Electrical / Control Panel CAD Designing
Before a panel is ever wired, it's drawn. Learn AutoCAD Electrical and EPLAN Electric P8 the way panel-building companies actually use them — producing GA, IGA, SLD and BOM documentation for MCC, PCC, APFC, AMF, LT and HT panels.
Every panel that gets built started as a set of drawings someone had to get right.
Panel CAD Designing is the drafting discipline that turns an electrical requirement into a buildable panel — the schematic, the physical layout, the parts list and the wiring reference that a panel builder, testing engineer and client all work from. Get the drawing wrong and the error gets built into steel, copper and live circuits.
Two software platforms dominate this work in India: AutoCAD Electrical, the long-standing industry default with deep symbol libraries and automatic wire numbering, and EPLAN Electric P8, a data-centric platform where the schematic, panel layout and wiring diagram stay linked to one underlying project database — increasingly used by exporters and larger panel builders working to European standards.
A trained panel CAD designer isn't just operating software — they're applying electrical standards, load calculations and IEC/IS drawing conventions correctly, every time, across drawings that a fabrication shop, a wireman and an inspecting engineer will all rely on.
From Drawing to Panel
Four documents every panel project needs — and the ones beyond them.
General Arrangement
The physical layout drawing — enclosure dimensions, door and gland-plate positions, and where every major component sits, front and side view.
Internal General Arrangement
What's inside the enclosure — busbar chambers, cable alleys, internal component mounting and clearances not visible from outside.
Single Line Diagram
A simplified one-line view of the power distribution — incomers, breakers, ratings and protection shown without full three-phase detail.
Bill of Materials
Every component in the panel — make, rating, part number and quantity — generated from the drawing itself, not built by hand separately.
Two voltage classes, two different drawing disciplines.
Most panel-CAD careers start on LT work and grow into HT drawings as experience builds.
LT — Low Tension
UP TO 1000V AC (TYPICALLY 415V/440V)- Typical PanelsMCC, PCC, APFC, AMF, distribution boards
- Key ComponentsMCCB, ACB, contactors, relays, busbars
- Drawing FocusGA/IGA layout, control schematics, wiring diagrams
- Where It's UsedFactory floors, motor control, general power distribution
HT — High Tension
ABOVE 1000V AC (TYPICALLY 11KV / 33KV IN INDIA)- Typical PanelsVCB panels, Ring Main Units (RMU), HT metering & protection
- Key ComponentsVacuum circuit breakers, CTs/PTs, numerical protection relays
- Drawing FocusSLD-heavy documentation, protection coordination, clearance calculations
- Where It's UsedSubstations, incoming utility supply, large industrial intake
Four panel types, each with its own drawing conventions.
Motor Control Centre
Multiple motor feeder drawings grouped into one structured GA and SLD set.
Power Control Centre
Incomer and bus-coupler focused SLDs distributing power to downstream panels.
Auto Power Factor Correction
Capacitor bank stages and controller wiring drawn against the load's reactive power profile.
Auto Mains Failure
Dual-source transfer logic drawn across both control schematic and SLD.
Two tools, two different design philosophies.
| Software | Approach | Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| AutoCAD Electrical | Symbol-and-drawing based, built on standard AutoCAD | Huge installed base in India, deep symbol libraries, automatic wire numbering & cross-referencing, familiar DWG workflow |
| EPLAN Electric P8 | Data-centric — schematic, panel layout & wiring stay linked to one project database | Macro-based reuse, automatic BOM & reports, EPLAN Pro Panel for true 3D layout, strong fit for export-standard documentation |
| SolidWorks Electrical | Integrated with SolidWorks 3D mechanical design | Best where the panel and its enclosure are co-designed with the mechanical assembly |
Ten topics, from symbol libraries to a finished drawing package.
Symbol Libraries & Standard Notation
Working correctly with IS/IEC electrical symbol standards.
GA Drawing Development
Building an accurate, dimensioned general arrangement layout.
IGA & Component Layout
Internal busbar, cable alley and component clearance planning.
SLD Drafting
Producing a clear, correctly rated single line diagram.
Control & Power Schematic Development
Full control logic and power circuit schematic drafting.
Automatic Wire Numbering & Cross-Referencing
Using software tools to keep multi-sheet drawings consistent.
BOM Generation & Management
Generating an accurate parts list directly from the drawing set.
Cable Scheduling & Termination Drawings
Documenting every cable run and termination point for the field team.
3D Panel Layout & Enclosure Modeling
Working with EPLAN Pro Panel or SolidWorks Electrical for 3D layout.
Revision Control, Macros & Project Data
Managing drawing revisions and reusable macros across projects.
Drawings that hold up to inspection, not just to the software.
What to expect before you enroll.
| Mode of Learning | Online, offline, workshop or company-floor sessions |
| Offline Centres | Ahmedabad · Surat · Baroda · Rajkot |
| Eligibility | 10th/12th/ITI, Diploma, B.E./B.Tech in Electrical or Electronics; working professionals in panel building or design offices |
| Duration | Standard module, or combined with Panel Building as part of the NCAP program |
| Included | Software practice access, drawing templates and worked GA/SLD/BOM examples |
| Placement Roles | Panel CAD Designer, Electrical Draftsman, Estimation Engineer, Documentation Engineer |
| Hiring Companies | Panel builders, system integrators, EPC contractors, OEMs and design consultancies |
The roles panel-CAD-trained engineers step into.
Ready to draw your first panel from scratch?
Individual sessions and small cohorts start every month — online or at any of our four Gujarat centres.