6 Best Electrical Planning and Drawing Software
Electrical design is a crucial part of both large and small projects, ranging from factory electrical layout to home usage. The process includes a series of tasks that are both time-consuming and leave room for human error, which sometimes can be costly.
Electrical planning and layout software is a tool that simplifies the process for beginners while also speeding it up for professionals. They provide you with access to an extensive library of electrical symbols and components, such as bulbs, outlets, wires, cabinets, allowing you to plan your home more efficiently.
There are many such tools on the market right now, each with its own set of features and capabilities. In this article, we’ll go over 6 of the best electrical planning and drawing tools out there.
1. uPlan
uPlan is an automated smart tool that allows you to determine the best placement of your wiring, outlets, Wi-Fi access points, and other components by using floor plans as a base. It is suitable to design Loxone, conventional and IT systems as well. uPlan also generates concise documentation that includes electrical cabinet layout, wiring diagram, bill of materials and detailed quotes. It will also automatically calculate your working hours and labor costs, for which you only need to enter your hourly rate.
However, the tool’s ability to plan your home automation sets it apart from the rest. You can upload the layout of your project, mark out the walls and rooms, and uPlan will do the rest, placing all the devices in the project.
After a 14-day free trial, you can choose between a monthly, half-yearly or annual subscription.
2. EdrawMax
EdrawMax incorporates the concept of templates for the design process, making it easier to map things out if you’re starting from scratch. This makes the design part of a wiring plan time-efficient. It also includes appliances that help you map out the basic floor plan structure, as well as a comprehensive library of symbols. Using EdrawMax comes with plenty of advantages, but some disadvantages too. The thing that might turn many people off from this tool is the price point, which can be steep. It doesn’t support cloud backup in real-time either. While you can use the tool for free, you’ll need to deal with the watermark on your documentation in the future.
3. AutoCad Electrical
AutoCad Electrical is a proficient tool and used by many electrical planning professionals. Because it provides a wide range of tools at your disposal, it has high editing capabilities, a detailed component library composed of 65.000+ electric symbols, as well as an automation tool that helps you with numbering the wires and tag generation. The tool also allows you to generate customizable reports.
However, with all the software’s capabilities comes a high price tag that most people cannot afford. Because the tool has a steep learning curve, it is used by professional engineers and technicians.
4. Magicad
Magicad is a simple-to-use software designed for flexible use; it includes a simple set of tools for setting up plumbing and electrical layouts.
Although it’s a flexible tool, it relies on add-ons, which can be quite overwhelming for new users. Because of this, it can be time-consuming to go through all the plugins in the library to find what you need.
The tool’s performance can also be lacking, especially when compared to other tools.
In terms of price, it is mid-market, with a reasonable return value.
5. Smartdraw
SmartDraw is a versatile diagramming tool that can be used for a variety of purposes. You can use it to make charts, graphs, infographics, and illustrations. But what is important here is that it can also create engineering drawings, such as electrical diagrams and home plans.
The tool includes over 4500 different templates and CAD-like drawing capabilities.
However, SmartDraw is quite expensive, and there is no free trial to try it out. It is also not available for Mac or Linux users.
6. ProfiCAD
ProfiCAD, also known as Electrical CAD Software, is a drawing tool that is designed for electrical diagrams. It includes many drawing tools for circuit boards. This electrical drawing software is easy to use and has many useful features. It can create a variety of other technical diagrams, including pneumatics and hydraulics.
It is an excellent tool for beginners because all you have to do is add symbols and connect the wires. You can also use ProfiCAD anywhere you go. You need to download the app and you’re ready to go.
ProfiCAD is not a cloud-based tool and does not run in browsers. It is also unavailable to Mac and Linux users.
Conclusion
Creating an electrical drawing or plan can be time-consuming and challenging. These drawings are complex and require a high level of expertise in the field.
There are many tools available to help us create professional-level drawings quickly and easily. We compiled a list of the best electrical planning software available so you can choose between them and begin your next project.