E-CAD Integrates with SolidWorks

By DE Editors

Trace Software International (St Romain, France) has announced the release of elecworks 2011, the newest version of its electrical CAD software that integrates with SolidWorks from Dassault Systemes. This latest release, said to emphasize 3D design functionality, reportedly provides automation engineers with PLC design flexibility and “precisely defined” visualizations of cables and wires for cabinets and machine assemblies.

Elecworks for SolidWorks.

Trace Software says that elecworks for SolidWorks is a tool for everyone from engineers to panel builders. Elecworks offers seamless data sharing with SolidWorks, says the company, as well as real-time processing. Changes in the 2D elecworks schematics file or in the 3D SolidWorks file are reflected in the other application automatically and instantly.

Standard features include the ability to view project schematics; raceways/ducting capabilities; and a single multiuser database, which eliminates the need for external file exchange/update. The software also offers instant messaging collaboration between users working on the same project and, through a partnership with its sister company TraceParts, elecworks users can download smart parts that include all electrical specifications directly from the TraceParts library.

An example of navigating and viewing drawings, equipment lists, and wiring lists with elecworks for SolidWorks.

New 3D capabilities in elecworks 2011 reportedly offer automation professionals multiple advantages that make 3D design and production cycles faster. The company says that elecworks allows for precise wire length calculations that enable pre-assembly wire processing and streamlined production cycles. Users are said to be able to visualize the space occupied in a panel, which can help prevent component collision as well as obviate the need for time-consuming and costly physical prototypes, says Trace Software. Additionally, 3D wire views are “realistic,” showing separate wires in a duct in the 3D panel or machine wiring.

The PLC features in elecworks 2011 include management functionality that automates the creation of PLCs; dynamic PLC insertion with customizable selectable signals with user-defined descriptions; and automated and selectable PLC macros on a per channel basis, which enables full creation of all PLC I/O. Elecworks 2011 also offers a connection label feature that represents and locates all connection information for a device in a single glance.

Elecworks enables teams to collaborate.

“The new 2011 release of elecworks reinforces easy-to-use operation while adding new exciting abilities like dynamic insertion of PLCs signals, direct copy and paste from Excel, .more realistic section and colors, and 3D auto-routing within SolidWorks,” said Dr. Pedro Puig Deu, General Manager of Trace Software International, in a prepared press statement. “These enhancements are designed to further improve out-of-the-box capabilities while offering customization and flexibility to meet our clients’ changing needs”

In addition to English and French, elecworks 2011, which runs under Windows operating systems, is available in five other languages. Elecworks is a SolidWorks Certified as a Gold partner. For full details on elecworks 2011, go to Trace Software’s elecworks for SolidWorks website.

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See why DE’s Editor’s selected elecworks 2011 as their Pick of the Week.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.