CAD for electricians

M

massic80

Guest
Hi everybody!
An electrician friend of mine asked me about some CAD software for
electric (not electronics) facilites.
I don't know how to say that in english, but he just has to draw the
"schematics" of wires plugs, devices, etc he will install into a flat.
I know this newsgroup is for electronics, but I hope you know also about
those applications (and maybe some are for both the uses).
It would be obviously better if you indicated me some open source
programs, or at least applications available also in italian, but
whatever U know is good for me ;-)
Thanks in advance!
Massi
 
massic80 <TIENITILASPAMmassic80@gmail.com> writes:

Hi everybody!
An electrician friend of mine asked me about some CAD software for
electric (not electronics) facilites.
I don't know how to say that in english, but he just has to draw the
"schematics" of wires plugs, devices, etc he will install into a flat.
I know this newsgroup is for electronics, but I hope you know also
about those applications (and maybe some are for both the uses).
It would be obviously better if you indicated me some open source
programs, or at least applications available also in italian, but
whatever U know is good for me ;-)
Thanks in advance!
Massi
Click to expand...
There is specialist commercial software for producing wiring
diagrams. But I use the schematic entry facilities of my PCB CAD
system. You can probably abuse most other PCB CAD systems in the same
way, for example creating fake "components" to act as end-points for
all the wires.

So I would think geda or Eagle could be used. Or maybe easier to learn
would be a general vector graphics editor with "connectors"
support. You could try Inkscape, or dia.

All open source except Eagle.

--

John Devereux
 
On Thu, 22 May 2008 14:54:44 +0200, massic80
<TIENITILASPAMmassic80@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi everybody!
An electrician friend of mine asked me about some CAD software for
electric (not electronics) facilites.
I don't know how to say that in english, but he just has to draw the
"schematics" of wires plugs, devices, etc he will install into a flat.
I know this newsgroup is for electronics, but I hope you know also about
those applications (and maybe some are for both the uses).
It would be obviously better if you indicated me some open source
programs, or at least applications available also in italian, but
whatever U know is good for me ;-)
Thanks in advance!
Massi
Click to expand...
Almost any mechanical CAD program would work if you don't need to
extract a netlist - I use Intellicad (an AutoCad clone.). Some
programs may come with a library of electrical symbols, but it should
be easy to make your own symbols or blocks. The first drawing or two
may take some time as you build the symbols you need.


--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca
 
John Devereux ha scritto:
All open source except Eagle.
Click to expand...
Thanks John, I'll check them with him. ;-)
Massi*U've been really fast answering! :-D
 
Peter Bennett ha scritto:
it should
be easy to make your own symbols or blocks. The first drawing or two
may take some time as you build the symbols you need.
Click to expand...
Yes, U're right... I'll consider also your suggestions ;-)
Massi*thanks
 
JeffM ha scritto:
The group for electricians is alt.engineering.electrical.
yeah, thanks, but it wasn't strictly CAD-related ;-) And he's not an
Click to expand...
engineer (I will) :-D
I chose your NG and it seems I made the right choice ;-)

"Wiring diagram".
Another word (used in a different context) is "harness".
I always like when english-speaking people tells me how to say something
Click to expand...
I would express in 100 words ;-)

Purpose-built apps discussed here:
Another bunch of links to be checked... thanks U all guys, I didn't
Click to expand...
expect all of these answers, and this quickly!
;-)
Have a nice evening!
Massi
 
On Thu, 22 May 2008 10:14:50 -0700, Peter Bennett
<peterbb@somewhere.invalid> wrote:

On Thu, 22 May 2008 14:54:44 +0200, massic80
TIENITILASPAMmassic80@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi everybody!
An electrician friend of mine asked me about some CAD software for
electric (not electronics) facilites.
I don't know how to say that in english, but he just has to draw the
"schematics" of wires plugs, devices, etc he will install into a flat.
I know this newsgroup is for electronics, but I hope you know also about
those applications (and maybe some are for both the uses).
It would be obviously better if you indicated me some open source
programs, or at least applications available also in italian, but
whatever U know is good for me ;-)
Thanks in advance!
Massi

Almost any mechanical CAD program would work if you don't need to
extract a netlist - I use Intellicad (an AutoCad clone.). Some
programs may come with a library of electrical symbols, but it should
be easy to make your own symbols or blocks. The first drawing or two
may take some time as you build the symbols you need.
Click to expand...
Many of the free Intellicad versions have gone full commercial but a
web search on "free intellicad" will turn up some older but still
quite usable CAD programs.

For the symbol library, there's a metric butt-ton of free symbols for
AutoCad/Intellicad over at the CAD Blocks Exchange Network
http://www.cben.net. Quality varies from "why'd they bother to upload
this" to "holy crap, that's amazing."

On page 12 of the Electrical section is "Electrical Symbols" that has
some symbology that may be helpful to the OP.

--
Rich Webb Norfolk, VA
 
massic80 wrote:
I know this newsgroup is for electronics, but
Massi

The group for electricians is alt.engineering.electrical.
Click to expand...

has to draw the "schematics"

"Wiring diagram".
Click to expand...
Another word (used in a different context) is "harness".

of wires plugs, devices, etc he will install into a flat.

Purpose-built apps discussed here:
Click to expand...
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.arch.embedded/browse_frm/thread/712164c5813a2f0b/3b475ca70d3033fc?q=CableCAD+Solidworks+Harnware+*-*-planting-a-tulip-with-a-bulldozer+*-*-*-poor-job+Autodesk+Solid.Edge+Inventor+WireCAD+AutoCAD+dongle+zzz+easy.to.use+annual.license.fee
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.arch.embedded/browse_frm/thread/712164c5813a2f0b/653f62e4052fe725?q=CableCAD+Solidworks+Harnware+*-*-planting-a-tulip-with-a-bulldozer+*-*-*-poor-job+Autodesk+Solid.Edge+Inventor+WireCAD+AutoCAD+dongle+zzz+easy.to.use+annual.license.fee
..
The general-purpose IntelliCAD has been mentioned.
More of those here:
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.design/browse_frm/thread/b98ba73c926f09d9/7d2b303dab4f5d16?q=Varicad+Qcad+IntelliCAD+Turbo-CAD+ProCAD+QuickCad+DesignCad-express

In this type of thread, Microsoft Visio is often mentioned.
It is THE WORST PIECE OF CRAP for this task
and will quickly exhaust your patience.
..
gEDA has been mentioned. (Not especially Windows-friendly.)
KiCAD is another open source electronics (PCB-oriented) CAD
with a Windoze port.
 
Rich Webb ha scritto:
Many of the free Intellicad versions have gone full commercial but a
web search on "free intellicad" will turn up some older but still
quite usable CAD programs.
Thanks for this more information... I think it would be OK anyway, cause
Click to expand...
he isn't much expert in PCs :)

For the symbol library (...) Quality varies from "why'd they bother to upload
this" to "holy crap, that's amazing."
ROTFL
Click to expand...
Good!

Thanks again!
Massi
 
On Thu, 22 May 2008 14:54:44 +0200, massic80
<TIENITILASPAMmassic80@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi everybody!
An electrician friend of mine asked me about some CAD software for
electric (not electronics) facilites.
I don't know how to say that in english, but he just has to draw the
"schematics" of wires plugs, devices, etc he will install into a flat.
I know this newsgroup is for electronics, but I hope you know also about
those applications (and maybe some are for both the uses).
It would be obviously better if you indicated me some open source
programs, or at least applications available also in italian, but
whatever U know is good for me ;-)
Thanks in advance!
Massi
Click to expand...
Maybe Electric will do the job.
This is open source and is available at
http://www.gnu.org/software/electric/

Regards
Anton Erasmus
 
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