9 Best Programs for Making Electrical Diagrams

If you need design wiring diagrams For your wiring system, you can use good software that has all the necessary tools to facilitate the design and obtain the best results in all types of installations.

In this article, we are going to list The best programs to make electrical diagrams, explaining the advantages of using a specific program and the factors to consider when choosing it. Don't miss it.

You can also read: The 7 Best Programs to Simulate Electrical Circuits.

What is a circuit diagram?

For those who have no idea, wiring diagrams are a visual representation of an electrical circuit made with basic images of the parts used or even with Symbols used in industry.

There are two different types of wiring diagrams:

1. The illustrated version
2. The illustrated version and the schematic version.

Illustrated version: Standard images of the components used in the circuit are used. The illustrated version is aimed primarily at people who are less technically savvy and just want to get a general idea of ​​what is going on.

Circuit version: uses industrial grade symbols. The circuit version is primarily intended for the electrician who will be working on this circuit and developing it in real time. Therefore, it is more detailed and contains more symbols for better understanding.

9 Best Programs for Making Electrical Diagrams

Whether you work in engineering or another technical field, you need design circuits to optimize the wiring process electric in your home or building. And in this section, you can choose the best electrical circuit design software, free or paid, from the list of recommendations below:

1. Lucidchart

Lucidchart combines diagrams and data visualization to help you understand electrical circuits.

Drag and drop functions allow you to quickly edit any diagram, saving you time when designing engineering processes.

Functions include creating wiring diagrams with access to a library of standard illustrations, formatting connections, labeling power supplies, and labeling individual components in a structure.

Pros

• Allows you to import files from other programs such as Visio, Gluffy and Draw.io.
• Presentation mode allows you to show the electrical circuit more clearly and attractively to your colleagues or viewers.
• Integrates with other applications to enable collaboration.

Contrary to

• Some form libraries are not available in the free version, such as UI and wireframe.
• If you want to integrate your data to automatically create electrical designs, you must purchase a paid design.

You can create a free account to get familiar with the platform, and then upgrade to a paid plan starting at $7,95 per month if you want advanced features and unlimited edits.

Official Web

2. Altium Designer

Another good program for drawing electrical diagrams is Altium Designer, which allows you to draw diagrams online and work between PCI schematics and files in a single interface.

Features include switching between 2D and 3D views of a full-scale model, quick creation of single-line diagrams, storage secure data with Altium Vault, and access to over 300.000 components that can be used at any time.

Pros

• There is no need to use additional applications to draw wiring diagrams as the functions allow you to switch between files in one place.
• The scheme can be viewed in 2D or 3D.
• Provides an interactive path that allows you to define each angle quickly and easily.

Cons

• The free version of Altium Designer is very limited in There.
• It is more expensive than the other programs on this list.

Altium Designer can be purchased in a single payment of $5995 or in twelve payments of $499 each. To request a free trial, fill out the form on the official website and get the app that suits your needs.

Official Web

3. eDrawSoft

eDrawSoft is a program compatible with Windows, Mac y Linux that allows you to draw your own diagrams wiring in seconds using predefined symbols.

Provides sources for schematics, single-line diagrams, wiring diagrams, and drawings.

The library includes the following groups of symbols: transmission lines, switches, relays, semiconductors and electronic tubes. Also You can easily draw the components using drag and drop.

Pros

• You can download the app for free and without time limit.
• Licenses are very affordable.
• Contains sources for all types of diagrams and circuits for wiring and piping systems in homes and buildings.

Cons

• May require integration with other related applications to extend functionality.
• There is no possibility to import or export to other file formats.

You can download eDrawSoft for free or request an annual subscription for $95 to receive guaranteed updates for one year. However, if you wish to extend this benefit, request a perpetual license for a one-time fee of $129 and use the program indefinitely.

Official Web

4. ProfiCAD

ProfiCAD is a free, easy-to-use diagramming program with an intuitive interface where you can easily place symbols and add wires to your project.

In addition to using the program's own symbols, we also You can create your own symbols using the graphical editor.

It also supports the creation of network lists, cable lists, cable strip drawings, and cable connections.

Pros

• ProfiCAD can be downloaded free of charge for home use.
• Supports multiple languages.
• The blocks are developed according to ISO 7200, so they can also be used in the commercial sector.

Cons

• The free version does not include components such as grid lists or modular coordinates.
• Free or automatic updates are not included.

To download this software for free, you need to go to the download page and click on “New installation“, where the installer will appear. However, if you need it for commercial or academic purposes, purchase one of the paid licenses for 247¤ and you will get more features.

Official Web

5. Cofaso

Cofaso offers a solution to create automated energy distribution systems, both to increase energy efficiency as to optimize any control system present in an electrical installation.

The interface offers great flexibility to adapt the circuits to the needs of any architectural installation. It also conforms to industry requirements and documentation, providing the user with a system controlled by measured parameters.

Pros

• It supports thirteen languages, so it can be used anywhere in the world.
• Includes sector-specific features.
• If you are a student or educator, you can get a free, unlimited license.

Cons

• You cannot buy it directly from the website, you have to go to the nearest store or distributor.
• Cofaso is not available in all countries.

You can download a free thirty-day trial to your computer. Once it has expired, You will have to pay for one of the available packagesFor more information, visit the official website.

Official Web

6. EasyEDA

With over 1,5 million users worldwide, EasyEDA is one of the circuit design programs most popular and used online when creating diagrams.

This powerful PCB design tool offers an affordable subscription plan and is ideal for team collaboration, since changes in the circuits are automatically updated.

It is also highly recommended for its capabilities project management that allows the generation and development of private and public projects such as Spice circuit simulation in a short period of time.

Other characteristics

PCB schematics created in EasyEDA can be complemented with 3D views for better understanding of the schematic. Also if you giveIt has a huge library of designs, which can be created or imported from existing platforms, to facilitate the customization of circuits.

The app works closely with China's largest electronics supplier, LCSC, as it provides direct connectivity to the more than 200.000 components Company.

Official Web

7. KiCAD EDA

KiCAD EDA is one of the open source software products for creating electrical schematics.

It is an excellent software to create and design wiring diagrams and schematics.

It can also be considered as an electronic design automation package that comes with a circuit editor.

It is widely used by electronics professionals and beginners to create mostly descriptive PCB circuits with 32+ copper layers and a push-push router for differential pair routing and path length adjustment.

Other characteristics

This application can be used freely by users, who They can create numerous projects without having to face payment limitations to unlock the features and options they need.

Once in the program, you can quickly start building electronic schematics using the extensive library of officially used schematic symbols. Schematic diagrams can also be displayed in 3D for a more accurate and interactive representation of the project.

Official Web

8. Design Spark

Finally, there is Design Spark, which offers a wide range of professional CAD functions for faster and more accurate design of complex electrical circuits.

This program includes a library of parts, updated daily, from which you can select a large number of symbols. to use them in your circuitsand improve the electrical connection system of any complexity.

Pros

• The library contains millions of items from which you can freely choose.
• It is compatible with older versions of Windows, starting from 7.
• The interface is very intuitive and easy to use.

Cons

• The software installation system may seem complicated at first, as you have to request an activation code to access the interface.
• There is no support in Spanish.

Design Spark is 100% free. You just need to download the software from the official website and follow the installation instructions. You also need to register to get the code and access the tutorials available on the platform.

Official Web

Why use a circuit design program?

The programs mentioned in the list have several symbols that will help you understand how to design electrical circuits, from the simplest to the most complex.

The advantage is that you can discover wiring errors and fix them just before installing them in your home or building.

Factors to consider when choosing software.

At this stage, you may not have a clue about which software is best for your needs, either due to a lack of money, knowledge or experience in the field. Therefore, there are a number of factors to consider before making a final decision:

• Analyze if you implement a control system or accounting for the business sector. As for documentation, printed graphics may become obsolete due to updated quality certificates. Some programs process this data so that you can design according to current safety standards.
• Ask yourself whether investing in specialized software will improve your company's performance. If so, you should discuss with your team when it makes sense to digitize electrical schematics.
• Ask yourself Why you need electrical circuit design software. Is it for personal, academic, or business use? Some companies offer different plans and support services for each.
• Compare the prices of each product. The rule of “cheap is expensive” does not usually apply here, as sometimes the cheapest option has similar features at a lower price. In this case, contact the app creators and ask them what the offer on the website includes.
• Regardless of the ease of use of the interface, always You must reserve time for specialized training of your team. You also need to consider the product budget and how the transition will benefit the entire company.
• Check if the software includes features to create connections or automatically change symbols to create diagrams.Also check if the library includes basic diagrams and how many free features you can purchase in the library.

You can also read: 6 Best Programs for Simulation