113-i, Dual-Core Cortex-A7) offers a highly competitive choice for building next-generation industrial HMIs, thanks to its abundant peripherals, low power consumption, high reliability, and comprehensive BSP support from the vendor.
Introduction to SoM330 (T113-i): Designed for Industrial Displays
The SoM330 series core board is powered by the Allwinner T113-i processor, featuring a dual Cortex-A7 architecture with a maximum clock speed of 1.2GHz and an integrated NEON acceleration engine, balancing stability and low power consumption.
Key features include:
✔ Abundant Display Capabilities
Supports multiple display outputs: RGB, LVDS, MIPI-DSI
Up to 1080p@60fps hardware display
Built-in 2D acceleration engine + video decoding unit, easily handling dynamic UIs, animated interfaces, and video playback
✔ Tailored for Industrial Communication
Integrated 2x CAN and 6x UART
Rich GPIO, SPI, I2C, PWM resources
Ideal for device status monitoring, sensor integration, motion control panels, and similar scenarios
✔ High Reliability and Industrial Standards
Wide temperature support: -20~70°C / -40~85°C (model-dependent)
ECC memory, power-loss protection, and stable eMMC storage
Mature Linux/Ubuntu/Buildroot BSP available
By adapting to a dedicated carrier board, SoM330 enables the construction of a highly reliable and scalable industrial-grade HMI platform.
Core Advantages of SoM330 for Industrial HMIs
High Cost-Performance Ratio, Ideal for Mass Production
The T113-i platform features ultra-low power consumption and stable performance, making it suitable for 4.3"~15.6" industrial touchscreens. Compared to traditional ARM9 or early Cortex-A7 solutions, SoM330 delivers stronger graphics rendering capabilities at a lower BOM cost.
Robust Display Drivers, Compatible with Various Industrial Panels
Direct compatibility with numerous off-the-shelf RGB/LVDS screens
Support for resistive and capacitive touch
Graphics acceleration via EGL / OpenGL ES 2.0
Thus, SoM330 is well-suited for applications such as:
✔ Industrial production line touchscreens
✔ Equipment front-panel displays
✔ Smart warehousing and robot interfaces
✔ Energy management screens
✔ Smart home/building control HMIs
Rich Industrial Interfaces, Reducing Peripheral Conversion Costs
With built-in dual CAN buses and multiple UARTs, SoM330 seamlessly connects to PLCs, inverters, servo controllers, and more, enabling device status monitoring and parameter adjustments.
These features provide inherent advantages in industrial environments:
CAN: Ideal for industrial control, robotics, and agricultural machinery
RS485 (via UART expansion): Supports Modbus RTU
Ethernet: Supports Modbus TCP / MQTT / OPC UA
Efficient Development with Linux / Buildroot / Qt
The vendor provides comprehensive hardware and software resources, including:
Linux 4.x BSP
Buildroot SDK
Qt/Qt Quick graphics libraries
Complete driver examples (LCD, touch, CAN, UART, etc.)
Development teams can rapidly prototype interfaces, shortening the time-to-market for HMI products.
Reference System Architecture for Industrial HMIs
A typical industrial HMI system based on SoM330 consists of the following components:
Processing Core: SoM330 (T113-i)
Handles UI rendering, logic control, communication protocols, and data processing
Display Module
LVDS / RGB screens
4.3”~15.6” industrial touchscreens
I2C capacitive touch (e.g., GT911/FT5x06)
System Interfaces
CAN0 / CAN1
RS485 (UART expansion)
USB Host
Ethernet
GPIO control ports
Software Framework
Linux + Qt HMI framework
Modbus / CANopen / Custom serial protocols
MQTT / HTTP/HTTPS / OPC UA
Local UI + OTA upgrade mechanism
Enclosure and Industrial Design
Metal housing
EMC interference resistance
Wide-temperature operation
Regulated power supply with surge protection
This architecture supports diverse needs, from device-level HMIs and gateway HMIs to edge-computing HMIs.
Typical Application Scenarios
Mechanical Equipment Operation Panels
For CNC machines, injection molding, packaging, and spraying equipment—used for parameter configuration, alarm display, and process monitoring.
Factory Smart Dashboard Interfaces
Connects sensors and PLCs to display real-time data like temperature/humidity, speed, current, voltage, and operational status.
Energy and Environmental Control Panels
Such as PV inverter screens, energy storage BMS panels, and building HVAC control interfaces.
Smart Home and Building Control
Smart access control, video intercoms, elevator operation panels, and home central control screens.
Agricultural and Transportation Equipment
Agricultural irrigation/feed machinery, sorting systems, and vehicle information terminals.
SoM330's low power consumption and high stability make it particularly popular in small- to medium-sized HMIs.
Development Recommendations for HMIs Based on SoM330
Hardware Carrier Board Design Suggestions
Prioritize LVDS interfaces for enhanced anti-interference
Use I2C capacitive touchscreens for easier calibration
Retain CAN transceivers and RS485 converters
Include USB Host for USB drive upgrades and peripheral expansion
Strengthen power filtering and TVS protection
Software Development Suggestions
Design modern industrial interfaces with Qt/QML
Leverage hardware acceleration to prevent UI lag
Separate UI and data threads to avoid blocking
Implement OTA updates (local/remote)
Use circular logging to prevent eMMC wear-out
Reliability Design
Watchdog timer mechanism
Boot-time self-diagnostics (network/sensors/peripherals)
Power-loss protection and abnormal restart recovery
Temperature monitoring with UI degradation modes
Conclusion
SoM330 (T113-i, Dual-A7) is a truly industrial-grade embedded platform tailored for HMIs. Its low power consumption, high stability, rich industrial interfaces, and strong display capabilities make it ideal for 4.3”~15.6” HMI scenarios, while supporting high-volume production.
Whether for equipment operation panels, smart factory interfaces, energy management screens, or building control panels, SoM330 empowers device manufacturers to quickly build reliable, economical, and flexible HMI product ecosystems.
SoM330 (T113-i, Dual-A7) is a truly industrial-grade embedded platform tailored for HMIs. Its low power consumption, high stability, rich in