By Mr.

Njubo Nelson (0782785766) Monday, March 29, 2021 Handout

AutoCAD Electrical
Practical Lecture Notes
1. (a) System Requirements
i. Software: Use AutoCAD Electrical version 2017 64-bit and above
ii. Hardware: Computer or Laptop should have a minimum of 8GB RAM and at least
20GB hard disk free space. A Laptop with 4GB will work with low speed.

(b) AutoCAD Electrical outline is attached.

2. (a) Introduction to AutoCAD Electrical drawing environment

AutoCAD Electrical is important in drawing Electrical schematics and panel drawings. The
drawing environment includes most of the fly-out menus, go to the menu and look at them:
 Project and project manager on the left which is used to navigate through the
AutoCAD Electrical projects or drawings, project details and previews.
 Schematic
 Panel
 Reports
 Import/export data
 Conversion tools
 Add-ins
 AutoCAD A360
 Featured APPs
AutoCAD Electrical has files that you can use while in this course, these are located in WDDEMO
folder under project manager (to be seen later).

(b) Naming Philosophy

Unit Systems
There are two unit systems normally used in template files, namely; Imperial Unit System
(which is normally in feet and inches) and Metric Unit System (which is normally in millimeters,
centimeters or meters).
All the template files are arranged in 2D or 3D, imperial or metric, and each of these a drawing
can be made in black and white or colored.
Electrical drawing templates:
Electrical drawing template files start with ACE. Others are ACAD-Electrical.dwt (normally the
default and its imperial) and ACAD-Electrical-IEC.dwt for creating electrical drawings.
Abbreviations normally associated with dwg template files:
IEC – European Metric Standard for electrical drawing (mm, cm, m etc).
JIC – American Standard for electrical drawing (feet and inches).

(c) Drawing Basics

 Quick Access Toolbar
• It’s where you find; new, open, save, undo, redo, plot, project manager, previous
drawing and next drawing, surfer and other options.
• You can customize this access toolbar by adding other options like show menu bar,
save as. The menu bar is for old classic version of AutoCAD, of which may not be
needed with this AutoCAD Electrical version.
 Dockable menu (fly-out menu) or sticky panels.

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• Practice how they are dockable; and how they can be returned to their respective
positions.
• Observe the pin code of some menus.
• You can minimize the menu or toolbars to Titles, panel titles and panel buttons.
 AutoCAD Electrical runs with a database behind it. So all the drawings must have their
symbols synchronized with the database. All commands made in project should be electrical
commands and not the normal AutoCAD commands in order to remain in synchronism with
the database.
 Dockable command prompt.
• There are some situations when you don’t need to use menus, and so the command
prompt becomes handy. However, all commands at command prompt are also
available in menu panels. In AutoCAD Electrical, the command prompt is less useful.
• Practice resizing it
• Look at other settings, under options. The same settings you get when you right click
anywhere in workspace.
• Setting the transparency of the command prompt.
 Status bar;
• It’s located at the bottom of the workspace.
• It’s where you control all your drafting commands for your drawing.
• You can do it either in the middle of the command or at start of the command.
• If the command is active, it’s shown in blue and if not activeit’s shown in grey.
 Model button or model from tab; you can change from model space to paper space or layout
space.
• You can maximize viewport or minimize it.
• To change from layout to model to layout, hover on the drawing tab and select the
layout you want.
 Saving dwg file types:
• Active save as option from access toolbar.
• Click save as, observe the different file types.
• It’s always advisable to save your drawing to a previous file type. E.g. AutoCAD
Electrical 2010 or 2013 for this case.
• To check the default file type; Right click workspace, select options. In open and save
tab; save as; select the file type, that your drawings will always be saved in e.g.
AutoCAD 2013 drawing, click apply.
• OR click save as, then select options. Or select options on command prompt.
• Always activate/add the new drawing to the project manager (to be seen later).
 Mouse (Zooming in and out, and zoom extent):
• AutoCAD Electrical requires you to utilize your mouse effectively while in your
drawings. Observe the crosshair when you move your mouse. You take the crosshair
to the drawing area that you want to zoom in or out. The area chosen acts as a
center for zooming.
• Rolling the middle button (or the wheel) of the mouse backwards – means zooming
out.
• Rolling the middle button of the mouse in-front – means zooming in.
• Double clicking on the middle button of the mouse, it’s called zoom extent – it sets
the drawing to workspace. It’s always advisable to zoom extend your drawing after
work.
• Holding down the middle button helps you to pan through your drawing.
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• When you right click anywhere in space, you get a context show up menu; where you
can even get the pan command so that you permanently remain in pan mode.
• When you right click any toolbar symbol, you can easily add, activate or remove
menus or panel items or symbols.
• Left button of the mouse – it’s used for selecting objects. Shift + Left button – used
for deselecting.
• Therefore using the mouse helps you to become more productive and more effective
in your AutoCAD Electrical drawings.
 Scale drawing
• A lot of drawings in electrical are schematic types, they don’t need scale drawings.
Scale drawings are applicable in mechanical and architecture drawings.
 Opening a new file and saving it
• Click on new, select the template fie (i.e. ACAD_Electrical) which is the imperial type.
• Click open.
• Draw a single wire on it: Select the wire, click ok for WD_M, draw the wire, press
escape.
• Click save or save as, locate the default folder, give file name, click save.
• However, the file drawing is not yet under the project, it has to be made active under
the project folder and also apply the project settings (to be seen later).
 Statup dialogue box:
• Take the crosshair in the middle of the workspace, type startup, then 1. When you go
back to new icon, it has changed.
• This means that you may start the drawing from scratch, you may use a template or
you may use a wizard.
• Default settings; you may use imperial (feet and inches) or metric (mm, cm etc)
standard.
• To go back to using Templates while opening a new file; type startup, then 3.
 Autodesk 360:
• This is an online tool that allows you to collaborate, communicate and link your
drawings to other people elsewhere. Other people can view and discuss your drawings
as well. You can create an Autodesk 360 account and share your drawings online.
• Once your account is set up, Autodesk creates a sync folder on the desktop of your
computer. If a file is created in this folder, it will automatically be synchronized with
Autodesk 360 online account as well. It has 5GB of free space that you can utilize and
store some of your drawings.
• It’s a very useful tool when collaborating with clients, contractors or managers in a
distance.

3. Drafting Settings
These are settings or commands found on status toolbar. Always use enter or escape keys to
end a particular command.
 Infer constraints (if it is not seen, activate it from customization status toolbar):
• Click its icon to switch on
• Draw a regular AutoCAD line, either horizontally or vertically. Observe the constraint
icon on the line. Right click the icon and observe the options there. Stretch the line or
move the edge of the line, observe that the whole line moves.
• Right click the icon and delete the constraint. Or draw another line when constraint is
off. Now try to stretch the line and observe the effect.
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 Snap and Grid settings in AutoCAD Electrical
• These are similar to regular AutoCAD commands; they are used for drawing straight
lines that snap to regular grid at regular intervals, hence, the phrase Snap and Grid.
• Draw a line and observe how the line can be snapped to a particular square of the
grid.
• Go to snap settings under snap, and change snap x spacing to 0.25 and also y. Leave
the grid settings to 0.5 for x and y.
• So you can now draw a line half the grid square or center of the grid square.
• Snap and Grid settings are useful in AutoCAD Electrical while drawing electrical wires
accurately at regular intervals in schematics drawings.
 ORTHO Settings (Orthographic Mode):
• It helps to draw horizontal and vertical electrical wires or perpendicular lines. It ties
the drawing to x and y axes only.
• Practice to draw wires or lines when the orthomode is on and when the orthomode is
off.
 Polar Setting or Polar Tracking:
• Ortho and polar can’t be on at the same time.
• You can set the angle for your polar tracking, either 900, 450, or 300 etc. The default
angle is 900.
• Practice to draw the lines and observe the polar tracking at 00, 900, etc.
• Using the polar tracking helps to draw a panel-plate, a marker or a connector and of
which can be converted to blocks and be used in the database as symbols.
 OSNAP settings (Object Snap):
• This can used to snap to specific objects accurately and neatly in AutoCAD drawings.
• Such settings include Endpoint, Midpoint, center, Intersection and Extension etc.
These are mostly on and they should always be on.
• Practice to snap to two different rectangle objects and observe the effect. Practice to
add a drawing to a rectangle using polar tracking or osnap settings but first put the
Snap mode off.
 AUTOSNAP Setting (Object Snap Tracking):
• With the help of polar tracking, AutoSnap can be used to draw objects in the center
of other objects.
• Practice to draw a circle in the center of a rectangle using polar tracking while putting
endpoint, midpoint and center on. This command helps to draw the circle without the
actual dimension of the center of the rectangle.
 DYN Settings (Dynamic Input):
• This DYN mode is normally on by default in status toolbar.
• If it’s not seen, activate it from the customization status toolbar.
• When you right click the DYN icon, you can go to DYN settings. But don’t do any
changes there just cancel.
• Practice drawing the line when DYN is on (prompting you for the next point and the
angle) and when it is off. While drawing length and angle; put the length first, then
press tab key and then put the angle. However, it’s advisable for it to be ever on.
• In the process of drawing say a wire, press arrow facing down on the keyboard, you
will able to see a short menu; wireType or show connections. The wireType can be
used to select different colors of the wire say Red, Yellow or Blue as phases in the
process of drawing. You can also right click or use the command landline.
 LWT Settings (Line Weight):
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• In AutoCAD Electrical you need to draw lines that have line weight, so you need to
put the line weight on.
• Line type is normally done in the Layer Properties (to be seen later). Then utilize
LWDisplay under customization on status toolbar to apply the Line weight of say 0.5.
• Practice to draw a red line of weight 0.5. Put the LWDisplay on and observe the
effect.
• In AutoCAD Electrical, the LWT helps to draw phases of different colors and weight.
 TPY settings (Transparency mode):
• There are situations when you need to highlight objects in your drawing. You can do
that using the transparency settings or TPY. If it is not seen, go to customization to
activate it.
• For example if a table is on your drawing (later we shall practice how to insert a table
on your drawing), draw a rectangle surrounding the table.
• Then go hatch command, observe that the menu has changed to Hatch creation,
select solid fill, click inside the table to make a solid fill of a visible color say red.
• Under the same Hatch creation tab, go to Hatch Transparency, drag the bar to the
middle to make 50% and observe that the text inside the table appears.
• Now practice to put TPY on and off and observe its effect.
 QP Settings (Quick Properties):
• Sometimes when you are working in AutoCAD Electrical you need to check the
properties of an object (e.g. lines, polylines) to make sure that it has the right layers
and the right line type.
• You can do that by first selecting the object and then right clicking anywhere in space,
then properties. The properties dialogue box appears, where you can select the line
type, weight, color etc.
• Or QP can be gotten from customization on status toolbar. When activated, and then
you click on the object the properties dialogue box appears.
• When you right click QP icon, you go QP Settings.
 SC settings (Selection Cycling):
• In the process of drawing you may end up with objects on top of each other of the
same size but of different layers.
• Selection Cycling (SC) allows selection of a particular object either on top or hidden.
SC can be activated from customization toolbar.
• Practice to draw to rectangles on top of the other with different layers but of the
same size.
• So when you select the rectangles you can’t identify which one has been selected.
• Click on the two rectangles while SC is on and observe the polylines with two different
colors used to draw the rectangles.
• In case one rectangle is to be deleted, select one of them (by identifying the color)
and then press delete key.
• SC helps when you are drawing objects where one of them acts as a reference and
afterwards the reference object needs to be deleted. This is achieved by using
selection cycling. In AutoCAD Electrical, in may have lines or polylines underneath the
wires or panels. Such lines need to be deleted using SC.
 AM settings (Annotation Monitor):
• While working on your drawings, you may need to place annotations like dimensions,
text, leaders etc. sometimes these annotations may get misplaced and don’t get
attached to the object they need to.
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Put a dimension on, say, rectangle. Put the AM on.
•
Then drag the dimension away from the object while the AM is on, press escape. A
•
yellow symbol appears because of AM, this symbol indicates that it is a disassociated
annotation.
• Even if the grip is taken back, the yellow symbol still appears.
• To get back to normal, with the DYN on, type DIMReassociate, select the dimension
and press enter.
• Select the first extension origin (where the dimension starts) and then the second
extension origin and yellow symbol disappears. The AM also normalizes (turns from
red color to normal).
 ISOLATE settings:
• In case you are working on complicated objects in AutoCAD Electrical, you need to
isolate objects, layers, text etc or hide objects. For example for layers, you can turn
on or off or freeze a layer from layer properties.
• Using the drawn objects, you can select objects; right click, select isolate objects. Or
select hide objects. This method gives a clear view of particular objects to be worked
on in detail. This method may not work well with an electrical object.
• To end the isolation, right click, select isolate objects and then end object isolation. All
objects come back to normal.
• Isolate command can as well be found on the status toolbar.

Remember for a good CAD practice; always add active drawing to the active project.

4. Typical Electrical Drawings:

 Point to Point electrical drawings.

• Consider demo02, because it’s a typical electrical drawing which is called Point to
Point electrical drawing.
• Look at the different electrical schematic components; fuses, wires, circuit breakers
etc, most connected from point to point.
• Remember that most of the components in AutoCAD Electrical are linked to AutoCAD
Electrical database. Look at the database symbol on the status toolbar, once it has a
green tick then it implies that database services are working normally.
• When you right click a particular component, you get a totally different electrical
short cut menu which is different from regular AutoCAD menu.
• The short cut menu allows you to work on that particular component.
• When working on typical electrical drawings, you may not need to be in the home
tab, most of the time you will working in the schematic (as widely used), panel,
project, reports tabs etc.
 Ladder Logic drawings:
• It’s normally associated with the American JIC electrical standards and normally
drawn in imperial units.
• Consider demo04 drawing, which is a typical ladder logic drawing.
• Look at the rails (+ve and –ve) and rungs. Also observe the reference numbers which
are the ladder rung numbers (to seen later). These numbers are important in wire
numbering.
• This is a ladder logic schematic similar to point to point drawing. When you right one
component or tab, a short cut menu appears which you can use to even edit the
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component. Always use the electrical tools while electrical drawings because the
components are linked to AutoCAD Electrical database.
• Don’t explode objects or tabs in electrical drawings because of the above reason.
• Observe the reference numbering 420, source arrow numbering (420) and destination
arrow numbering (418).
 Connector drawings:
• Connectors are important as it is in real life connections.
• Practice how to insert a connector on a new drawing. More details to be seen later.
• Connectors are parametric in that it links blocks and attributes allowing you to make
electrical drawings effectively.
• Debris may appear while inserting the connector, this is caused by your graphics
cards but you can type regen, press enter. It regenerates the model and the debris go
away.
• Connectors allow you to have multiple connections; wires may come from one side of
the connector and then other side may be linked to a different connection of your
project, say, a panel drawing for example switches, sockets, or lighting.
 Schematic drawings:
• Most of the drawings looked at before are schematic drawings just because they
contain schematic symbols or components for AutoCAD Electrical project. They are
schematic symbols because you are using schematic tab to insert the components.
Schematic symbols automatically go into schematic drawing in AutoCAD Electrical
project.
• Always advisable to organize your schematic drawings in a subfolder as well as panel
drawings in their folder.
• It’s always a good CAD practice to zoom extend your drawing and save it before you
close it.
 Panel drawings:
• Using demo09, observe the different components.
• Panel drawing shows a layout of different physical panel components (called
footprints) linked from schematic drawings. The wiring of these components is shown
in the schematic drawings.
• Observe the connectors and other components fixed on the wall, their wiring is not
shown, but they actually represent the physical layout in the panel itself.
• In demo01, you saw a schematic diagram which both a wiring diagram and physical
layout which makes it a schematic drawing while in demo02 it is purely a schematic
drawing of a 3 phase motor circuit.
 Using Existing Templates to create new drawings:
• It’s always advisable to use the existing AutoCAD Electrical Templates while creating
your electrical drawings. Look at the different templates indicated there including JIC
and IEC, click new.
• To Open a new drawing, click new. Double click the middle button of the mouse to
zoom extend. The drawing appears properly in the middle of the screen.
• Click save as, look for the folder, give file name say demo11, click save.
• Click save again from toolbar such that you always see the file name on the title bar
other than the longer file path.
• Demo11 is not yet in the project manager, it’s just a drawing in the project folder.
Therefore it must be added to the project manager.

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• Right click project folder (on the left e.g. schematic folder) containing the files (where
the drawing is to be put), select add drawing, from the available file names, select
demo11.
• Click Yes to apply project default values. Now the drawing appears under the project
files in project manager.
• It’s advisable to use the following option while creating a new drawing: right click the
folder where is to reside, select new drawing. This way, all the details are set up at
once and it becomes linked to the project manager automatically. Using new, then
save as; is a long process and it may lead your drawing to be placed in a wrong
folder.
• Changing the project drawings is done by just dragging the drawing to a particular
position you want but it remains active.
 Using Existing Layers:
• Using existing layers is also a prerequisite for AutoCAD Electrical drawing.
• If you have an existing drawing that you want to bring to AutoCAD Electrical and use
it as a template and save it as a dwt file, do so but there is a possibility of maintaining
the existing layers.
• As soon you add a drawing to AutoCAD Electrical database, layers with different colors
are added for you automatically. Confirm this by opening a new drawing and check
the layers present there.
• There are various attributes you can add to project files and one of them is the layers.
• Layers normally come block attribute you associate with the title block when brought
into the project (to be seen later).

5. Basic Project Workflow and Interface:

The environment you work in AutoCAD Electrical is very different compared to regular AutoCAD.
 You need to work with the project manager, the tabs such as; project, schematic, panel,
reports, import/export, and conversion tools. Considering demo01:
• Selecting the schematic tab or rhythm, and looking at the project manager; these
should always be on while in drawings.
• You can have as many drawings open as possible and then you switch between them.
Switching between them use either the project manager or the quick access toolbar.
• Other details of the workspace like top left properties, view cube, home icon
navigation bar are all the same with regular AutoCAD.
• The every text in blue indicates that it is linked with the AutoCAD Electrical database
behind the project. When you right click this text you see AutoCAD Electrical short cut
menu and when you hover on the text, you see block reference meaning that they are
linked with other objects in the project.
• Any other text in other color is a regular AutoCAD text and when you right click it
shows regular AutoCAD short cut menu and when you hover on the text, you see text.
 Invoking Commands in AutoCAD Electrical:
You can invoke commands by;
• Applying them directly e.g. drawing wires.
• Inserting dialogue boxes e.g. inserting a connector.
• Or by typing the commands directly at the command prompt.
 AutoCAD Electrical Dialogue boxes:
For example inserting a connector and using demo02;
• Under schematic tab, under Insert components, select connector.
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A dialogue box appears; it is similar to any other AutoCAD dialogue box except that
•
this one is an AutoCAD Electrical component being inserted in the schematic drawing.
• Because the template is JIC standard, we are using imperial (feet and inches), some
defaults have been set.
• Leave every as defaults, click insert.
• Place the connector anywhere in free space. Type regen to remove any debris (or
make sure that the hardware acceleration is off).
• Observe that the connector pins (or numbers) are spaced at ¼ of an inch.
 Creating backup files:
Normally AutoCAD creates a backup file while you save drawing.
• Right click anywhere in space, select options.
• In the area of File Safety Precautions, observe that AutoCAD saves your work
automatically after 10 minutes. It also creates a backup copy (called bak).
• When you go back to project folder in documents, you are able to see the bak file.
You can as well rename the bak file to dwg in case your dwg file is corrupt.
• Leave the 10 minutes as default, don’t change or remove tick on the creating the
backup copy.
 Creating and Managing Workspaces:
When working in AutoCAD Electrical, you are also working in AutoCAD workspace. You
cannot change a workspace but you can save a workspace.
• Go to status bar settings, look at the AutoCAD Electrical workspaces; ACADE & 2D,
ACADE & 3D etc. However, we are in ACADE 2D Drafting and Annotations.
• However, saving the current workspace, click “Save Current as”, give the name as say
ACADE Course1, then click save. The workspace appears among the list and it is
made current.
• Therefore, changes can be made to this (ACADE Course1) workspace other than
overriding the default workspace.
• Go back to the default one.
• You can as well switch between different workspaces from the quick access toolbar
other. Activate workspace, and then select the workspace you want. Afterwards
deactivate the workspace from the toolbar.
 WD_M Block:
When you add a drawing to a project a WD_M.wg block is automatically added or attached
as well.
• The WD_M block contains about 50 attributes that are specific to each for AutoCAD
Electrical project e.g. layer properties, title block templates etc.
• In the process of attaching a new drawing to the project, it normally asks for applying
for default values of which you say yes. This means that it is applying WD_M block to
the project. More details later.
• When the WD_M block is applied, it is placed in the <Project>.WDT file (go to
project, click Title Block Setup). If the software does not find it there, it places a
default.WDT.

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6. Project Basics:
 Project Files:
• These are normally installed in the project folder together with other project files.
• Locate your project folder in documents; you will find drawing files and three other
files such as ‘name’_wdtitle.wdl, ‘name’.wdp, ‘name’.wdt files. These three files setup
your AutoCAD Electrical project.
• wdp file is the project file; file locations and project locations are stored there.
• wdl file is the project line labels file; these are the lines that go on the title block or
project title and also into your project settings.
• wdt file is the one that will setup the title block for template that you use in the
project.
 Project Manager in detail:
This is the navigation tool for AutoCAD Electrical what allows us to move around all drawings
and it organizes such drawings for AutoCAD Electrical project.
• Practice how to dock the project manager, auto-hide it, close it and reopen it from
project tab and then manager.
• Every active folder and active drawing appear as highlighted in bold in the project
manager and on the tabs the drawing appears in bold.
• Always notice which project you are working in because it will appear bold or selected
as active.
• Notice the project details; status, file name, location, project database and title of the
project.
• It is always advisable to put the project manager on the left.
• Go to project manager tool; observe the following: Open project, new project, new
drawing, refresh etc. and also the drawing lists in Schematic and Panel folders.
 Descriptions and Sections
In the project manager, you can assign descriptions and sections as well:
• Right click newly created drawing demo12, select properties and then drawing
properties.
• Under drawing settings tab: description, put “Circuit to control Rotation of Motor”;
The text for the description can as well be picked from the title block because it also
contains descriptions.
• For sheet number, put 001. For sheet numbers, always work in multiples of ten or a
hundred so that a particular section may start at 100 and then the next section may
start at 200. This is done to ensure that new drawings can be added later on.
• For drawing number, put 01_001. Meaning that 01 is the drawing number for sheet
number 001. For section put AB001, for say.
• Click ok. The project properties shall be updated.
• Descriptions and section are important because they are applied in reports when
produced.
• Under tabs like: components, wire numbers, cross references, styles, and drawing
format. Under styles, under Arrow style, select option 2.
• Click ok.
• Under project manager, there is an icon for Drawing List Display Configuration; click
it. Observe that the current list display order is by file name. Add sheet number and
make it on top. Click ok. This means that every drawing shall have a sheet number
before the drawing name.

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• Sort project files; right click schematic folder, select sort. In there you can sort files by
reference, section or subsection.
 Batch Plotting:
Plotting in AutoCAD Electrical is different compared to general AutoCAD. Plotting a project
behaves like print settings for MS Word.
• On the project manager there is an icon for: plot project, publish to web, and publish
to pdf/dwf/dwfx or project can be zipped up.
• Click plot project. A dialogue box “Select Drawings to process” appears.
• Click Do All. Observe that under section, AB001 is appearing.
• Click ok. A dialogues box “Batch Plotting Options and Order” appears.
• Leave everything as default, just cancel.
• Go back to the icon, click Publish to web is used to create files for web pages. You can
choose a particular image format such as dwf, jpeg or png. But just cancel that for
now.
• Go back to the icon, click Publish to pdf/dwf/dwfx; observe the default options there.
Just cancel the dialogue box.
• Go back to the icon, click Zip project. An error occurs because a zip executable
program is not configured on your computer. Just cancel.
 Surfer Icon:
You can move through the project files using the arrows in quick access toolbar. However, to
locate a particular component in different drawings, it’s better to use the surfer icon. Using
demo02:
• Click project tab, and then click surfer. Or click surfer icon from quick access toolbar.
• It’s asking to “select tag for Surfer trace”. Select the MCAB5 tag.
• It brings a dialogue box for surf, where the list given contains MCAB5.
• Select a particular component say 5A, and then click “Go To”. Also select 5, and then
GO To. It takes you to a panel drawing where that component is located and it is
zoomed in.
• This is another way of moving around your drawings but filtering by component. See
how objects are linked because it uses the database.
 Copying Projects:
One of the needy tools available in AutoCAD Electrical is the ability to copy existing projects.
Supposing you have worked on a project in the past and you would wish to use the same
project in the new similar job or contract, this tool becomes handy.
• Make sure that the project’s drawings are all closed before copying it.
• Click new, to open a new drawing, such that the copy option under the project tab is
active.
• Make sure that project to be copied is active (highlighted in bold), and the new
drawing is not linked to the active project yet.
• Under project tab, click copy. It gives the option of entering in project name, or
browsing of copying active project.
• Click Copy Active Project, click ok. Observe that WDDEMO file is present. Now Step 2
says “Select Path and Name for new project.
• Click drop down under demo, select proj, create a new folder, name it Classwork.
Select it, click open.
• Give file name as Class1. Click save.
• Click Do ALL, click Ok.

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•Step 4: Observe the wdt and wdl file options there. And we creating the wdp file.
Click ok.
• Click ok for step 5.
• Observe that the project Class1 is now active with its first drawing (demo01) being
open.
• Therefore we have a new project folder, a new wdp file, a new wdt, and a new wdl
file.
 Creating a new Project:
When a project is copied, it comes with all its settings. Now if a new project is to be created
with its own settings, see below:
• First set up the folder where the new project is be located.
• Open proj folder (remember where it was), create a folder, name it Projectwork. It
should be in the same folder with Classwork. Minimize that window, go back to
AutoCAD.
• Under project manager, Click New Project.
• Give the project name as ClassOption.
• Locate the folder (created above), named Projectwork. Click ok.
• Remove the tick on the option that says “Create Folder with ProjectName”. Leave the
rest as they are.
• Click Ok-Properties (and not Ok). This gives the option of setting the properties of
the new project.
• Observe that the Project properties are similar to drawing properties except that the
drawing properties apply to one drawing only while the project properties apply to
each drawing attached to that project.
• Click ok to apply the default settings.
• Observe that now the new project is active but without any drawing at all.
• Go back to proj folder, locate the project name. Observe that it has wdp file only
among the other three files talk about earlier.
• Go back to AutoCAD, to copy a file to this project folder (ClassOption), right click
demo02, select Copy To. From proj drop down, select the Projectwork, and then click
on ClassOption, open it. Check the file name as demo02, well you change it. Project
name is ClassOption, click save.
• It will ask you to apply Project Default values, click Yes.
• Observe that ClassOption has also Schematic folder (created automatically) and the
file demo02.
• Under project manager, right click on Class1 and make it active.
• Right click on ClassOption and select close. But it is still in proj folder. To remove it
completely, you need to delete it manually.
• Grouping drawings is same way as it is done in windows explorer. A subfolder can be
created under schematic folder and then drawings are dragged manually into this
folder.
 Removing or deleting Drawings from the Project folder:
• First ensure that the drawing to be removed or deleted from the project folder is not
open.
• Right click the drawing to be removed, select Remove, click yes for the question
being asked.
• The drawing is now removed from the project manager but it is not yet removed
from the project folder.
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Go to project folder, right click the drawing, select delete, and click yes.
•
This method enables the AutoCAD Electrical database services to function normally.
•
Don’t always delete drawings directly from the project folder, if done so, it may bring
confusion in the AutoCAD Electrical database as far as reporting and auditing
processes are concerned.
 Deleting a Project:
• Don’t always go to the windows folder and delete the project from there directly
because it will still be in the AutoCAD Electrical database and this may cause issues
like project links, drawing links and attribute links.
• Always use the delete button under project tab. Click it.
• A dialogue box appears; select the project folder and then wdp file to delete. Click
open.
• Select the options “Delete wdp project file” and ”Delete project’s AutoCAD drawing
files”. Or you may select particular list of drawings to delete but leave that for now.
• Click delete files.
• Remember that this option of delete is permanent; everything goes forever, in
AutoCAD Electrical.

7. Inserting, Managing and Manipulating Wires:

This is the heart of AutoCAD Electrical drawing course where inserting, managing and
manipulating wires are handled. Using demo02 at first, other demos shall be mentioned later in
the topic.
 Create Layers from Layer Properties Manager.
These layers act as phases in AutoCAD Electrical; Red, Yellow and Blue.
• Under home tab, click Layer properties. It opens the Layer Properties Manager.
• Click on BLU_14AWG, click on new layer.
• Name; Blue_16AWG. Lineweight; select 0.3mm.
• Click on RED_14AWG, click on new layer.
• Name; Red_16AWG. Lineweight; select 0.3mm.
• Do the same for Yellow; Name Yellow_16AWG. Lineweight; select 0.3mm.
• If red is the one to be used in the drawing, Red_16AWG can be activated by double
clicking on it to make it the default wire. However, leave RED_14AWG the default.
• Close the properties manager.
• All the naming made above conform to the layer naming terminologies in AutoCAD
Electrical.

Go back to Schematic tab; it is where all the commands to be looked at are located.

 Inserting Wires:
• Under schematic tab, under Insert Wires/Wire numbers, select wire.
• Draw the wire anywhere in space. Always ensure that DIN is on.
• Pres enter or escape to finish. However, you are still in the wire command. You may
draw another one.
 Inserting Wires at Angles:
• Observe the wire loops and dot connection circles at junctions in the demo02. Type
regen to make the dot more circular. Zoom in for better view.
• Under schematic tab, under wire icon, select wire at 450.

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• Draw from one of the lines to make an angle of 45 . Make sure that the object snap is
0

on. Press escape.

• Draw another wire at an angle of 67.50 or any other available degree.
• Press escape. And then escape to exit the wire command.
 Inserting Multiple Bus Wiring:
• Multiple bus is when you draw 3, 4 or 5 phase wiring in a circuit. For example, there
are 3 phases horizontal and vertical, and 3 phase motor in the circuit or demo02.
• Under schematic tab, under insert wires/wire numbers, select Multiple bus icon.
• It brings a multiple wire bus dialogue box, because of JIC wiring standards, horizontal
and vertical spacing have been set to 0.5”. You can start drawing from a component
(e.g. 3 phase conveyor motor), another bus (the existing 3 phase bus) or from scratch
(empty space, horizontal or vertical).
• Select another bus option.
• Confirm the number of wires to use, 3 (which represents 3 phase) or so.
• Click ok.
Note: When you use some commands in AutoCAD Electrical, they switch off the DIN.
The command line says; select the existing wires to begin multi-phase connection.
• Select the existing vertical wires and draw your bus horizontally. Press enter to end
the command. Observe that the DIN is off, first put it on. Also observe the wire
junctions and loops when zoomed in.
• Select Multiple bus icon again, draw another set of wires vertically.
 Trimming Wires:
You have to trim wires using a cutting edge. There are 3 methods of trimming wires.
• Under schematic tab, under Edit wires/wire numbers, select Trim wire icon. It trims
wires between connections. The connections act as cutting edges.
• Put DIN on, observe the 3 methods appearing on the DIN of the cursor i.e. Fence,
Crossing and Zext (Zoom extent).
• You can type F, for Fence, C for crossing and z for zoom extent. Type z and press
enter, it zooms out the drawing.
• Select the wire to trim. Observe that the wire trimmed goes with the connector and
loop.
• Type f, and press enter, put a fence on the wire to trim and press enter. The wire
goes with connector and loop.
• Type c, for crossing trim command, and then select the start point or area of the
wires to trim.
• Hence the 3 trim methods have been applied.
 Stretching Wires.
• First draw three phase wires pending for connection
• Then draw a vertical wire (using the wire command) to which the three shall be
stretched to.
• Under schematic tab, under Edit wires/wire numbers, select Stretch Wire. Most of
commands in AutoCAD Electrical use escape to exit and not enter as used in regular
AutoCAD.
• Select the wire to stretch; it automatically stretches to the vertical wire. Press escape.
 Creating wire types:
• Under schematic tab, under Edit wires/wire numbers, select ‘Create/Edit wire type’
icon.

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• A dialogue box appears, observe that all our previous layers set are now present but
without crosses (x – means that they are used). Also the default current layer is
RED_14AWG.
• Give the names to these layers: Under Wire Color column, give Blue, Red and Yellow
respectively. Under Size column, give 16AWG for each.
• Select the Red color (16AWG). Click “Make selected as default”. Click ok.
• Therefore, you can start changing the properties of the existing wires and even
creating new ones with the current wire gauge.
 Change Wire Types:
• To change a particular wire type, right click the wire, select “Change/convert wire
Type”. A dialogues box appears.
• Immediately remove the tick on “Change all wires in the network”. Otherwise you
change all wires in the current network.
• Select all the wires to be changed, including the loops. Press enter.
• You can check layer properties of the wire by switching on the quick properties icon
from status toolbar.
 Wire Numbering:
There are different ways of numbering wires in AutoCAD Electrical, these include: Wire numbers
(inserting numbers on wires directly), 3 phase method (inserting numbers in 3 phase circuits)
and PLC I/O wire numbering for PLCs.
• Under schematic tab, under Insert wires/wire numbers, first observe the three
methods of numbering, by checking on each before inserting numbers.
• First draw three phase empty horizontal wires (not connected to anything) in free
space.
• Under schematic, under icon menu, click icon menu, click on motor control (on the
left), and look for 3 phase motor.
• Click at the end of the middle wire, in order to draw the motor.
• Draw a perpendicular wire ahead of the motor.
• Now wire numbering, starting with 3 phase method; under schematic, under Insert
wires/wire numbers, select 3 phase.
• Under prefix, type ‘P’, leave the rest as defaults.
• Click ok, but click anywhere. Observe the DIN says select wire P1L1.
• Using the fence highlight option (or right click and select fence), highlight the three
phase lines. Click ok to confirm. Observe that the numbers are now added on the
phases. Hover the numbering and see Block reference and layer being wirefixed.
• Press escape, to cancel the command.
• Then for Wire numbers method, under schematic, under Insert wires/wire numbers,
select wire numbers. Leave every as default.
• Click “Pick Individual wires” tab. Select the perpendicular wire. Right click to accept
the selection or press enter. Observe the number on wire.
• The third method will be look at later.
 Copying Wire numbers:
Some other drawings may have same wire numbers; this is done using the copy wire number
command.
• Draw another wire from top of the perpendicular wire to the left.
• Under edit wires/wire numbers, select copy wire number icon.
• Select wire and then the recently drawn wire.

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• Don’t always use regular AutoCAD basics by clicking wire number and use delete
from keyboard or using erase command. These numbers are automatically linked to
AutoCAD Electrical database.
 Deleting Wire numbers:
There are two methods of deleting wire numbers:
• Under edit wires/wire numbers, select delete wire numbers from toolbar.
• Select wire numbers to delete and press enter.
• Or right click the wire number, select “Delete wire numbers”.
 Wire numbers with leaders:
Wire number Leaders are important especially when you are handling a complicated
electrical drawing where attributes cannot fit. Zoom in to 3 phase conveyor motor and see
how the wire leader was used. 208C is a leader. There are two methods:
• Under schematic, under Insert wires/wire numbers, select wire number leader.
• Observe that when you select any wire nothing happens.
• Now select the wire number and take it to the position of your choice. Remember to
use polar tracking option. Press enter.
• You can still reposition the wire number leader text to any other desired location.
• Or right click wire number, select wire number leader.
• Also use type c, press enter, select wire number leader to collapse.
d, press enter, select wire number for a leader.
 Editing Wire Numbers:
• Don’t use regular text editor block attribute edit either.
• Use the tools provided, which helps the AutoCAD Electrical database to be updated in
the background. Assuming that all wire numbers were collapsed from previous
concept.
• Under schematic, under Edit wires/wire numbers, select Edit wire number.
• Select wire or wire number or component for fixed.
• Change the text to 205A, for say, and make it fixed. Click ok. Observe that even the
copied one is updated.
• Hover on the white color wire number and the green color wire number, you will
notice that the first one is called wirefixed (primary wire number) and the second
wirecopy.
• Or right click the wire number, select Edit wire number.
 Hiding Wire Numbers:
There are situations when you want to hide wire numbers not for people to see them but for
clarity of your work. This could be because your drawing is complicated and you needed enough
space.
• Under schematic, under Edit wires/wire numbers, at Edit wire number drop down
arrow, select Hide.
• Select the primary wire number and not the copied one. Press escape.
• Or type w, for window hide, press enter.
• Use a crossing window selection to highlight the numbers to hide. Press enter; and
then press escape.
• Or right click wire number, select Edit wire number, select Hidden, click ok.

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 Unhiding wire numbers:
• Under schematic, under Edit wires/wire numbers, at Edit wire number drop down
arrow, select Unhide.
• Select the wires that contain hidden numbers.
• Click ok.
Note: don’t freeze wires that have wire numbers hidden. You won’t be able to unhide
wire numbers.
 Swapping Wire Numbers:
You may swap numbers from one wire to another.
• Under schematic, under Edit wires/wire numbers, at Edit wire number drop down
menu, select swap.
• Select the first wire number and then the second on the 3 phase lines. Observe how
the lines have been swapped.
Note: don’t move wire numbers using the local methods because such are linked to the
database.
 Find and Replace; a student practices individually.

 Moving a Wire Number:

• Under schematic, under Edit wires/wire numbers, select Move wire number.
• Click on the wire itself to specify new wire location, where the number is to be moved
to.
• Or Right click the wire number, select move wire number. Click on the wire where the
number should go.
• Click space, to deactivate the command.
• Don’t use the regular AutoCAD move command; it detaches the attribute from the
wire.
 Scooting a Wire Number:
• Under schematic, under Edit components, select Scoot command.
• Select the number to move.
• Click on the wire where the number should be properly aligned (it helps to align wire
numbers properly compared to the move command).
• Observe that the cursor is limited to moving along the wire only. After clicking, it goes
back to the scoot command. Or right click wire number and do the same.
• You can also use the scoot command to move wires themselves or any component.
• After selecting the scoot command, click the wire. Click in the area where the wire is
to be moved to.
• Don’t use the regular AutoCAD move command.
 Flipping Wire Numbers:
• Under schematic, under Edit wire numbers, select Flip wire.
• Click on the wire number, it will flip it to the other side of the wire and vice versa.
• Or right click wire number, select Flip wire number and proceed. Press escape.
• Don’t use the regular AutoCAD move or mirror commands.
 Placing Wire Color and Gauge labels:
Make sure that when you are placing wire color and gauge labels into the AutoCAD Electrical
drawing, there is separate layer for it.
• Go to home tab, layer properties, create a layer, give color magenta, and give name
“ColorLabel”.
• Under schematic, under Insert Wires/wire numbers, select Wire color/Gauge Labels.
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Click on the setup button, a dialogue box appears.
•
Leader: Text size; 0.12. Arrow size; 0.120.
•
Text layer: select the colorlabel, the one created previously.
•
Leave others as there.
•
Click ok. It takes you back to the setup.
•
There are two options: with leader or without the leader.
•
With Leader, select “Align with wire”.
•
Click “Auto Placement”.
•
Select one of the 3 phase wires. Press enter. Press escape.
•
Select the Wire color/Gauge Labels again. Select the manual method, but remove the
•
tick on “Align with wire”.
• Click where to place the leader, may be in the middle of the wire. Position it well.
• Press enter. A custom wire color leader appears. Press escape again.
• Select the Wire color/Gauge Labels again
• Remove the tick on “Align with wire” under no leader. Click manual.
• Click on the wire. It is similar to wire numbering.
• Or right click the wire, select Wire color/gauge labels.
 Source and Destination signal Arrows:
There are situations whereby you need to put source and destination arrows to wires on the
same drawing or on separate drawings where wires move from one circuit on one drawing
and join another circuit on a different drawing.
• Draw two wires, where source and destination signal arrows shall be put. Make sure
that you have reference numbers.
For Source Arrow:
• Under schematic tab, under insert wires/wire numbers, select source arrow.
• Select the end of the wire to act as the source arrow. A dialogue appears.
• Type in the source code, S001. Description type, Source Arrow.
• Select signal arrow style number 2.
• Click ok. It asks whether you want to insert matching destination arrow. Click NO.
• Observe that it has picked up the neighboring wire number and reference of the
destination arrow.
• Note: You can edit the component as usual or right click, select attributes and then
list/edit.
For Destination Arrow:
Make sure that the destination wire is not wired because the destination arrow cannot
be added to a wire which is already fixed. Remove the numbering as well because
they are going to be numbered automatically.
• Select destination arrow command from toolbar, a similar dialogue box appears.
• Make sure that arrow styles are similar (source and destination).
• Click “Pick” (to pick entity on source network).
• Then click the source arrow on the drawing.
Observe that the reference numbers have been put automatically, and the second
wire has been numbered automatically. And also observe that the source arrow has a
reference of the destination and vice versa according to the positions of these arrows
in the grid set up.
 Editing Source and Destination signal Arrows:
There are situations when the wire number is altered.
• Under schematic, under edit wires/wire numbers, select Edit Wire Number.
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• Click zoom to see the wire properly. Type P1L100. Remove the tick on fixed. The wire
is edited but the destination is not. And source arrow is also renumbered.
• Select the Destination arrow, click at the end of wire where the destination arrow will
be.
• Then click “Pick” to pick entity on source arrow.
Observe that the destination arrow and wire number are all renumbered.
 Bending Wires at Right Angles:
There are situations when you want to a right angle bend in an existing network in a place
where a component is to be fixed. The best way is to use a wire bend command.
• Under schematic, under edit wires/wire numbers, select Bend Wire command.
• Select the wires which form the corner where the bend is to appear to create space
where the component is to be fixed. Press escape.
• Then scoot the numbers along the wire and the wires, where need be.
 Checking and Tracing Wires in a network:
You can check the wires step by step or all at once in order to know where each of the wires
are connected in a network or on your drawing.
• Under schematic, under edit wires/wire numbers, select Check/Trace Wire. It checks
wire segments and other wires connected to it.
• Select the wire going to the 3 phase motor. Observe the command line prompt.
• Press space bar, it highlights another wire.
• When it completes the trace of the wires, it marks the entire network, green or light
blue.
• Also Tracing for all segments at once, select check/trace wire
• Select the wire to trace, type A for all.
• Observe the trace as before, done at once.
 Checking whether you have actual wires or just AutoCAD lines:
• Zoom extent your drawing
• Under schematic, under edit wires/wire numbers, select Show Wires. It highlights all
wires and displays relationships between wire numbers and wire segments.
• Click ok for the dialogue box that appears.
• Click ok for the drawing audit dialogue box.
Observe that all actual wires are highlighted in red and lines will be left as white
except the blocks from AD center.
• For the lines, just delete them and redraw actual wires.
 Flipping wire Gaps or Loops:
• Under schematic, under edit wires/wire numbers, click the drop down menu or fly out
menu and pin it, select Flip wire Gap.
• Select the Gap or Gapped wire.
• Using the scoot command, move the wire to any direction, observe that the loop also
moves.
 Deleting Wire Gaps:
• First remove the wire that doesn’t contain the wire Gap.
• Under schematic, under edit wires/wire numbers, click the drop down menu or fly out
menu and pin it, select Delete wire Gap.
• Select the two segments where the loop exists. Press enter.
If the Loop exists across the wire, the “Delete wire Gap” command cannot work. It
only works when one wire has been removed.

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 Splicing Wires (similar to putting something like a junction):
A splice block is normally used.
• Under Icon menu, under miscellaneous option,
• Select “Splice symbols”, then Splice.
• Insert the symbol onto a wire to split it.
• Add more two wires depending on the two spliced points. Still you scoot wires in case
of need.
 Splicing Wires by Placing Switches:
• Under Icon menu, under Limit Switches, select Limit Switch NO. Name it as LS1.
• Place it in the middle of the wire.
• Place another one, name it LS2.

8. Electrical Ladder Layouts:

Using a new AutoCAD Electrical drawing and we shall be looking at adding electrical ladder
layouts. A ladder layout provides rungs that allow you to add electrical components and also
wires too. A ladder style can be set up in a number ways; it can be set using either the ladder
command or the drawing properties option.
 Inserting a Ladder:
• Under the project folder, right click your drawing name, go to drawing and properties.
• Select Drawing Format. Differentiate between drawing properties and project
properties, seen earlier. Leave everything as defaults.
• Under schematic tab, under insert wires/wire numbers, select Insert Ladder.
The Insert ladder dialogue box appears; notice that you can individually change
your ladder settings but observe that it has adopted ladder settings from drawing
properties or project properties.
Observe that width is 4.5 because of JIC settings and spacing is 0.75. You can set
the number of rungs and 1st reference number say 001.
• Under rungs, put 15. Under 1st reference, put 700. Observe that length has been
estimated automatically.
• Click Ok. Click at the top left to draw the ladder.
 Renumbering Ladder Rung References:
• Under schematic tab, under edit wires/wire numbers, select Revise Ladder. A dialogue
box appears.
• Under reference start, put 100. Leave others as defaults.
• Click Ok. Observe the numbering on the ladder.
OR: Under schematic tab, under edit wires/wire numbers, select Renumber Ladder
Reference. A dialogue box appears. This option is project-wide, so you can go into the
details of renumbering yourself.
 Resizing a Ladder:
• Under schematic tab, under edit Components, select scoot.
• Select the right rail, and move it aside.
• To increase the spacing between rungs, use the “Revise Ladder” Command. Or delete
some rungs to increase the spacing.
• Also: You can use the stretch command to resize your ladder, student to practice.
 Repositioning a Ladder:
• You can use the move command to reposition your ladder to a desired location. Make
sure that everything is selected before you use the move command.

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 Adding Rungs to the Ladder:
Assuming that you have revised your ladder and some numbers are appearing beyond the
ladder without the rungs, see below:
• First stretch the rails downwards where the numbers are appearing.
• Under schematic tab, under edit wires/wire numbers, select Add Ladder. Put off the
object snap.
• Click near the reference number. Observe that the rungs are being added.
 Deleting the Rungs:
• Use the trim wire command. Don’t use the delete command because it will leave the
connection dots.
 Converting Text into AutoCAD Electrical component:
Observe that the first reference number is purely an AutoCAD Electrical component but the
rest not. To convert other numbers into Electrical components, see below:
• Under Conversion Tools, under Tools, select Convert Ladder.
• Highlight all text to be converted, press enter to accept the selection.
• Click ok for Modify Line Reference Numbers.
• Press escape.

9. Schematic Components in AutoCAD Electrical drawing:

Using demo02.
 Inserting a component:
• First draw two wires.
• Under schematic, icon menu (because of JIC standard, it shows JIC schematic
symbols), pilot lights, select Red standard pilot light.
• Insert that component on one of the previously drawn wires. Make sure that OSNAP is
off.
• A dialogue box for Insert/Edit component appears.
• Just click OK.
 Annotating and Editing Symbols/Components:
• Right click the component (just inserted). Observe the short cut menu which is not
available in general AutoCAD.
• Select Edit Component
• Change component tag value to LT500; Line 1, put PLIGHT, Line 2 put RED.
• Click OK.
• Right click the Text you have just put.
• Select Attributes, then move attribute.
• Then select PLIGHT and RED Text, press enter to confirm
• Now drag them towards the symbol and properly place them.
 Creating a project specific catalog Database:
• First check on the preinstalled databases; Go to Documents, Acade2017, AeData, en-
us, catalogs. Observe the MS Access database files but you can create your own
customized database as well.
• Under Project tab, select other tools drop down and pin it, select “Create Project-
Specific catalog database. Using demo02.
Observe the path for the default database you saw previously. You can also create a
new project database in a new location which helps to work with a specific
manufacturer and specific standards that you need to maintain. Just cancel for now.

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 Creating Parent-Child component Relationships:
Typical examples of parent-child relationships are in motor and motor starter contacts. Make
sure you are in schematic tab.
• First draw three phase wires. At the end of these wires, we are to insert a 3phase
motor.
• Under icon menu, select motor control option, select 3 phase motor.
• A dialog box appears; Line 1, put MACHINE 1, line 2 put MOTOR. Click ok.
• Right click the text for the motor, select attributes, then move attributes.
• Select the text, press enter. Move the text under the motor.
• Back to icon menu, look for 3 phase starter contacts NO.
• Click the top wire, select Build down. Another dialog box appears for child
component.
• Click on Parent/sibling. Select the motor text.
• A dialog box for different family codes appears. Click ok.
Observe that the component tag and the description lines have acquired text from
the motor (as the parent).
• Click ok.
Observe that the software has updated the starter contact (as the child) and now it
red colored text from the motor meaning that parent child are now linked in AutoCAD
Electrical database. This helps technicians who are in installation to know which one
links to which one in the electrical drawing.
 Inserting components from Equipment List and also copying components:
There are situations when you need to copy components from equipment list. Equipment list
may be containing specific components that you use most of the time while working on
particular projects say medical, industrial, schools or construction buildings where you use
specific manufacturer constantly because they are the products you put in AutoCAD electrical
drawings. Using demo02.
• Under schematic tab, under icon menu, select equipment list.
• Select WDDEMO file (this is the default mdb file when AutoCAD Electrical is installed),
click open.
• Select COMP, click OK.
• Click default settings, click Ok.
Observe the different manufacturers, catalogs, component tags, locations and
descriptions.
• Look for BUSSMANN FRS-R-10 FU224 MCAB5.
• Click insert. It says no equipment or component or block name is found in this
particular drawing. Therefore we can select either the icon menu or copy component.
• Click copy component. Select the existing fuse FU207, place it on your drawn wire.
A dialogue box appears showing its manufacturer, catalog and location.
• Just click ok. Then click close.
Note: If the component is not present in the equipment list or database it can be copied
or updated from existing component in the existing AutoCAD Electrical drawing.
 Inserting Components from Catalog Browser:
There are situations when you want to insert components from known specific
manufacturers catalog files for your existing project; specific manufacturers like AB, ABB or
Bussmann. Using demo02.
• Under schematic, icon menu, click catalog Browser. It brings the browser or it might
be appearing on the right, check.
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• Under Category, select Fuses, in search box type AB, press enter. The browser will
bring all fuses under AB manufacturer.
• Select say 1492-FB2J60-L AB 2pole Fuse Block-Class J. Three symbols appear; the
first one can take you to Icon menu, the second can connect you to Rockwell
automation website and the third can help you to place a component in your favorite
list.
• Click the Icon Menu symbol, under Fuses/Circuit Breakers, select Fuse (tag) (100).
• Then click “Map symbol to catalog number”, because there is no symbol provided.
• Place the symbol of the wire.
Observe the catalog no and manufacturer appearing in the Edit component dialog
box.
• Close the catalog browser.
 Working with Records in the Schematic Database (for student to practice):
Using demo02;
• Under schematic, at far end, ‘other tools’, click drop down arrow, then another drop
down, select schematic Database File Editor.
• This helps to edit record of the manufacturer and the catalog. No need to edit them
now. However, you can add the Assembly code, Function description etc.
• No changes can be made now, just cancel everything. That’s how the manufacturer,
catalog and other information can be edited.

10. Schematic Editing of Components (Component shortcut menu):

We looked at inserting components, there are as well many ways of editing them. Using
demo02:
Here the steps shall be presented in brief, because most concepts have been looked at.
 Changing the component location using the Scoot tool:
• Using the concepts learned in wires, you use the scoot tool to scoot a component too.
• Under schematic, Edit components, select scoot. Select the component and Move it to
the desired location along the wire. Press escape or enter.
• OR Right click component, select scoot. Select the component and Move it to the
desired location.
• Press escape.
 Changing the component location using the Move command:
• Under schematic, Edit components, select Move component. Select the component
and Move it to the desired location. Click No Retag. Press escape or enter.
• OR Right click component, select Move Component. Select the component and Move it
to the desired location.
• Press escape.
 Copying a Component:
• Under schematic, Edit components, select Copy component. Select the component
and Copy it to the desired location. Click Ok in case no other changes. Press escape or
enter.
• OR Right click component, select Copy Component. Select the component and copy it
to the desired location.
• Press escape.
 Aligning Components on schematic drawing:
• Under schematic, Edit components, select Align. Select the first component to act as
the master and then select the second component. Press enter.
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• OR Right click component, select Align. Repeat the same process.
 Deleting Components:
Don’t use the regular delete command or Delete key from the keyboard because most
drawings are linked to AutoCAD Electrical Database.
• Under schematic, Edit components, select Delete Component command. Select the
component to be deleted. Click No for child search.
• OR Right click component, select Delete Component. Repeat the same process.
 Toggling between NO and NC contacts (for student to practice):
• Under schematic, icon menu, select push button. Place it on the wire. Either it’s NO or
NC.
• Under schematic, under Edit components, select Toggle NO/NC.
• Click on the push button, observe how it toggles.
 Copying the Catalog Assignment:
Catalog Assignment can be copied from component to another. This is useful when you have
inserted a component and it’s not linked to any catalog number or manufacturer, so it’s
faster to copy them from a component that has them.
• Under schematic, Edit components, Under Edit dropdown, select Copy Catalog
Assignment.
• Select the master component that has the catalog.
• Click ok. Select the second component. Press enter.
Observe it by right clicking the second component, click edit component and see the
manufacturer and catalog numbers.
 Performing a DWG audit and an Electrical audit:
There are situations when you need to audit the AutoCAD Electrical drawing in relation to the
database, to check whether wire numbers, component tags, wire gaps, zero length wires etc.
are done properly.
• Under Reports tab, select DWG Audit. It detects problems related to wire numbers
and wire connections, and displays a report of them and any repairs made.
• Click ok for the drawing audit dialog box with the default active drawing option.
• Click ok for the search it has made. It gives an audit report for the current drawing.
• Click save as or you can print. In case errors, you can surf such errors.
• Click close.
 Moving Attributes:
• Right click the component, Attributes, move attributes.
• Select the attributes (or text to move), press enter to confirm.
• Select the attributes themselves or any other base point.
• Then move them to the desired location of. Press escape.
 Editing Attributes:
• Right click the component, attributes, Edit attributes.
• Then edit accordingly.
• Click ok and press enter.
 Hiding and Unhiding Attributes:
• Right click component, Attributes, hide Attributes.
• Select the attributes to hide. Press escape.
• To unhide: Right click the component, attributes, select List/Edit.
• Click the attributes to make them visible (by having a star). Click ok.
 Adding Attributes:
• Right click component, edit component.
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• Under description, line 1 – put text, line 2 – put text.
• Click ok.
 Changing size of the Attributes:
• Right click component, attributes, attribute size. OR Get it under schematic, edit
components, change attribute size.
• Click single, select the attributes to change size. Press enter to finish.
 Squeezing Attributes/Text:
• Under schematic, Edit components, select squeeze attribute/text, keep clicking. It
reduces by 0.05”. Observe this action in the command line.
• OR Right click the component, attributes, squeeze attributes/text. Do the same.
 Stretching Attribute/Text (this is the reverse of squeezing):
• Do the same as squeezing attributes. Press enter.
 Rotating Attribute/Text:
• Do the same as squeezing attributes. Rotate them at 900 increment.
 Justifying an Attribute:
• Under schematic, Edit components, select change attribute justification.
• Select the ‘Right’ justification.
• Select the attribute/text. To go back, use left.
 Changing Attribute Layer:
• Under schematic, Edit components, select change attribute layer.
• Click list, then select the layer(s) to use, say GRN. Click ok.
• Click the attribute to change. Press escape.
• OR Use wire number text color or terminals color.

11. Connectors, Point-to-Point diagrams and Circuits:

Open a new drawing.
(a) Connectors:
 Inserting a Connector:
• Under schematic, Edit components, select Insert Connector. A dialog box appears.
• Enter the number of pins, 3. Because we want to insert it at end of 3 phase wires.
• Select “At Wire Crossing”.
• Then click “Pick”. Leave others as defaults.
• Pick the first wire and then the last wire.
• Click Insert
 Adding Pins to a Connector:
• Under schematic, Edit components, select Add Connector Pins. OR Right click the
component the component, select Add Connector Pins.
• Click in connector to insert the pin, make use of the polar tracking.
Observe the command line suggests next pins.
 Deleting Connector Pins:
Always use AutoCAD Electrical tools to delete components or Attributes such that AutoCAD
Electrical Database is not corrupted.
• Under schematic, Edit components, select Delete Connector Pins. OR Right click
component, select delete connector pins.
• Select the pins to delete. Press escape.
 Moving connector pins
• Select the move command and click the pins to move. Press escape.
 Swapping connector pins:
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• Select the swap command and click the pins to be swapped. Press escape.
 Reversing a Connector:
• Select the “Reverse Connector” command and click the connector. It reverses the
connector from left to right and vice versa. Press escape.
 Rotating a connector:
• Select the Rotate command and click the connector.
• It rotates the connector at 900.
• Practice rotating with the hold command (right click). Press escape.
 Stretching a Connector
• Pick the stretch command and then click at the end of the connector and stretch.
• Click at another point to be stretched to. Press escape.
 Splitting a Connector
If the connector is too long, you can split it and then use the Parent/sibling relationship and
relate the connectors.
• Pick the split command, click where to split from.
• Click ok (leave the rest as defaults).
• Place the new connector in desired location.
Observe the Parent/sibling relationship created.
 Editing Pin numbers:
• Under schematic, Edit components, select Edit Selected Attribute. OR Right click
component, select Attributes, Edit Attributes.
• Click the pin to edit, put new number, and click ok. Press escape.
 Connecting multiple bus wires from one connector to another:
• Insert two connectors, make sure that each has 3 terminals.
• Select multiple bus, make spacing for horizontal and vertical to be 1”. Select
component (multiple bus).
• Click ok.
• Highlight the first, second and third terminals.
• Right click to accept the selection.
• Start to draw the 3 phase wires to any point or to the 3 terminals of the other
connector.
 Wire numbering on connectors:
• Under schematic, under Insert/wire numbers, select Wire numbers.
• Select “Tag/un-numbered only” option.
• Select sequential, type 01.
• Click pick individual wires.
• Select the wires to number. Select first and second.
• Do the same for the third and fourth wires.
• Select multiple bus, make spacing for horizontal and vertical to be 1”. Select
component (multiple bus).
If wires were not properly joined, they won’t be numbered. Try splicing wires and see
how the wires are automatically numbered.

(b) Point to Point Wiring diagram:

Difference between a ladder and point-to-point diagram in AutoCAD Electrical.
A ladder diagram consists of many wires (rungs – where components are connected)
connected from the left rail to right rail.

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A Point to Point diagram connects from one point to another with many components
connected at the end or in the middle. Typical example is a circuit.
(c) Circuits:
A certain circuit which appears to be the same or to be created in other circuits can be saved
and be used over and over without recreating it in other drawings.
 Saving Circuits with WBlock (Write Block):
• First create a circuit (to be used as an example), containing a connector on the left an
3 phase motor on the right with 3 phase wires in the middle.
• Insert a fuse and PB on the top phase, using the Icon menu.
• Type WBlock and select it. A Write Block dialog box appears.
• Select “Objects”, then click “Pick Object”.
• Make sure your Objects Snap is on, Select bottom corner of Connector.
• Then the dialog box appears again, click “Select Objects”.
• Select everything that make up the required circuit.
• Press enter to confirm.
• Specify the location of the WBlock. Say in the drawing folder.
• Give file name, say Circuit1. Click save.
• Back to WBlock dialog box, click OK.
 Inserting the WBlock circuit (it’s an advanced method to copy):
The previously saved WBlock circuit as a drawing cannot be brought directly into a new
drawing. RATHER:
• Under schematic, Insert components, select Insert WBlocked circuit, and look for it in
folder where it was saved.
• Give it a circuit scale (but because we are JIC, its inches).
• Just click ok. Then place it in the required location.
• Retag the components individually in reference to their wire numbers. Align them as
well.
 Saving an existing Circuit to Icon Menu:
Make sure that the circuit to be put in Icon menu is in proper active view.
• Under Schematic, under other tools, select Icon Menu wizard.
• Select the “Schematic” type of icon menu. Click ok.
Observe that it’s similar to normal icon menu but with addition of Add New Circuit in
the top right corner.
• Click Add, New Circuit or Add Circuit (it depends).
• Type in the name of the Block file. Say Circuit11
• Image file, click on active (make sure you had zoomed in your drawing before adding
circuits to Icon menu). But copy name and paste it under image file such that they
are the same.
• Tick “Create PNG from current screen image”.
• Circuit Name to insert. Paste the name as well.
• Click ok. Click ok again.
• The circuit now appears in the icon menu.
 Inserting the saved Circuit:
• Under Icon menu, select the saved circuit.
• Make sure it’s 1.0, click ok.
• Place the circuit in a desired location.
• Retag the circuit as done previously.
 Moving Circuits:
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• Under schematic, Edit components, select Move Circuit.
• Select the objects to be moved, press enter to confirm.
• Specify the base point, click and drag to the new location.
• Click to finish. Retag where necessary.
 Copying Circuits:
• Under schematic, Edit components, select Copy Circuit.
• Select the objects to be copied, press enter to confirm.
• Specify the base point, click and drag to the new location.
• Click to finish. Retag where necessary.

12. PLC Modules (Parametric and Non-Parametric):

 Inserting Parametric PLC Module, create a new drawing:
• Under Schematic, under Insert Components, select Insert PLC (Parametric).
• Select Allen-Bradley, select 1761, then Micrologix L10 and then 1761-L10BWA.
• In Table below (on the dialog box), select First option (or the only option).
• Under Graphics Style, select the second option.
• Click OK.
• Click in the workspace to place the module. A module layout dialog box appears.
• Click ok for the module layout.
• Put 1000 for the first module number. Click ok.
• Select I:1000/00 as the beginning address for inputs. Click ok.
• Select O:1000/00 as the beginning address for outputs. Click ok.
Observe that the PLC module (with its inputs and outputs) is now on your drawing.
 Inserting Non-Parametric PLC Module:
This is a full PLC module which is a fixed AutoCAD Electrical Block with attributes.
• Under Schematic, under Insert Components, select Insert PLC (Full Units).
• Under PLC I/O, under PLC I/O Fixed Units, select AB 1761 Micrologix (1/2” spacing).
• Select L16-AWA 0.5.
• Place it on the drawing. Edit PLC module dialog box appears.
• Change the tag to PLC200, click ok.
• Select “Do not Map symbol to catalog number”.
Observe the inserted PLC module.
 Editing a PLC module:
You may be required to edit the input and output pins of your PLC module, hence;
• Use previous concepts. Right click component (parametric), edit component.
• Under line 1, put INPUT 0, under pin 1, put I/00 instead of 0 and IN 00.
• Click ok. Move the INPUT attribute as required.
• Under non-parametric, under desc 1, put INPUT 9. Click ok.
• Also move the attribute as required.
 Inserting Individual PLC IO Points:
• Under schematic, under Icon menu, select PLC I/O.
• Select input 1st point 1 wire.
• Put the tag as PLC1, under desc 1, put INPUT100.
• Click ok.
• Insert another, select output 1st point 1 wire.
• Put the tag as PLC2, under desc 1, put OUTPUT200.
• Click ok.
Observe the shapes of the individual input and output modules.
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 Creating and Modifying Parametric PLC modules:
• Under Schematic, under Insert Components, select Insert PLC (Parametric).
• Select Allen-Bradley, select 1761, then Micrologix L10 and then 1761-L10BWA.
• In Table below (on the dialog box), select First option (or the only option).
• Under Graphics Style, select the second option.
• Click OK.
• Click in the workspace to place the module. A module layout dialog box appears.
• This time select Allow spacers/breaks.
• Click ok for the module layout.
• Put 2000 for the first module number. Click ok.
• Click “Insert Next I/O point”.
• Continue clicking until you get the I/O address dialog box.
• Select I:2000/00 as the beginning address for inputs. Click ok.
• Click Add spacer and also Add another spacer.
• Click “Insert Next I/O point”, only one.
• Click Break Module now.
• Click to place another module.
• Select “Insert all” for I/O points. Click ok.
• Select O:2000/00 as the beginning address for outputs. Click ok.
Observe that the PLC module (with its inputs and outputs) is now on your drawing.
This is done when you need extra space on your drawing.
 Exporting PLC Data to a Spreadsheet:
Using the current drawing with the Parametric and non-parametric modules.
• Under Import/Export Data tab, under Export, select “To Spreadsheet”.
• From the “Export to Spreadsheet” dialog box, select “PLC I/O address/descriptions”.
• Click ok.
• Select Active drawing, make excel option is selected and click ok. If “Active drawing”
option is inactive, make sure that the drawing is attached to the project manager.
• Give the name of the excel file. Or go with the default given.
• Click Save.
• Check that data in your folder.
 Editing and Importing PLC Spreadsheet Data:
Open the previous Spreadsheet data, change the INPUT100 to INPUT20. Click save.
Using the current drawing with the Parametric and non-parametric modules.
• Under Import/Export Data tab, under Import, select “From Spreadsheet”.
• Select your previous Excel file, click open.
• Select “Active drawing”, click ok. Allow it to process.
Observe that the change has been effected on the PLC module.
This is very important in such a way that when you have an electrician who is not familiar
with AutoCAD Electrical software but has a lot of Electrical expertise, he can update the
excel file and then he sends the file to you to be imported and update the PLC module.

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13. Inserting Terminals from Icon Menu:
For example you may want to add a connector or terminal on a schematic drawing and then link
it to terminal on the panel drawing. Using demo02:
• Under schematic, icon menu, terminal/connectors
• Select “Spqaure with wire no.” (second option)
• Place the terminal, then select Jbox1 TS-A (at the bottom).
• Click ok.

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