In today’s competitive market, launching products faster without compromising on quality is more crucial than ever. A key enabler for rapid development of embedded systems with modern GUI is the combination of TouchGFX with STM32 ready-made display solutions.
Rather than starting from scratch, you can now leverage STM32 display solutions to deploy stunning GUIs directly into your products. In this article, we’ll explore how Inelco Hunter’s STM32 displays combined with TouchGFX can accelerate R&D, de-risk your projects, and dramatically shorten time-to-market.
What exactly is TouchGFX?
TouchGFX is a powerful graphical user interface (GUI) framework developed by STMicroelectronics, specifically designed for embedded systems. It enables the creation of rich, smooth, highly responsive interfaces – even on microcontrollers with limited resources.
Key Functions:
- Drag-and-drop GUI design using TouchGFX Designer for rapid layout and widget creation
- Advanced visual effects like gesture control, anti-aliasing, transparency, animations, and image blending
- Seamless integration with STM32 hardware accelerators (DMA2D, Chrom-ART, LTDC) for performance optimisation
- Automatic C++ code generation, customisable for adding application-specific logic
Why choose a ready-made STM32 display for TouchGFX projects?
While TouchGFX can run on STM32 custom hardware, using an STM32 ready-made display solution offers significant advantages for R&D teams:
- Immediate hardware availability
- Seamless integration with TouchGFX
- Accelerated prototyping and faster iteration
- Optimised cost and resource allocation
Typically, STM32 Discovery Boards are favoured for initial evaluation and prototyping. However, they are not suitable for direct deployment into commercial products. Using Discovery Boards often involves:
- Designing a custom board for production
- Fine-tuning LCD and touch drivers if the display changes
- Accepting limitations in mechanical customisation, such as lack of cover lens options
Although there are many third-party STM32 display solutions available, not all are designed for industrial use. Common limitations include:
- Lack of industrial-grade connectivity (e.g., RS485, CAN bus, Ethernet)
- Inadequate memory storage or insufficient customisation flexibility
- Limited options to tailor display performance to specific project requirements
Why do Inelco Hunter STM32 display solutions stand out?
Inelco Hunter offers STM32 ready-made display solutions that are purpose-built for serious embedded development, designed to meet the rigorous needs of industrial applications:
- Standard hardware available, with extensive customisation options to fit your project
- Screen sizes from 3.5” to 10.1”, with fully customisable cover lens options
- Seamless TouchGFX integration, including free application templates and one-click project generation with all default settings pre-configured
- Comprehensive on-board interfaces such as UART, RS485, CAN, I2C, USB and Ethernet
- Accelerated prototyping with free BSPs – enabling you to build a functional prototype within a week
- Optimised R&D efficiency – saving up to six months of development time
Three easy steps to start Embedded System Development with Inelco Hunter STM32 displays
Step 1: Create your project
- Select the appropriate application template based on your Inelco Hunter STM32 display.
- Click Create to automatically generate a ready-to-use project setup.
Step 2: Design your GUI
- Use the intuitive drag-and-drop widgets in TouchGFX Designer to design and configure your user interface.
- Once your design is ready, click the Code Generation button to produce the project code.
Step 3: Develop and Deploy
- Import the generated project into your preferred IDE, such as STM32CubeIDE.
- Complete your business logic coding.
- Compile, download, and run your application directly on the Inelco Hunter STM32 display.
Accelerate your Embedded GUI Development with confidence
By combining TouchGFX with Inelco Hunter’s STM32 ready-made display solutions, developers can dramatically streamline the process of creating modern, high-quality embedded interfaces. With ready-to-use hardware, seamless TouchGFX integration, and industrial-grade features, you can move from concept to prototype, and from prototype to production, faster and more efficiently than ever before.
Whether you are launching a new product or upgrading an existing design, Inelco Hunter’s STM32 displays provide the flexibility, performance, and time-to-market advantages that today’s embedded projects demand.
Ready to accelerate your next project? Contact us today to learn more about how Inelco Hunter’s STM32 display solutions can help you deliver outstanding embedded experiences – faster and smarter.