How to Use AutoCAD Electrical 2018 for Professional and Efficient Electrical Controls Systems Design
FULL Autodesk AutoCAD Electrical 2018 [32-64Bit]-
If you are looking for a professional tool for designing electrical control systems, you might want to consider AutoCAD Electrical 2018, a specialized toolset that is included with AutoCAD, one of the most popular and powerful CAD software in the world. In this article, we will introduce you to the main features, benefits, system requirements, and tutorials for AutoCAD Electrical 2018, and show you how it can help you create, modify, and document your electrical designs with ease and efficiency.
FULL Autodesk AutoCAD Electrical 2018 [32-64Bit]-
What is AutoCAD Electrical 2018 and what are its main features?
AutoCAD Electrical 2018 is a software that provides a set of electrical design features that help you create, modify, and document electrical controls systems. With AutoCAD Electrical 2018, you can:
Access a library of 65,000+ intelligent electrical symbols that are easy to use, colorful, and customizable. You can also convert symbols or create custom components on the fly using the Symbol Builder tool.
Automate numbering of wires and generation of component tags
, saving time and avoiding manual errors. Generate and update multiple customized reports automatically
, such as bills of materials, wire lists, terminal plans, PLC I/O drawings, etc. Support various electrical standards and formats
, such as IEEE, IEC, NFPA, JIC, etc. You can also import or export data from other applications, such as Excel, Access, XML, etc . Easily manage projects
using the Project Manager's features, such as re-tagging components, making changes to files, exporting options, etc. Simplify your electrical design with Circuit Builder
, which allows you to access prepopulated data to build and annotate a sampling of motor control and power feed circuits. Save time with SQL catalog database support
, which enables you to generate bills of materials in Autodesk Vault with the data from your AutoCAD Electrical drawings and catalog database. Simplify your projects by keeping track of parent/child contacts
in real time while Circuit Builder dynamically builds the circuit, assigning each component a component tag. Speed up your workflow by using a single data file to generate multiple drawings
. You can define a project's I/O assignments and generate PLC drawings automatically from a spreadsheet, database, or comma-delimited text file.
Why should you use AutoCAD Electrical 2018 for your electrical design projects?
AutoCAD Electrical 2018 is not just a basic CAD software with some electrical symbols added. It is a comprehensive solution that is designed specifically for electrical engineers and designers who need to create complex and accurate electrical controls systems. By using AutoCAD Electrical 2018, you can enjoy the following benefits:
How can AutoCAD Electrical 2018 boost your productivity and save your time?
AutoCAD Electrical 2018 can help you work faster and smarter by automating many tedious and repetitive tasks, such as numbering wires, generating reports, creating PLC drawings, etc. You can also use the built-in library of symbols, circuits, and catalogs to quickly insert and modify components, without having to draw them from scratch. Moreover, you can use the powerful editing tools to make changes to multiple drawings at once, such as renumbering components, swapping wires, copying circuits, etc. With AutoCAD Electrical 2018, you can reduce the time spent on drafting and increase the time spent on designing and innovating.
How can AutoCAD Electrical 2018 reduce errors and improve accuracy in your electrical designs?
AutoCAD Electrical 2018 can help you avoid costly mistakes and ensure the quality of your electrical designs by providing various error-checking and validation features, such as:
Real-time error checking: AutoCAD Electrical 2018 can detect and highlight potential errors in your drawings as you work, such as duplicate or missing wire numbers, component tags, cross-references, etc. You can also run a comprehensive error check on your entire project and generate a report with the details of the errors found.
Electrical audit: AutoCAD Electrical 2018 can perform an electrical audit on your drawings to verify the consistency and completeness of your electrical data, such as wire connections, component attributes, catalog information, etc. You can also compare two versions of a drawing or a project and identify the differences.
Schematic design validation: AutoCAD Electrical 2018 can validate your schematic design against a set of rules that you define, such as voltage levels, wire sizes, fuse ratings, etc. You can also create custom rules to suit your specific needs.
Electrical interference check: AutoCAD Electrical 2018 can check for interferences between electrical and mechanical components in a 3D model. You can also export your electrical data to Autodesk Inventor to perform a more detailed interference analysis.
How can AutoCAD Electrical 2018 support various electrical standards and formats?
AutoCAD Electrical 2018 can help you comply with different electrical standards and formats by providing various features, such as:
Support for multiple standards: AutoCAD Electrical 2018 supports various international standards for electrical symbols, components, wire types, reports, etc., such as IEEE, IEC, NFPA, JIC, GB (China), AS (Australia), etc . You can also customize the standards to meet your specific requirements.
Support for multiple formats: AutoCAD Electrical 2018 supports various file formats for importing and exporting data from other applications, such as Excel, Access, XML, DWG, DXF, PDF, DWFx, etc . You can also use the Data Exchange feature to exchange data with other Autodesk products or third-party software.
Support for multiple languages: AutoCAD Electrical 2018 supports multiple languages for the user interface, help files, documentation, etc., such as English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Korean, Russian, etc. You can also translate your electrical data to different languages using the Translation Database feature.
Comparison of AutoCAD Electrical 2018 with other AutoCAD products
AutoCAD Electrical 2018 is one of the many specialized toolsets that are included with AutoCAD, along with other products such as AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD MEP, etc. Each toolset provides a set of features and functions that are tailored for a specific industry or discipline. In this section, we will compare AutoCAD Electrical 2018 with some of the other AutoCAD products and show you how it differs from them.
What are the differences between AutoCAD Electrical 2018 and basic AutoCAD?
Basic AutoCAD is a general-purpose CAD software that can be used for any type of design, drawing, or modeling. It provides a range of tools and commands that allow you to create and modify 2D and 3D objects, add annotations and dimensions, apply materials and textures, perform rendering and visualization, etc. However, basic AutoCAD does not have any specific features or functions for electrical design, such as intelligent symbols, automated reports, circuit builder, etc. If you want to use basic AutoCAD for electrical design, you will have to draw everything manually using lines, arcs, circles, etc., and add text and attributes to identify the components. This can be very time-consuming, error-prone, and inefficient.
AutoCAD Electrical 2018 is a specialized toolset that is built on top of basic AutoCAD and provides a set of electrical design features that are not available in basic AutoCAD. It allows you to create and modify electrical controls systems using a library of intelligent symbols, components, circuits, and catalogs. It also automates many tasks such as numbering wires, generating reports, creating PLC drawings, etc. It also supports various electrical standards and formats for symbols, components, wire types, reports, etc. By using AutoCAD Electrical 2018, you can work faster and smarter than using basic AutoCAD for electrical design.
What are the advantages of AutoCAD Electrical 2018 over other specialized toolsets such as AutoCAD MEP and AutoCAD Mechanical?
AutoCAD MEP and AutoCAD Mechanical are two other specialized toolsets that are included with AutoCAD and provide features and functions for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) design and mechanical design respectively. They are similar to AutoCAD Electrical 2018 in that they are built on top of basic AutoCAD and provide a library of intelligent symbols, components, catalogs, etc. However, they are different from AutoCAD Electrical 2018 in that they focus on different aspects of MEP design and mechanical design.
AutoCAD MEP is a toolset that helps you design and document building systems such as HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), electrical power distribution, lighting, fire protection, etc. It allows you to create and modify MEP systems using a library of intelligent objects that represent real-world components, such as ducts, pipes, valves, switches, outlets, etc. It also automates many tasks such as sizing ducts and pipes, calculating loads and flows, generating schedules and reports, etc. It also supports various MEP standards and formats for objects, symbols, layers, etc. By using AutoCAD MEP, you can work faster and smarter than using basic AutoCAD for MEP design.
AutoCAD Mechanical is a toolset that helps you design and document mechanical parts and assemblies, such as gears, shafts, bearings, fasteners, etc. It allows you to create and modify mechanical parts and assemblies using a library of intelligent objects that represent real-world components, such as screws, nuts, bolts, washers, springs, etc. It also automates many tasks such as creating bills of materials, generating dimensions and annotations, applying standards and tolerances, etc. It also supports various mechanical standards and formats for objects, symbols, layers, etc. By using AutoCAD Mechanical, you can work faster and smarter than using basic AutoCAD for mechanical design.
AutoCAD Electrical 2018 is a toolset that helps you design and document electrical controls systems, such as motor control circuits, power distribution panels, PLC I/O drawings, etc. It allows you to create and modify electrical controls systems using a library of intelligent symbols that represent real-world components, such as switches, relays, contacts, coils, fuses, etc. It also automates many tasks such as numbering wires, generating reports, creating PLC drawings, etc. It also supports various electrical standards and formats for symbols, components, wire types, reports, etc. By using AutoCAD Electrical 2018, you can work faster and smarter than using basic AutoCAD or other toolsets for electrical design.
As you can see, each toolset has its own advantages and disadvantages depending on the type of design you are working on. However, if you are looking for a toolset that is specifically designed for electrical controls systems design and documentation, AutoCAD Electrical 2018 is the best choice for you.
System requirements for AutoCAD Electrical 2018
Before you install and use AutoCAD Electrical 2018, you need to make sure that your computer meets the minimum and recommended system requirements for running the software. Here are the system requirements for AutoCAD Electrical 2018:
Component
Minimum
Recommended
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit only) (version 1607 or higher) Microsoft Windows 8.1 with Update KB2919355 (64-bit only) Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 (64-bit only)
Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit only) (version 1607 or higher)
Processor
Basic: 2.52.9 GHz processor Recommended: 3+ GHz processor
3+ GHz processor
Memory
Basic: 8 GB Recommended: 16 GB
16 GB
Display Resolution
Conventional Displays: 1360 x 768 (1920 x 1080 recommended) with True Color High Resolution & 4K Displays: Resolutions up to 3840 x 2160 supported on Windows 10, 64 bit systems (with capable display card)
Conventional Displays: 1920 x 1080 with True Color High Resolution & 4K Displays: Resolutions up to 3840 x 2160 supported on Windows 10, 64 bit systems (with capable display card)
Display Card
Basic: 1 GB GPU with 29 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 11 compliant Recommended: 4 GB GPU with 106 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 11 compliant
4 GB GPU with 106 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 11 compliant
Disk Space
12 GB
12 GB
Brower
Windows Internet Explorer 11 or later Network Deployment via Deployment Wizard.
Windows Internet Explorer 11 or later Network Deployment via Deployment Wizard.
Pointing Device
MS-Mouse compliant
MS-Mouse compliant
.NET Framework
.NET Framework Version 4.6
.NET Framework Version 4.6
As you can see, AutoCAD Electrical 2018 requires a fairly powerful computer to run smoothly and efficiently. You should also make sure that your computer has the latest updates and drivers installed to avoid any compatibility issues or errors.
Tutorials for AutoCAD Electrical 2018
If you are new to AutoCAD Electrical 2018 or want to improve your skills and knowledge, you might want to check out some of the tutorials and learning resources that are available online. Here are some of the best sources for learning AutoCAD Electrical 2018:
Autodesk Knowledge Network
The Autodesk Knowledge Network is the official website for Autodesk products, where you can find documentation, help files, videos, forums, blogs, and more. You can access the AutoCAD Electrical 2018 section here: . Here you can find:
User's Guide: A comprehensive guide that covers the basics and advanced topics of AutoCAD Electrical 2018, such as installation, configuration, interface, commands, tools, features, functions, etc.
Tutorials: A series of step-by-step tutorials that teach you how to use AutoCAD Electrical 2018 for various tasks and projects, such as creating a project, inserting symbols, generating reports, creating PLC drawings, etc.
Videos: A collection of short videos that demonstrate how to use AutoCAD Electrical 2018 for various tasks and projects, such as creating a project, inserting symbols, generating reports, creating PLC drawings, etc.
Forums: A platform where you can ask questions, share tips, get answers, and interact with other users and experts of AutoCAD Electrical 2018.
Blogs: A source of news, updates, tips, tricks, best practices, and more related to AutoCAD Electrical 2018.
Lynda.com
Lynda.com is a popular online learning platform that offers thousands of courses and videos on various topics and skills. You can access the AutoCAD Electrical 2018 section here: . Here you can find:
Courses: A series of video courses that teach you the fundamentals and advanced topics of AutoCAD Electrical 2018, such as interface, commands, tools, features, functions, projects, etc. You can also take quizzes and exercises to test your knowledge and skills.
Videos: A collection of short videos that demonstrate how to use AutoCAD Electrical 2018 for various tasks and projects, such as creating a project, inserting symbols, generating reports, creating PLC drawings, etc.
Learning Paths: A curated series of courses and videos that guide you through a specific topic or skill related to AutoCAD Electrical 2018, such as electrical design basics, electrical controls design, electrical documentation, etc.
Udemy.com
Udemy.com is another popular online learning platform that offers thousands of courses and videos on various topics and skills. You can access the AutoCAD Electrical 2018 section here: . Here you can find:
Courses: A series of video courses that teach you the fundamentals and advanced topics of AutoCAD Electrical 2018, such as interface, commands, tools, features, functions, projects, etc. You can also take quizzes and exercises to test your knowledge and skills.
Videos: A collection of short videos that demonstrate how to use AutoCAD Electrical 2018 for various tasks and projects, such as creating a project, inserting symbols, generating reports, creating PLC drawings, etc.
Certificates: A proof of completion and achievement that you can earn after completing a course or a learning path related to AutoCAD Electrical 2018.
Conclusion
AutoCAD Electrical 2018 is a powerful and professional tool for designing electrical controls systems. It provides a set of features and functions that are not available in basic AutoCAD or other specialized toolsets. It can help you boost your productivity, reduce errors, improve accuracy, support various standards and formats, and learn new skills and knowledge. If you are looking for a toolset that is specifically designed for electrical controls systems design and documentation, AutoCAD Electrical 2018 is the best choice for you.
FAQs
Here are some of the most common questions and answers related to AutoCAD Electrical 2018:
Q: How much does AutoCAD Electrical 2018 cost?
A: AutoCAD Electrical 2018 is included with AutoCAD, which costs $1,690 per year or $210 per month for a subscription. You can also get a free trial for 30 days or a free student version for 3 years if you are eligible.
Q: How can I download and install AutoCAD Electrical 2018?
A: You can download and install AutoCAD Electrical 2018 from the Autodesk website or from your Autodesk account. You will need to sign in with your Autodesk ID and password, and follow the instructions on the screen. You will also need to enter your serial number and product key to activate your software.
Q: How can I update AutoCAD Electrical 2018?
A: You can update AutoCAD Electrical 2018 from the Autodesk Desktop App, which notifies you of any available updates and lets you download and install them. You can also check for updates manually from the Help menu in AutoCAD Electrical 2018.
Q: How can I get help and support for AutoCAD Electrical 2018?
A: You can get help and support for AutoCAD Electrical 2018 from various sources, such as:
Help files: You can access the help files from the Help menu in AutoCAD Electrical 2018, or from the Autodesk Knowledge Network website. The help files provide detailed information and instructions on how to use AutoCAD Electrical 2018.
Tutorials: You can access the tutorials from the Help menu in AutoCAD Electrical 2018, or from the Autodesk Knowledge Network website. The tutorials provide step-by-step guidance on how to use AutoCAD Electrical 2018 for various tasks and projects.
Videos: You can access the videos from the Help menu in AutoC