What comes first....Panel layout or Schematic layout?

[Anonymous]

All,

I've been tasked by my company to learn AutoCad Electrical. I've been working with it for a few weeks now and have watched most of the AutoDesk University classes and a lot of YouTube classes on ACE. One thing I'm struggling with is understanding what should be done first. Where to start. Is it more logical to create the Panel layout first or the schematic layout first? From what I've seen it seems like you can go either way, but which is the most logical? I'm not an Electrical Designer by trade, I'm a Piping Designer, but nevertheless, I'm in charge with learning and teaching this software. Any thoughts, help, or resources you could recommend, would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

KStickens

PTI, Inc.

[TRLitsey · Accepted solution]

Hi there,

Yes it can go either way but I prefer schematic first.  That gives you the chance to fully develop the electrical design.  Use part numbers for the components in the schematic and you will be able to extract a report directly from the schematic that will be 90% of the assembly Bill Of Material.  You may have to fight to do it in that order.  Some places I have worked want the panel assemblies done first so they can get the parts on order.  Then, while waiting for deliveries I get to do the schematic.  But those situation usually occur with custom machine that use components with long lead times.  There are tools in ACE that lend themselves to a work flow that begins with the schematic and then moves to the reports, assemblies and other features.  Your life and projects will be a little easier if you can stick with schematic first, everything else comes after that.

Good luck

[Anonymous]

TRLitsey,

Thanks for the comment and recommendation. Unfortunately, I'm probably going to have to learn this from the perspective of building the panel layout first then the schematics. That's the way "we've always done it" and the direction management wants to go.

KStickens

PTI, Inc.

[Icemanau]

I have always found it is better to do the schematics first. That way, if you need to add additional components or the client decides to change what components they require, you are not scrambling to fit them on a pre-designed (and possibly built) gearplate.

I've had jobs where we had designed and built control panels and then the client decided to add in additional protection and control relays. This caused massive delays as the panels had to be rebuilt.This is an extreme version but other jobs I've worked on, the clients decided in the schematic design stage to change components or add/remove components. If the panels had been layed out and built, it would have caused more costs for the client instead of just the minor costs involved with the circuit re-design.

Of course, our policy requires the client to sign ofon the schematic diagrams before we start construction to prevent most problems with claims that we did not provide what they wanted.

Regards Brad