Which electrical CAD software should you choose for an industrial design office?
FTZ Informatique Industrielle — SchemELECT, electrical CAD, industrial design office
Choosing an electrical CAD software is a structural decision for a design office. Beyond producing electrical diagrams, a design solution must now be able to manage project data, automate repetitive tasks, produce technical documentation and support teams throughout the design cycle.
Faced with the best-known software on the market, many companies are also looking for more flexibility, customisation and adaptation to their own working methods.
It is with this in mind that SchemELECT positions itself as a complete alternative to the leading electrical CAD solutions used in industry.
Should you necessarily choose the best-known electrical CAD software?
When a design office launches an equipment project or considers upgrading its design tools, the same names often come up. Yet the popularity of a piece of software, often driven by external constraints, is not on its own a valid selection criterion.
The real question is usually simpler:
Is the software able to effectively meet the company's needs, integrate into its organisation and support its development?
To answer this question, several criteria need to be analysed:
- functional coverage
- customisation
- modularity
- exchanges with other software
- control tools
- document management
- the ability to support the evolution of projects
- the quality of after-sales support
- the quality of training
Functional coverage that goes well beyond the electrical diagram
A modern electrical CAD software must not be limited to producing diagrams.
SchemELECT covers the entire design cycle of an industrial electrical file:
- electrical schematics
- cross-references
- automatic wire numbering
- terminal block management
- connection and cable lists
- nomenclatures
- instrumentation
- interconnections
- 2D½ and 3D cabinet layout
- wire routing
- wire and cable length calculation
- drilling plans
- busbars
- wiring harnesses
- pneumatics
- hydraulics
- Grafcet
- multi-file project management
This approach maintains overall consistency between the different representations of the project and enables data to be used throughout the design process.
Software that adapts to the design office
Not all companies have the same constraints or the same needs.
Some only produce electrical diagrams, while others also manage cabinets, wiring, harnesses or automation.
SchemELECT is based on a modular approach that allows the working environment to be built up gradually according to the company's actual needs.
This modularity notably makes it possible to:
- start with the essential functionalities
- add new modules over time
- support the growth of the business
- adapt the tools to internal methods
The software thus adapts to the design office's organisation rather than imposing a single way of working.
Advanced customisation of data and libraries
Libraries play a central role in a design office's productivity.
SchemELECT provides ready-to-use symbols, components and 3D volumes, while allowing companies to customise their environment:
- internal references
- supplier references
- technical characteristics
- price
- weight
- specific business data
This customisation makes it easier to set up an environment consistent with the company's standards.
A solution open to the industrial environment
Electrical CAD never works in isolation.
Data must be able to flow between the various tools used within the company.
SchemELECT offers exchanges with numerous formats and environments:
- DWG
- DXF
- STEP
- ASCII files
- ODBC databases
- calculation software
- PLCs
- quotes
- ERP and PLM interface
This openness makes it easier to integrate the software into an existing information system and limits disruption to work processes.
Controlling the quality of electrical studies
The quality of an electrical file does not depend solely on the drawing.
It also relies on the consistency of the data produced.
SchemELECT includes various control tools that can notably check:
- short-circuits
- polarities
- cross-references
- components
- file information
The software also supports revision management, making it easier to track changes and quality procedures.
Continuity between design and implementation
The schematic is only one stage of the project.
SchemELECT is complemented by FTZ-Panel 3D to manage the physical layout of equipment, wiring, busbars and associated documentation, and by FTZ-Wiring Assistant for the workshop.
Data remains linked between:
- diagrams
- terminal blocks
- cables
- cabinets
- nomenclatures
- documentation
This continuity reduces re-entry of data and helps maintain the consistency of information throughout the project.
An alternative to the leading electrical CAD solutions
The best-known software on the market has a large audience.
However, the choice of an electrical CAD solution should not be limited to its popularity.
Functional coverage, modularity, customisation, openness to other industrial tools and the ability to adapt to working methods are often equally decisive criteria.
With its integrated approach to electrical design, its modularity and its customisation possibilities, SchemELECT today represents a serious alternative to the leading electrical CAD solutions used in industry.
For design offices wishing to compare different solutions before investing or switching solutions, SchemELECT deserves to be evaluated.
Conclusion
The best electrical CAD software is not necessarily the one with the most complex features or the greatest reputation.
Above all, it is the one that most effectively meets the design office's real needs, integrates into its organisation and sustainably supports its projects.
From this perspective, SchemELECT offers a comprehensive, modular and open approach that makes it a relevant solution for companies wishing to have a high-performing electrical design environment.
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Answers to your questions
SchemELECT has 2 levels of wiring depending on the degree of precision required: the "CABI" module allows cabinet layout in 2D1/2, and the FTZ-Panel 3D product manages cabinet layout and wiring in 3D.
- Processor: Intel i5 or i7
- Operating system: Windows 7 or 10 (64-bit)
- RAM: 8 GB or more
- Storage: 500 GB hard disk or 256 GB SSD
- Graphics card: AMD ATI R7 240 or Nvidia GT740
- Display: 22″ to 24″ screen, 1920×1080 resolution or higher
SchemELECT software can be used on a macOS computer using a Windows virtual machine or via the gateway available on the latest versions of macOS.
Yes, our software offers PLC board integration, with automatic installation of connection boards and management of a PLC database.
SchemELECT can be used to create the electrical diagram of a photovoltaic installation. The calculation part specific to photovoltaics must be carried out using a third-party product.
Yes, wires can be numbered manually, by incrementing, or using the automatic numbering function.
SchemELECT supports various worldwide standards such as IEC, ISO, ANSI, JIS, BS, and more.
Yes, SchemELECT comes with libraries of many pre-established and customizable symbols. You can also create your own libraries to enhance your working environment.
SchemELECT integrates hundreds of thousands of components such as: Abb, AMI, Baco, Balluf, Banner, Beckhoff, Citel, Comat, Crouzet, Danfoss, Eaton Moeller, Ferraz, Festo, Finder, Fuji Electric, General Electric, Hager, Harting, Hyundai, Idec, Ifm Electrotechnics, ILME, Legrand, Lemo, Lenze, Leroy Somer, LS Electric, Misumi, Mitsubishi, Molex, Murrelektronik, Nidec, Noark, Nvent Hoffman, Omron, Panasonic, Pepperl Fuchs, Phoenix Contact, Pilz, Planet Wattohm, Rittal, Rockwell, Schmersal, Schneider, SEW Eurodrive, Siemens, SMC, Socomec, Sofrel, TE Connectivity, Terasaki, Unex, Wago, Weidmuller, Yaskawa, Yokogawa, Zenergy, and more. These databases can be edited, and SchemELECT allows you to integrate your own databases and specific features.
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