IEC 60617 — Graphical symbols for electrical diagrams

What is IEC 60617?

L'IEC 60617 (International Electrotechnical Commission) — also known as IEC 60617 in French — is the international standard that defines the graphical symbols used in electrical, electronic, telecommunications and automation schematics and diagrams.

It is adopted in Europe (harmonised as EN 60617), in Asia, Latin America, Russia, the Middle East and Africa. Only North America uses a different standard (ANSI Y32.2 / IEEE 315). In Switzerland, IEC 60617 is the only standard accepted by the authorities and professional clients.

History

IEC 60617 was first published in 1983 under the name "IEC 617", replacing several disparate national standards. It has been revised several times since. The current version consists of 13 parts, each covering a family of components.

The 13 parts of IEC 60617

1. General information — symbol construction rules
2. Symbol elements, distinctive symbols — arrows, lines, indicators
3. Conductors and connection devices — wires, cables, terminals, connectors
4. Passive components — resistors, capacitors, inductors, instrument transformers
5. Semiconductors and electron tubes — diodes, transistors, thyristors, etc.
6. Generation and conversion of electrical energy — generators, power transformers, power supplies
7. Switching, control and protection devices — switches, contactors, circuit breakers, fuses, relays
8. Switchgear and measuring devices, lamps and signalling devices
9. Telecommunications: switching and peripheral equipment
10. Telecommunications: transmission
11. Electrical installation schematics, plans and panels
12. Binary logic
13. Analogue functions

Symbol construction principles

IEC 60617 defines a few universal rules:

• Simple symbols : basic geometric shapes (circle, rectangle, triangle) combined with lines and crosses
• Free orientation : a symbol must remain identifiable regardless of its rotation (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°)
• Proportional dimensions : symbols can be scaled, but the dimensional ratios must be respected
• No embedded text : textual information (value, tolerance, reference) is added separately via attributes
• Clear distinction between functionally different symbols (an NO and an NC contact must be instantly recognisable)

Examples of common symbols

Mandatory or recommended use?

In Switzerland, IEC 60617 is not legally mandatory by decree, but it is de facto mandatory in the following contexts:

• Building permit files — municipalities and cantons expect this standard
• NIBT declarations of conformity — inspectors refer to it
• Technical documentation handed over to operators — consistency with manufacturer manuals
• Public procurement — often required in specifications

Using non-compliant symbols regularly results in dossiers being returned for correction. Investing in a standardized library always pays off.

How to use IEC 60617 in AutoCAD

Two approaches:

1. Create your own blocks while following the standard. A huge task: 1187 symbols to draw, version and maintain. Reserved for very large organisations with a dedicated CAD team.
2. Use a ready-to-use library like ElectroBlocs which provides 1187 IEC 60617 symbols directly insertable via the palette EBFIND, with dynamic properties and pre-filled attributes.

Relationship with other standards

• EN 81346 — Structuring principles and reference designations (how to name the components of a system)
• EN 61082 — Preparation of documents used in electrotechnology (page layout rules)
• IEC 81355 — Component lists, tree structures
• IEC 60445 — Identification of terminals, conductor terminations and conductors

IEC 60617 is part of a coherent ecosystem of electrical standards. Together, they ensure that a diagram produced in Switzerland can be read unambiguously by a Japanese or German electrician.

ANSI vs IEC: the pitfall of international projects

If your client is in the United States or Canada, they will probably expect ANSI/IEEE symbols. See our IEC 60617 vs ANSI comparison guide for the main differences. Never mix the two in the same project file — the inconsistency is immediately visible and professionally damaging.