Ladder diagram opinions requested....

[cbenner]

OK,... I'm a mechanical guy and always have been.  I mainly do piping design.  I know very VERY little about controls and electrical design.  I copy what is mared up in red on the drawings, and try to make them pretty.  It's like typing up a manual in a foreign language... I can type, but I don't speak the language.

That said, I'd like some input from those of you who do this for a living all the time and are more familiar with industry norms.  When you draw ladder diagrams.... do you use a landscape format with, maybe 2 ladders side by side,... or do you prefer a portrait orientation with one longer ladder per sheet.

We had always done the latter, but when we started using ACADE, all of the examples I saw were landscape style with multiple ladders.... so I assumed this was more the norm.  We are at a point where I need to make a decision that is going to be our direction going forward.  I appeal to you who are the true gurus to please offer your input on this.

Thanks much!!

[drathak]

We do more or less horizontal ladders like you.  Althought they don't look too much like ladders after we get finished with them.  (See attached.)

[electricman1]

A good all around example of ladder can be found here:

www.racklayout.com

This sample is good for both small and very large projects.

[Icemanau · Accepted solution]

It depends on quite a few factors.

1. How busy your ladders are going to be.

2. Page size when printed out.

3. Ambient light  where printed dwgs are to be used.

4. Line Width.

It's no good doing two ladders on a sheet if you are going to print out on A4 sized sheets. Everything would be to small to read without a magnifying glass. A single ladder in portrait format would be best here.

On an A3 sheet, you would be on the edges of readability with two ladders side by side, but if the ladder rungs have a lot of components you would be better of with a single ladder. Either portrait or landscape would work here.

With A2 to A0 sheets, you can go to two ladders with no real problems apart from the people working with the dwgs complaining about the size hassle. As an electrician who has worked with A1 dwgs in the field, I found them to be a hassle more times than they weren't. Especially if you are trying to fault find in a control panel.

I tend to adjust my dwgs to suit the clients needs with all our dwgs sized to fit on an A3 sheet.

Regards Brad