CAD software for wiring

[Wol]

Most people who will read this are aware of software packages where you can design truss, lighting states, hang fixtures, sort out gels, gobos and all the other usual lighting-y things that you want to do.

 

But for an upcoming show, I've currently been working out cabling (power and DMX) runs by lots of scribbles on a big printout of the plot, working out lengths of the cabling we need, where it needs to go, and what gets plugged into what. Its all done happily but the diagram is just me drawing it in PS. Does anyone know of software which can make this easier, or at least neater, to get a nice diagram showing what needs to go where rather than my squiggles on a bit of paper!

 

I've had a few searches around but I'm not really sure what is the best search terms for such a piece of software, and the ones I have found are commercial things for either cabling in a ship or stuff underneath roads!

 

Thanks in advance.

[avdavesound]

http://www.stardraw.com/

[mac.calder]

Well, use the same program you use for your show CAD design, add another layer, call it DMX, give the layer a nice distinguishable colour (I like purple) then use your line tool and draw in the cable path. Use your CAD applications "Measure" function to find the length, add the vertical drop (if you are not doing it in 3d) then add a contingency %. Add another layer - call it "Power" - I like to use green for this one, once again, draw it in. Use different line thicknesses as required, or separate the layer further into "Three Phase", "Soccapex", "16A extension" etc layers, each with different layer styles. As you do it, document it in Excel. It does not take too long until you get int the 3-4 hundred fixture range.

 

The great thing about CAD applications is that you can turn layers on and off as you need them - so you can quickly make a wiring diagram, a truss wire diagram, a full house plot etc etc etc with ease. If you use a venue frequently, set up the "pages" so that all of your common printouts are all generated from your master drawing.