Wiktor Wise
AutoCAD Electrical is a powerful tool that allows users to create and edit electrical drawings with ease. One common task in AutoCAD Electrical is moving components, which can be done using the specific commands provided by the software. Moving components in AutoCAD Electrical is more complex than simply clicking and dragging, as it involves maintaining wire connections and managing the retagging of parent and child components. In this discussion, we will explore the steps and techniques for effectively moving components within AutoCAD Electrical, ensuring that connections are preserved and the circuit remains functional.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Move components | Use the AutoCAD Electrical move and not the regular AutoCAD move |
| Move a circuit | Move a circuit to a new location and update all related components |
| Maintain wire connections | Use the "scoot" command to move the entire wire up and down |
| Move Component command | This command joins two wires and deletes one of the wire numbers |
| Retagging | When moving a circuit, parent components are automatically retagged based on reference-based component tagging |
| Cross-references | When circuitry is moved, cross-references are updated based on the new line reference |
| Child components | Related child components are updated to match the parent components on the moved circuit |
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What You'll Learn
Moving components without losing wire connections
Firstly, it's important to understand the behaviour of the "Move Component" command. When you use this command, it will break and reconnect any underlying wires and insert a rotated version of the symbol if necessary. It also repairs broken wires and removes unnecessary wire numbers from the previous position of the component.
To maintain wire connections while moving components, try selecting all the items on a given wire and then moving the wire itself. This will cause the connected end to move along with the wire, keeping the connections intact. This method might be a bit cumbersome, but it helps achieve the desired result.
Additionally, when dealing with PLC modules, the "Split PLC Module" command can be very useful. It allows you to split PLC modules after they have been built or inserted, providing more flexibility in rearranging components. This command is particularly handy when you need to move I/O terminal points to another ladder to accommodate other devices.
Another approach is to utilise the "Move Component" command strategically. By dragging components from the Tool Palette and dropping them onto a wire, you can establish a connection. If you simply click and place them on the wire, you will need to use the "Move Component" command to get the wires to connect.
Lastly, some users have suggested that the steps required to preserve wire numbering can be time-consuming. However, it's important to follow these steps to ensure that any existing wire numbering is maintained during the component movement process.
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Using the 'Move Component' command
To use the Move Component command in AutoCAD Electrical, you must use the AutoCAD Electrical move and not the regular AutoCAD move. This is because the editing commands are specific to AutoCAD Electrical, allowing you to work with the project and the database behind it.
To use the Move Component command, you can hover your cursor over the component you want to move, typically a junction box. Right-click and hold, then select "Move Component" from the menu. Once you've selected "Move Component," you can release the right-click and move the component as needed.
It's important to note that when using the Move Component command, you may encounter issues with maintaining wire connections to your connectors. This is a known frustration among users, and the command may join two wires and delete one of the wire numbers. To avoid this, some users trim the short section going to the component before moving it.
Additionally, the Scoot command in AutoCAD Electrical is designed to move wires or components only along one axis to prevent unexpected displacement and undesired results that might affect the schematic design.
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Moving circuits and updating related components
To move circuits and update related components in AutoCAD Electrical, you must use the AutoCAD Electrical move function and not the regular AutoCAD move. This is because the AutoCAD Electrical move function is designed to work with the project and the database behind it.
To move a circuit to a new location and update all related components, follow these steps:
- Click on the "Schematic" tab in the Edit Components panel.
- Select "Circuit" from the drop-down menu.
- Window select the circuit by clicking on the line reference to capture the connection wire and dots tied to the vertical bus.
- Right-click on the selected circuit.
- Press F9 to turn on SNAP.
- Move the circuit to the desired location.
- Once the circuitry is moved, the affected components will be automatically retagged, and cross-references will be updated based on the new line reference.
It is important to note that when moving components, you may encounter issues with maintaining wire connections. To address this, you can use the "scoot" function by clicking on the wire, which will allow the entire wire to move up and down. However, as noted by some users, scooting components only work linearly along the wire, and repositioning the component may break the connections.
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Using the Schematic tab to move circuits
To move circuits using the Schematic tab in AutoCAD Electrical, follow these steps:
Firstly, open the Schematic tab in the Icon Menu. From here, you can insert components and symbols into your circuit. To do this, go to the Insert Components pane and locate your desired symbol. Your chosen symbol will be attached to your cursor, allowing for easy insertion. Simply click to select the location, and the appropriate Insert/Edit dialog box will open.
The Tag for the symbol will be automatically assigned based on your Drawing Properties settings. You can then click Lookup and assign the catalog value as needed before clicking OK. If everything goes as planned, wires will break as required.
If you need to access the Catalog Browser, ensure it is open by clicking on the Schematic tab, then the Insert Components panel, and finally, the Catalog Browser. If you use the Catalog Browser frequently, you can keep it open at all times.
Additionally, to move and align components within the same rung of a circuit, you can use the SCOOT command. If you want to move multiple components to a different rung, use the Move Circuit command, selecting the components and wires connected to them.
Remember, when working with circuits, it is important to maintain wire connections while moving components.
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Updating child components and panel layout references
When working with AutoCAD Electrical, it is important to use the specific AutoCAD Electrical move commands rather than the regular AutoCAD move functions. This is because the AutoCAD Electrical commands are designed to work with both the project and the underlying database.
To move components in AutoCAD Electrical, access the Edit Components panel, where you will find the Move command. Once you have located the component you want to move, right-click and hold, then select Move Component. You can then release the right-click and move the component as desired.
Now, when it comes to updating child components and panel layout references, the process is quite straightforward. Let's consider an example where we have an electrical schematic and a panel door layout. In the schematic, we have a "SAFETY OKAY" pilot light, which has a physical representation on the panel door layout. If we right-click on the pilot light in the schematic and select "Edit Component", we can make changes to its description or catalog part number assignment. Once we hit "OK" to exit the dialog box, the changes will automatically update the corresponding representation on the panel layout. This is because the panel layouts and electrical controls schematics are closely linked in AutoCAD Electrical.
Additionally, these smart schematics can have automatically generated features such as tag-IDs, child contact cross-referencing, wire number assignments, and BOM reports. When combined in a single AutoCAD Electrical project with panel layout drawings, the panel layouts benefit from the presence of these schematics, resulting in improved project functionality.
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Frequently asked questions
To move a circuit to a new location and update all related components, go to Schematic tab > Edit Components panel > Circuit drop-down > Move Circuit.
To maintain wire connections, you can use the "scoot" function by clicking on the wire. This will allow the entire wire to move up and down.
Schematic components can be moved using the specific commands provided by AutoCAD Electrical. Right-click and hover over the component, then select "Move Component".
One issue with moving components is the loss of wire connections with connectors. Another is that the Move Component command will join two wires and delete one of the wire numbers.
