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AutoCAD Electrical Essentials Training (3 days)
Your electrical design team produces schematics, panel layouts and reports from one project database, with wire numbers, cross-references and parts lists that stay up to date.
Electrical drawing offices that draw control schematics in plain AutoCAD spend hours on work the software can do for them: numbering wires, cross-referencing coils and contacts, checking for errors and compiling bills of materials. Every manual step is a chance for a mistake that only shows up on the panel-shop floor or during commissioning. This AutoCAD Electrical training teaches new users to let the project database do that work.
Over three days delegates set up and manage a multi-drawing project, insert wires, components, connectors and terminals, and use the editing and audit tools to catch errors before drawings are issued. They generate bills of materials, wire lists and terminal reports, lay out panels and DIN rails from the schematic, and standardise work with project settings, templates and the parts catalogue. The last day covers automation and spreadsheet links, PLC modules with I/O addressing, and cable management.
Exercises follow realistic control-panel and automation projects, and the facilitator can use your own symbol standards and title blocks.
Why this course
For your organisation
- Fewer wiring errors reaching the panel shop and the site
- Reports and bills of materials generated from the drawings, not typed by hand
- One drawing standard across the electrical design team
- Faster revisions on large multi-sheet projects
For your delegates
- Build schematics with automatic wire numbers and cross-references
- Lay out panels directly from schematic data
- Produce project reports in minutes
- Use the PLC and cable tools with confidence
What delegates will be able to do
- Navigate the AutoCAD Electrical environment and work within a project structure
- Create and manage projects, drawing lists and project properties
- Insert wires, wire numbers, components, connectors and terminals in schematics
- Edit and audit schematic drawings to find and fix errors
- Generate bills of materials, wire lists, terminal plans and other reports
- Create panel layouts and DIN rail assemblies linked to the schematic
- Set up project settings, templates and the parts catalogue
- Use spreadsheet links and automation tools to cut repetitive work
- Insert PLC modules and assign I/O addresses
- Manage cables, conductors and cable reports
Who should attend
Electrical draughtspersons, electrical and control engineers and technologists, panel builders and automation staff, and design teams moving electrical work from plain AutoCAD to AutoCAD Electrical. No AutoCAD Electrical experience is needed, but delegates should be comfortable with basic AutoCAD drafting.
Course outline
Day 1 – Projects and schematic design
The AutoCAD Electrical environment and workflow
- How AutoCAD Electrical differs from plain AutoCAD
- The ribbon, Project Manager and component tools
- Drawings, projects and the project database
- IEC and JIC symbol libraries, and why most South African work uses IEC
Projects and drawing lists
- Creating a new project and adding drawings
- Project and drawing properties
- Organising drawings into folders
- Updating title blocks across the whole project
Schematic wiring
- Inserting wires and ladders
- Wire types, layers and colours
- Automatic and manual wire numbering
- Source and destination arrows for wires that run across drawings
Schematic components
- Inserting components from the icon menu
- Parent and child components and cross-referencing
- Connectors and terminals
- Assigning catalogue data and part numbers
Day 2 – Editing, reports, panels and standards
Editing and auditing schematics
- Copying, moving and aligning components
- Retagging and updating components
- Running a drawing audit and a project audit
- Fixing common wiring errors
Reports
- Bill of materials and component reports
- Wire lists and from-to reports
- Terminal plans and connector reports
- Exporting reports to Excel
Panel layouts and DIN rails
- Inserting panel footprints from the schematic list
- Building DIN rail and trunking layouts
- Balloons, nameplates and panel bills of materials
- Keeping panel and schematic in step
Settings, configurations and templates
- Project and drawing settings
- Creating a company project template
- Wire number and tag formats
- Linking title block attributes to project data
Day 3 – Catalogues, automation, PLCs and cables
Parts catalogue and database management
- How the catalogue database is structured
- Adding and editing parts
- Creating custom symbols and footprints
- Sharing one catalogue across the team
Automation and spreadsheet integration
- Generating drawings and wiring from spreadsheet data
- Exporting and importing component and wire data
- Batch updates across a project
- Automating repetitive tasks
PLC modules and I/O addressing
- Inserting parametric PLC modules
- Creating I/O drawings from a spreadsheet
- Addressing and tagging inputs and outputs
- Cross-referencing PLC points to field devices
Cable management
- Multi-conductor cables and cable markers
- Assigning conductors and colours
- Cable reports and cable schedules
- Course review and questions on delegates' projects
How it is delivered
Three days, 08:30-16:00. Training runs on your licensed Autodesk software at your offices (or on licensed machines you provide); it can also run live online when every delegate has a licensed copy. One delegate or a group of up to 20. Each delegate receives a course guide and practice project files. We deliver it at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and anywhere else in South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online for teams in different places.
AutoCAD, Revit, Inventor and Civil 3D are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. BOTI is an independent training provider.
What our clients say
★★★★★ 4.8 on Google from 790+ reviews · word-for-word quotes from signed letters of reference, from clients on this and/or related BOTI courses
“We were particularly impressed by the quality of facilitation and the practical relevance of the content presented. The programme was delivered with professionalism, clarity, and a strong emphasis on real-world application.”
“The facilitator effectively encouraged participation and used practical examples, discussions and interactive activities to ensure that the concepts were understood and could be applied in the workplace.”
“Business Optimization Training Institute facilitated Microsoft Excel Training for our company. The course was efficiently scheduled and planned around our timetable. We were impressed by the quality of training.”
Frequently asked questions
Do delegates need AutoCAD experience?
No AutoCAD Electrical experience is needed, but delegates should be able to use basic AutoCAD drawing and editing commands. Staff who are new to AutoCAD should complete AutoCAD Essentials (2D) (3 days) first.
Do we need our own AutoCAD Electrical licences?
Yes. Training runs on your licensed Autodesk software at your offices, or on licensed machines you provide. We train one delegate or a group of up to 20.
Is this an Autodesk qualification?
No. Delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance, and this is a non-accredited short course. BOTI is an independent training provider, not an Autodesk training centre. Delegates who want a vendor credential can book Autodesk's own Certified Professional exam for core AutoCAD themselves through Pearson VUE.
Can you use our symbol standards and title blocks?
Yes. Send us your title block, symbol preferences and a sample project beforehand, and the facilitator sets up the exercises to match your standard.
Can you run the training on site anywhere in South Africa?
Yes. The facilitator comes to your offices anywhere in South Africa, as long as delegates have licensed AutoCAD Electrical on their machines.
Can you run this course in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban?
Yes. We train on site at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and across South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online so a team spread over several offices can attend together.
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