How much time does your electrical engineer spend updating documentation after a single change? In non-parametric ECAD systems, such an update often takes not just a few minutes, but anywhere from several hours to several days: you have to manually check schematics, specifications, numbering, references and related reports. For the team, this means a loss of momentum, a risk of errors and an unnecessary workload before the project deadline. That is why intelligent ECAD tools are becoming not just convenient software, but a way to give engineers back the time to focus on actual design work, rather than endless documentation synchronisation.
In traditional ECAD, time is often lost not during design, but on routine tasks after every change. The engineer has already found a technical solution, but is forced to manually bring schematics, tables and symbols into line. Typical unproductive actions include:
Such operations do not add value to the project, as they do not improve the schematic or speed up production. They merely synchronise data manually, whereas in a parametric ECAD system, a significant proportion of these actions are performed automatically.
| Before: non-parametric ECAD | After: SolidWorks Electrical |
| The engineer locates the component in the schematic manually | The engineer selects the component in the project and opens its properties |
| Checks which sheets it is used on | The system displays related data and locations of use |
| Replaces the component designation manually | The component is replaced via the product database |
| Edits the part number, description, manufacturer and technical parameters separately | Data for the new component is retrieved from the library |
| Checks the numbering of wires and terminals after changes | Numbering and links are updated automatically or according to specified rules |
| Manually updates cross-references between sheets | Cross-references are synchronised within the project |
| Separately corrects the specification and BOM | The specification is generated based on current project data |
| Checks cable tables and terminal reports | Reports can be regenerated without re-entering data manually |
| Coordinates changes with other participants via files or emails | The team works with a single set of project data |
| After all edits, the documentation is rechecked for errors | The engineer monitors the result rather than re-entering data manually |
| Replacing a single component can take hours | The main actions take 3–4 steps, whilst the rest of the process is automated |
In non-parametric ECAD systems, circuit reuse often works on a “copy and then sort it out” basis. Along with the ready-made fragment, old symbols, errors, numbering, references and outdated data are transferred to the new project, which the engineer has to correct manually. In SolidWorks Electrical, circuit reuse works differently: it helps automatically adapt numbering, symbols and connections to the new project. For a large team, this means not just convenience, but real time savings on every complex project.
In SolidWorks Electrical, documentation is not a separate manual step, but a continuation of the work on the schematic: the system automatically generates cable specifications, BOMs, terminal reports and other project data based on up-to-date information. Engineers do not need to manually “translate” the schematic into a table, duplicate part numbers, check old designations or verify data every time a component is changed. This is particularly important before submitting documentation to the customer, certifying equipment, conducting an internal technical audit, or transferring materials to production, where even a single outdated item can halt approval or cause unnecessary rework.
The ROI from ECAD automation should be calculated not based on the cost of the licence, but on the time the team loses each week on manual operations. If you need to justify the switch to SolidWorks to management, start with a simple financial model where each engineer’s hour has a specific cost. For an initial assessment, just follow a few steps:
This calculation quickly shows how much money the company spends not on design, but on manually synchronising documentation. This is not a sales pitch, but a practical framework that helps to justify the budget for ECAD automation.
When electrical and mechanical engineers work in separate tools, coordinating changes becomes a separate process: meetings, emails, version clarifications, manual layout checks, and the risk that the schematic has already been updated but the 3D model has not. SolidWorks Electrical 3D and CircuitWorks help bridge this gap, as electrical data can be linked to the mechanical environment, allowing for faster verification of how cables, components and control cabinets fit into the actual design. For teamwork, it is also important to manage not only the schematics themselves, but also file versions, access rights and approval statuses, so SolidWorks PDM is a logical addition to this process. This reduces documentation chaos and helps the team work with up-to-date data without unnecessary manual checks.
Time is the only resource a team cannot recover once lost. If engineers spend their days manually updating numbering, specifications, reports and file versions, the company is effectively paying not for design work, but for technical routine tasks. Outdated ECAD may seem familiar, but behind this familiarity often lie hours that could be spent on development, testing solutions and launching projects faster. Before switching to automation, it is worth taking an honest look at what exactly is taking up your team’s time:
Every day spent working in outdated ECAD software is real money wasted on non-value-adding tasks. SolidWorks Electrical helps give those hours back to your team through automation, linked data and faster documentation generation. To assess how the solution can help with your tasks, sign up for a SolidWorks Electrical demo at GEO-MENTOR and see exactly where you can reduce time wastage in your process.
SolidWorks Electrical is more than just a tool for drawing schematics. It utilises linked project data, component libraries, automated reports and integration with a 3D environment. This enables the team to update documentation more quickly, reduce the number of manual edits and better synchronise the electrical and mechanical parts of the project.
Yes, the solution is ideal for teams working on complex electrical systems, control cabinets, manufacturing equipment, machinery, and infrastructure and industrial facilities. It is most effective where there are many components, circuit diagram pages, documentation versions and inter-departmental approvals.
An initial assessment can be made even before implementation. Simply calculate how many hours the team spends manually updating schematics, BOMs, cable tables and checking documentation. Then multiply this time by the number of engineers and the hourly rate. This reveals the true cost of traditional ECAD.
