Maverik Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Hi Folks, Does anyone have any recommendations for some basic software for creating circuit diagrams at all? Had a quick google and it pulled up a few but they where all fee based. Which isn't a problem but I don't want to pay for something then find its a pile of carp. Cheers Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 What do you want to do with it when you've done? Print it? Create a PCB layout? I haven't done anything for years but there was a free little online program called crocodile clips which is a simulator for circuits but I can't remember if it can output the circuit. Haven't used it for years. I have one somewhere where you create a circuit then it does the diagram and the PCB layout which you can print to etch but I haven't used that for years either, will see if I can find it later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 I just want to record some circuits I've put together, presently they're sat as rather rough sketches in a notes book. I've actually used Crocodile clips years ago, i thought it was de-funcked software, but I'll have a look again. Yes - its now called Yenka - as its a simulation software, I was more looking for a drawing package I think rather than simulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 For Drawing I have used Libre Draw (part of the free Libre Office suite https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download/) with circuit symbols extension (https://extensions.libreoffice.org/extensions/libresymbols) If it does not have the symbol you want you can draw it yourself and then re-use In the past I have used Visio with similar symbols addons, but moved away from paying for an office suite to a free one that is just as good. For Simulation I've used Qucs http://qucs.sourceforge.net/ But it can also draw The main thing is once you have connected line (wires) to symbols when you move the symbols the lines stay connected (this is what happens in Libre Draw/Visio) and then you have to know how to draw electrical diagrams (e.g. lines crossing don't mean they join, you insert a circular node for wire junctions, etc ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 I used Inkscape for the last one I did - it's a free open source vector drawing package. There's free circuit/schematic software out there, KiCad gets a lot of support from the hobby crowd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Draw.io is pretty nice too, we use it at work for all sorts of diagrams. And I see it has an electrical symbols library built in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 1 hour ago, elbekko said: Draw.io is pretty nice too, we use it at work for all sorts of diagrams. And I see it has an electrical symbols library built in. Very interesting bit of software, I'll be giving this a wee go. - thanks for the other suggestions too, heaps for me to have a look at. Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 I use Eagle from Autocad, the freeware version will cope with most hobbyist requirements, primarily used for PCB design rather than circuit diagrams though. Fritzing is also worth looking at for circuit diagrams as you can create modules and then connect the pins together, setting the colour of the wire etc... I use that mostly for Arduino projects and it produces easy to follow diagrams. Once you've joined pins together you can move the modules around and it auto routes the "wires" for you. One of my Fritzing projects... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertspark Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 For PCBs https://easyeda.com/ Very cheap very fast delivery (before covid19) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Just to muscle in on the post... I'm building a machine at work which I'm at the stage of doing a manual for. It needs a wiring diagram in it for CE. Basically it's industrial boards wired to industrial boards. I haven't created any PCBs or anything. So for example there is a robot controller which has safety inputs from a laser scanner, emergency stops, emergency stop outputs to a spindle motor etc. There are IO cards connected to solenoid valves etc etc. So I need something like this; Initially I was going to do an autocad drawing but through it would be a bit tedious moving everything and it becoming disconnected etc. The version of Solidworks I have has the circuits option which I have never used, I thought about learning but then I have a feeling it would expect to to model all the physical elements which would be a pain. Which of the above softwares do you think would be most appropriate to create this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 59 minutes ago, Cynic-al said: Initially I was going to do an autocad drawing but through it would be a bit tedious moving everything and it becoming disconnected etc. The version of Solidworks I have has the circuits option which I have never used, I thought about learning but then I have a feeling it would expect to to model all the physical elements which would be a pain. Which of the above softwares do you think would be most appropriate to create this? Fritzing would be perfect for this, create custom elements with pins for each module and then "wire" from one pin to the next. Once pins are connected you can move the modules around and it will maintain the connections. In my use, for custom modules, I take a photo of the module, import it and define the connecting points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Sounds good I will give it a try. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 I'm going to have a go with one called design spark too. It's free from rs, you can layout a cabinet and create drawings from it. Dont know how biased it will be towards what they sell but could be worth a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 These are intersting suggestions, I have used Visio extensivley at work and at home but it has some issues with lines rerouting in the opposite way you expect when you move objests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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