Learning Electrical Design

What's a good place to start for learning electrical design? I am always the end user so I can follow along machine schematics, etc. but I want to know how to go about designing these machines.

I am trying to be more employable (and also to learn more). Controls engineering jobs seem to always ask for some experience with electrical panel design, etc. Are there courses that I can take to start? How do people learn? Take a community college course?

Thanks.

look at your control panels and see how they are designed.
does the design make since to you?
what would you do differently?
look at the components and see the spacing requirements, for example - the plc.
A must in my book, when placing two wire ducts next to each other, leave a space between them so you can take off the cover and put it back on. KNOW the fill capacity of the wire trough, wire duct, conduits !!

it's really a learn as you go (my case anyway). get familiar with NFPA 79, NEC 70, NEC 70e - arc flash, nfpa 496.
james

I doubt many will have taken a course on panel design.
It's more (to begin with anyway) a list of what you need, take note of all the sizes from the specs
And take your best guess at the size of which panel you need. Bigger than what you guess.
Free space in a panel is better than running out.

Have a solid understanding of electrical circuitry, applicable codes & standards like the NEC, NFPA-79, UL508A (or equivalent Canadian standards).

Keep in mind these are only minimum standards so good design practice means to oversized some things and too allow for expansion, etc.

kckku said:

What's a good place to start for learning electrical design? I am always the end user so I can follow along machine schematics, etc. but I want to know how to go about designing these machines.

I am trying to be more employable (and also to learn more). Controls engineering jobs seem to always ask for some experience with electrical panel design, etc. Are there courses that I can take to start? How do people learn? Take a community college course?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Siemens. They have all sorts of tips, webinars, tutorials and white papers on everything panel design.



Learn one of the electrical schematic software; there are a few popular courses on Eplan you may find them on linkedin too. Start by copying panels you are familiar with and do a few them to find patterns in design.


Download Siemens selection tool and use it to design your own panel.

I'm in agreement with all that has been said here - but I would like to add the absolute need for you to drill the holes, strip the wires, and turn the screws on some panels yourself.

Industry is plagued with newcomers that haven't turned the wrenches and trust computer software too much. I beg you to get some hands-on.

I work with a number of electricians that know I can outrun them with a voltmeter, I can compete with a screwdriver, and I can at least enter (I'll lose) the race with a conduit bender. Being able to blow past them with a computer is not sufficient to earn their respect. Frequently it does the opposite.

Square D (now Schneider) has a classic wiring diagrams book that most industrial electricians had a copy of. It's now a free download with lots of IEC information added.

If you want to go on to be an integrator - the PLC class outline at corsairhmi.com lists some things that you need to have stuck in your head so you can roughly evaluate things without having to google in front of a customer - feet per psi for water, pounds per gallon for water, C to F and F to C temperature, voltage range for 4-20 milliamps into a 250 ohm load, wire gauge ampacity, amps per horsepower, etc. We all google but don't look like you can't exist without it.

Work hard, be determined, and you'll do well. All the best to you and yours.

Corsair,

i agree 100%.
please post the link for the Schneider book, i lost my copy in a move.
james

Corsair said:

feet per psi for water, pounds per gallon for water, C to F and F to C temperature, voltage range for 4-20 milliamps into a 250 ohm load, wire gauge ampacity, amps per horsepower, etc.

Click to expand...

Uhhh, most of that is in my head, and I am a ChemEng.

Do you mean it isn't in everyone else's?

Square D Book

https://www.se.com/us/en/download/document/0140CT9201/

'Square D Wiring Diagrams ...'

Schneider document 0140CT9201

Here is the list of webinars and one on October 07 (
Dimension your main and control circuit in one Software) that you can register for.

Thanks for the help. I will definitely look at the some of the links provided.