Who is using Visio for electric wiring diagrams?

[Thomas Winkel]

Hi,

I wonder how many people out there are using Visio as a low priced schematic diagram tool.
Do you use it for production or only for documentation?
How is your experience? Do you like it because it is easy to learn / use or do you hate it due to lack of features as they are offered by professional CAD tools like EPLAN?

We are using Visio for electrical cabinets. Mostly for documentation, but also for production.
I like it more and more, especially because I see the potential.

Best regards,
Thomas

[Paul Herber]

I've had thousands of customers for my electrical Visio stencils but barely a handful have given any feedback, I can't remember even one relating how the shapes were being used or for what exact purpose.

[Thomas Winkel]

Hi Paul,

I've seen your symbols, really an impressive collection.
Thousands of customers?! I had never thought that there is such a big demand on Visio and electronics...
Do you also have code for exports like netlist or terminal diagram?

There are some products on the marked that are based upon Visio.
For electric design I found:
* Engineering Base: http://www.engineeringbase.com/
* Electra: https://radicasoftware.com/

We have build our own solution upon Visio.
Not so powerful as the tools above but still with some useful features:
* Intelligent and configurable schematic symbols and connectors
* Mapping of hardware / channels via drag & drop
* Symbol / device generator
* Solution generator for reuse of schematic parts
* Exports like wire list, calculation, terminal diagram, part list, etc.
* Version management
* Modification instructions between any version
* Many useful tools to make everyday work easier
* All accessible via custom ribbon

All this is implemented via shapesheet programming and VBA code in the stencil.
In opposite to the tools above we make highly use of standard Visio features.

The main missing point is the link between mechanic part and the symbol in schematic.

I wonder if there are other people here who are doing similar things with Visio (not necessarily with electronics).
I am interested in an exchange of experiences.

Best regards,
Thomas

[Paul Herber]

Thanks, Thomas. I've added those two application links to my list of 3rd-party addons at:
http://www.paulherber.co.uk/articles/visio-articles/

[ssimlai]

Hello,

I am new to the forum and one of the reasons for joining is the same question as in this topic.

Particularly I have a peculiar issue to resolve. I have a home recording studio with a lot of stuff around and a complex audio wiring system that is about 70% well documented. I also have the set up on Visio but there are no linkages between the excel file and the visio file.

What I would like to do is to link up the two, not just from an asset point of view which is easy as has been documented on MS website, but to go a step further. I would like to use wire numbers such <assetA><number><assetB> in excel and wish to see a connection between assets A and B drawn up automatically through the Data Menu.

In case I am clear in my explanation, I would love to have a reply soonest possible.

I'd request the moderator that in case a reply doesn't come through I may be allowed to repost as a fresh post.

[Yacine]

Hello Ssimlai,
I'm not a moderator, but I'm sure you'd better go with a fresh topic - it will help the guys focus on your special issue. The rules in this forum are quite loose - we just appreciate common politeness. All of the contributors are here on a voluntary basis, so please don't request, but ask politely.

As for your specific question: we may continue it in your new topic, but I may already say that connecting two shapes by code is easy. Routing the connector properly however may become a bigger project.

So far, welcome in the forum and read from you soon in your new topic,
best regards,
Y.

[Tigger23505]

I use Visio 2010 at work to document the various electronic systems that we use.  We generally start out with a diagram that shows how we are powering the device - I think of it as an aligned set of railroad switches. So we often go from the main panel, and through sub panels, until we have powered the device with all of its AC and DC power.
Next, we add all of the devices that are fed by that device, we also include full descriptions for each data port baud rate, framing, etc.
The big problem that I have is that some of our systems have fairly unique elements that I haven't found good schematic symbols for. The one I would really like to find is a slip ring schematic.  It a sort of rotary joint for electrical signals. Internally it is a stack of conductive plates that are isolated from each other and free to rotate about an axis, the other half has one or more brushes per plate in a nonrotating frame.