Everyones favorite schematic drawing software?

I strongly recommend SkyCAD Electrical: www.skycad.ca

This software is really what they claim to be: “The next generation electrical CAD software”. It has many neat features, and it’s very intuitive and user friendly. You'll be impressed!

This CAD software can do useful things for you like automated component and wire numbering, automated cross references through all the sheets in the project, generates PLC and other blocks (like drives) automatically, automatic generated PLC drawings from an I/O list in Excel (!), panel layout design, etc., etc.

You can take a look at the tutorials to see the features yourself: www.skycad.ca/tutorials.php

There's a forum, and they are very fast to reply to any questions or issues that you may have. The software is constantly being improved and debugged, and they are always listening to the users’ requests and needs.

The standard version is free. I suggest you give it a try, you’ll be glad you did it!

Disclaimer: I’m a SkyCAD beta tester.
 
Ill have to give this a look!

Ill be honest though once i sat down this past weekend and figure out how to customize and make your own Parametric PLCs in ACADE, i like the software alot more.
 
The only reason I will never use (or try) Skycad is due to the subscription only model.

If they offered some kind of perpetual license, I'd probably try it. The free version doesn't offer anything that regular cad can't do with a good symbol library IMO.

EDIT: Might have to revisit - originally Skycad wouldn't do BOM/etc with the free version.
 
The only reason I will never use (or try) Skycad is due to the subscription only model. If they offered some kind of perpetual license, I'd probably try it.
It seems that this is the trend for many of the CAD software packages nowadays. Some of the companies offering perpetual licensing will charge you a fee for the updates.

The free version doesn't offer anything that regular cad can't do with a good symbol library IMO.
EDIT: Might have to revisit - originally Skycad wouldn't do BOM/etc with the free version.
Here's the link to the version comparison: www.skycad.ca/features.php
IMHO, SkyCAD is different/better than the rest of the CADs around, even if you only use the standard version.
 
PC Schematic Automation: Good software, has the best file organization of all software I’ve tried. Great setup of part library / symbols / layouts. Does panel wire routing, will generate graphical terminal plans, graphical wiring schematics, etc. DWG based, so you can import and export DWG. Has symbol creation wizards, etc. There are many features, but it can take a long time to learn to use them. Complicated, but if set up properly, you can make drawings in a snap and have everything in one place. Program stores in a single directory on the C:\ drive, which I personally find great.

So im trying the PCSchematic (free version) and so far its very nice, anyone looking for a low cost program its worth a try, I may end up buying it if I go over the 40 symbols, thanks!
 
It seems that this is the trend for many of the CAD software packages nowadays. Some of the companies offering perpetual licensing will charge you a fee for the updates.

Yeah, but most of the time you won't need the updates. At least not for a long time.

I have customers that still require .DWG in 2000 or REV 14.

Unless there is an earth shattering feature added, many times you are better off sticking with the same piece of software and learning it well.
 
Yeah, but most of the time you won't need the updates. At least not for a long time.
That's kind of relative. A new version of the OS, keeping up with other people versions, bug fixing, etc., can make you update before you wanted.

Unless there is an earth shattering feature added, many times you are better off sticking with the same piece of software and learning it well.
There are already very innovative features in the paid versions and, from what the SkyCAD team has told me, there will be even more. If you feel the earth shattering in the near future, that may be the reason. 🍻
 
I like PC Schematic and find it intuitive and have quite a few good feature and *adequate* tutorials; they could have more.


But, here are the first two question I asked them and their reply to me:

Questions:
1- You have dead links on your website that are supposed to point to a user forums of some sort, where are they?

2- Is it possible to edit the toolbars to add or remove buttons?


Answers:



  • We have no active user forum.
  • It is not possible for users to edit toolbars.
Not being able to edit the toolbar is bad but not the end of the world. The fact that they don't have user or support forums is problematic and the fact that they actually do have dead links on their website pointing to user forums is a disaster and just a bad bad sign.


Anyone ever tried ZUKEN E3 software?
 
The fact that they don't have user or support forums is problematic and the fact that they actually do have dead links on their website pointing to user forums is a disaster and just a bad bad sign.

Maybe we could have a sub category on PLCTalk.net :)
 
Maybe we could have a sub category on PLCTalk.net :)
That's not a bad idea!
Pros:
  • You don't have to scroll through posts you may not be interested in.
  • The info could be better organized.
  • You'll find what you are looking for faster.

Cons:
  • You may be missing not related things that are interesting.
  • Posts could be misplaced and not visible for people looking in the correct category.
  • There could be posts that don't belong to an existing category or that belong to more than one.
 
I like PC Schematic and find it intuitive and have quite a few good feature and *adequate* tutorials; they could have more.


But, here are the first two question I asked them and their reply to me:

Questions:
1- You have dead links on your website that are supposed to point to a user forums of some sort, where are they?

2- Is it possible to edit the toolbars to add or remove buttons?


Answers:



  • We have no active user forum.
  • It is not possible for users to edit toolbars.
Not being able to edit the toolbar is bad but not the end of the world. The fact that they don't have user or support forums is problematic and the fact that they actually do have dead links on their website pointing to user forums is a disaster and just a bad bad sign.


Anyone ever tried ZUKEN E3 software?


I've tried Zuken. It has been a couple of years, but I don't remember anything much different that some others. The price is a little steep - but they do offer a lower tier package with a page limit, if I recall. They also charge separately for the panel portion vs schematics, similar to SEE electrical and SkyCad.

If you get in contact with a representative or check the website, I believe they let you do a remote-session test of the software, I think for a week or so. They do offer a perpetual option as well as subscription.
 
What I try to do is to use as many keywords as I can in my original post title.

I think that a title like:
"Allen Bradley 1769-L33ER CompactLogix solid red OK LED"
is much more descriptive, and will bring more people to help me, and also it will be easier for other people to find related help later, than:
"PLC processor fault light".
 
I've tried Zuken. It has been a couple of years, but I don't remember anything much different that some others. The price is a little steep - but they do offer a lower tier package with a page limit, if I recall. They also charge separately for the panel portion vs schematics, similar to SEE electrical and SkyCad.

If you get in contact with a representative or check the website, I believe they let you do a remote-session test of the software, I think for a week or so. They do offer a perpetual option as well as subscription.

Thanks, I downloaded a trial version and am going through it slowly. SEE electrical, another one to test out. Thanks
 

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