Electrical Software - CAD or Another?

[Stuuk1]

Hi all,

Not been here for a little while... So hope everyone is doing well.

I'm currently busy on a £5million project and need to get some drawings amended. Its a pretty simple "As Installed" drawing I need to do but I'm stumped on software..

I have the drawings already in PDF format but struggling to get these in DWG from the designers.

Does anyone know a free or cheap software to edit PDF files and also where the electrical symbols would be? It's only simple 3g switches, double sockets etc.

Also, regarding CAD (if I get the correct file formats), would I need the standard CAD software or the electrical version? Not sure if the electrical version caters more for electrical diagrams whereas I need it for plotting symbols on a floor layout...

I hope this makes sense and look forward to seeing some of your replies.

 

[Richard Burns]

You will have an absolute nightmare trying to edit a pdf conversion of a CAD drawing, Adobe Acrobat is not intended for that sort of editing.

I am not well versed in CAD but as far as I am aware so long as you can import the symbols then almost any CAD program will be able to do the editing, but it would be important to ensure that the program can output valid .dwg files that can be used in CAD directly rather than its own internal file version.

 

[tazz]

As Richard has commented, you can`t really edit PDF`s.....There is no special version of AutoCad for Electrical. Its standard AutoCad. All drawings are made up in layers, each layer is a section of the buildings disciplines, eg electrical layer, plumbing layer, aircon right down to furniture layout. Each layer can be turned on & off, so a final co-ordinated drawing can be produced, showing if any disciplines will interfere with each other, when installed. Templates can easily be made for electrical section, with all symbols required. Full AutoCad is not required for building plans, a basic AutoCad LT is easily capable of completing the job. File converters are also available to allow older or new versions to be imported.
Hope this helps

 

[ian.settle1]

As Richard has commented, you can`t really edit PDF`s.....There is no special version of AutoCad for Electrical. Its standard AutoCad. All drawings are made up in layers, each layer is a section of the buildings disciplines, eg electrical layer, plumbing layer, aircon right down to furniture layout. Each layer can be turned on & off, so a final co-ordinated drawing can be produced, showing if any disciplines will interfere with each other, when installed. Templates can easily be made for electrical section, with all symbols required. Full AutoCad is not required for building plans, a basic AutoCad LT is easily capable of completing the job. File converters are also available to allow older or new versions to be imported.
Hope this helps

Sorry but your wrong there Tazz, since 2006 at least Autocad have done a seperate Autocad Electrical version as well as mechanical and civil versions as well as the basic Autocad version.

 

[Spoon]

I use AutoCAD Electrical 2015. The 'metal bolters' just use AutoCAD. There are lots of things you can do with AutoCAD Electrical that you can't with just AutoCAD. If you need AutoCAD Electrical or AutoCAD all depends on what you want to do with the drawings and how many sheets there are.
What was used to draw the schematics originally?

 

[tazz]

The separate versions are as you said for electrical etc.....full AutoCad & Lt version are layered, including the electrical version you have. I`m still running full version of 2008 LT, so I can see all layers. And still convert all dwg and dxf form 2000 to 2014.

Checked with Autodesk, Autocad have their main version AutoCad LT currently at version 2015, they also have Autocad with add on software such as electrical & mechanical, version mentioned above...But the added software comes at a price & now monthly subscription.
Think I`ll keep to my old trusted 2008 LT, with my imported symbols and converters.

 

[Bobster]

It's a £5 million pound project.

If it's not in the designers brief for producing as built drawings. I'm sure there's money in the project to get them to edit if it's only a little change.

 

[tazz]

It's a £5 million pound project.

If it's not in the designers brief for producing as built drawings. I'm sure there's money in the project to get them to edit if it's only a little change.

Totally agree.....and if you have the software & printer...its even better to do it in house.
TBH I would be lost without it, I can see tenders by email, I can quote from the drawings, I can submit to BC or Client for approval.

 

[Spoon]

It's hard to say what is best for the OP until he gets back to us. Really he should update the drawings using the same package that they were drawn with. If an electrical drawing package was used then just converting the PDF's to DWG will lose all the background info.

 

[amlu]

may work cheaper and easier to have it printed in a print shop, edited by hand the old school way with stencils and a ruler, then scanned back into computer. will save the hassle learning autocad.

another way around convert that pdf to jpg or tiff and edit in a vector drawing program, like inkscape (free) or corel draw etc.

 

[Stuuk1]

Hi all,

Wow, didn't expect so many replies so thank you for this.

The designers are extremely well know but I won't disclose who they are... They are absolutely useless and take weeks to action a single email.

I've chased them for the DWG files but as usual 3 weeks later, no reply and nobody answering the phone.

I wanted to see if I could edit the PDF files but like someone has already mentioned about layers, it will look extremely messy.

I may just not bother with the drawings and see what they say when they realise it's missing from the O&M. No doubt they'll hold back payment... I have it all on a hard copy in highlighter pen so they can have scans of that

I have never used CAD but certainly would like to give it a try. I have searched for an old 2010 version and serial but these things just disappear once another year rolls over..

 

[shanky887614]

Hi all,

Wow, didn't expect so many replies so thank you for this.

The designers are extremely well know but I won't disclose who they are... They are absolutely useless and take weeks to action a single email.

I've chased them for the DWG files but as usual 3 weeks later, no reply and nobody answering the phone.

I wanted to see if I could edit the PDF files but like someone has already mentioned about layers, it will look extremely messy.

I may just not bother with the drawings and see what they say when they realise it's missing from the O&M. No doubt they'll hold back payment... I have it all on a hard copy in highlighter pen so they can have scans of that

I have never used CAD but certainly would like to give it a try. I have searched for an old 2010 version and serial but these things just disappear once another year rolls over..

autocad is not too bad to use tbh i played with it a while ago but i played more with there autodesk software than the 2d version.

what i was doing was a grey area though extracting 3d models and then editing them etc

 

[Marvo]

What version of Microsoft Office do you have installed? For a minor edit you could use Onenote or Visio. Let me know if your version of Office has either of these and I'll give you some pointers.

 

[shanky887614]

just looked and autocas is 3600 for a license or a monthly fee!!!!

 

[Stuuk1]

Hi guys, I ended up buying a copy of TurboCAD for £20 on ebay and it was fantastic. Not easy to use but not too hard to get used to. Did the job anyway and sent it off to a guy we use just to clean it up and add a border etc. Would really recommend TurboCAD for small amendments to DWG files.