Why You Need Dedicated Electrical Design Software like EPLAN

Some electrical engineering challenges have simple solutions. For example, wire numbering and creating cable schedules can be handled with basic engineering design solutions. However, more complex issues require specialised, automated solutions. 

Tasks like tagging PLCs, sizing panels accurately, and accommodating last-minute customer design changes need advanced electrical engineering design software to finish the job. 

In this article, we will discuss the four main benefits of investing in multi-functional electrical design software.

Efficiency is key for electrical engineers to stay competitive and complete complex projects. To streamline design processes and maximise productivity, electrical engineers are looking towards dedicated electrical design software solutions. One of the leading options is Eplan, a powerful software package tailored for electrical engineering tasks.

Let's explore the reasons why electrical engineers should consider using advanced electrical design software like Eplan.

1) Increased Productivity

A digital twin allows for thorough testing and analysis of an object under various scenarios to understand likely performance outcomes. Digital twins can show areas for improvements, weaknesses, and inefficiencies in far greater detail. The 3D virtual prototyping also far outperforms a standard 2D view, as the design can be tested from various viewpoints. These features shorten the research and development cycle while facilitating better design decisions  before the object goes into physical production. Therefore, your workflow is streamlined and increases productivity output.

2) Error Prevention

Electrical design software helps reduce errors by providing a visual representation of the design. Visualisation allows engineers to spot mistakes and make corrections at a much earlier stage, which reduces costs and downtime. With intelligent design automation, engineers can rely on built-in design rules and templates specific to industry standards, ensuring compliance and reducing the risk of errors.

The software also provides extensive libraries of standardised electrical symbols. Our library promotes consistency and eliminates errors caused by incorrect or non-standard symbol usage. Eplan's automatic cross-referencing and updating capabilities helps engineers to maintain accurate connectivity and quickly identify any inconsistencies.

Error detection and prevention is a common feature of all CAD applications. However, using generic CAD software not specific to electrical design makes the work more prone to errors and other issues. Having specific ECAD software enables a range of potentially expensive issues to be detected early in the design process rather than being discovered during the build process, which can be much more costly.

3) Compliance with Industry Standards

Electrical engineering projects must adhere to various industry standards and regulations. Dedicated electrical design software like Eplan provides built-in tools that support compliance with these standards. The software typically includes extensive libraries with predefined symbols, templates, and design rules specific to different industry standards (e.g., IEC, ANSI, NFPA).

By utilising these standardised elements, engineers can ensure consistent designs that meet regulatory requirements, while also reducing the need for manual validation and error correction.

4) Design Information Management

The best ECAD software will provide user-friendly interfaces and collaboration tools to facilitate better design information management between you, your customers, supply partners, and panel builders.

Electrical schematic software enables multiple engineering disciplines to work together on a project in real time. Our collaborative function ensures that everyone is on the same page with simultaneous access to components like parts list and materials. The process would become extremely time-consuming without the use of the correct software.

ECAD software is structured with the electrical design process in mind. By providing an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, engineers of any experience level can use the software. With features such as drag-and-drop, copy and paste, and the ability to import existing designs into the software without having to recreate them from scratch, electrical design software can help speed up any project.

Find Out More

For more information about Eplan and how our advanced platform can help you make improvements throughout your electrical design process, call our technical sales team at 01709 704100.