Autodesk Autocad Electrical 2020 Serial Number

[Frederic Laureano]

Caneither or both of you post or send (pat.m...@autodesk.com) a project that I can try this on? Include the steps to reproduce what you are seeing and what catalog is no longer being used but showing up in the list.

In my current project, I'm not seeing this issue. The last project, which is when I experienced this, was a disastrous mess. There were blown deadlines all over the place and we were in a rush. I know some things weren't done right. So at the moment, I'm inclined to think it's a workflow issue. However, I will go ahead and send you both that project and my current one so that you have a basis for comparison.

I took a look at the various projects sent. I did see duplicate item numbers for different catalog values. But once I ran the Item Resequence this was resolved. There were no item numbers used for different catalog values.

Sorry to revive this old post but I am currently having this same issue with ACADE 2017. I believe that Dennis is correct because I am experiencing this problem when I bring in new drawings. The new drawings were created within the same project but there are duplicate components due to the fact that the drawings are different versions of each other (customer can't make up their mind on an enclosure layout).

When I run the number re-sequencing function the issue is resolved in terms of the bill of materials but not for layout balloons. For example, a balloon from a terminal will have two item numbers attached even though the catalog check displays only one number and one catalog entry.

We're migrating to AutoCAD Electrical 2010 from a different system (because it's supposed to save us time) and we are trying to keep the same BOM layout. What we had done before was use item numbers for all the different components and purchase the items off the bill. ACADE apparently doesn't do item numbers for the schematic and pneumatic drawings and I was wondering if anyone else had this issue and what workarounds they had for it.

What we're currently doing is exporting the panel terminals, panel components, and parent components into Excel. Then we number everything manually. Everything is then imported back into ACADE. Then we generate a full panel bill (with the unreferenced schematic components) in normal tallied mode. We were thinking of adding pneumatic components to this bill as well, but it looks like we'll have to separate those from the parent component list in Excel, number them separately, import them back into ACADE, and generate a separate pneumatic bill. As you can see, this is tedious (and does not save time). I'm hoping some of you have better ideas.

I'm not quote sure what you are missing. AutoCAD Electrical allows item numbers to be assigned at schematic level and they will feed-forward to the panel layout. Or you can just wait and assign all in the panel layout. You can even assign item numbers to sub-assembly parts starting with version 2009. The ballooning tool in version 2010 will even insert two, three, or more balloons if it finds multiple item numbers assigned to one panel symbol, such as a fuse and fuse holder, each with a unique item number. Furthermore, starting in version 2011 you can have AutoCAD Electrical automatically assign item numbers alphabetically according to the manufacturer. All AB parts appear first in a BOM, ABB would be numbered next, etc. This way your purchaser has all the parts for each vendor listed together. I have made extensive use of the item numbering since the late 90s.

Is there a way to automatically assign item numbers? As far as I've found, I have to manually insert a number for each item which will then show up on the bill. Our old system would generate the numbers for us according to part number. If I manually assign part numbers in the schematic, I don't believe it automatically assigns the same part number to all other like parts in the schematic and the potential for me to have different item numbers for the same part number is pretty high.

AutoCAD Electrical allows you to either assign items numbers manually or automatically. Once an item number has been assigned to a particular MFG and CAT combination, it cannot be assigned to any other MFG and CAT combination. The program can also find if a particular MFG and CAT combination has already been assigned an item number and it will allow you to reuse this item number for another symbol that is the same.

If you use the Resequence Item Number tool (see attached screen shot) AutoCAD Electrical will automatically assign item numbers. In version 2010 and previous the item numbers are assigned more or less in order of their location on a drawing. AutoCAD Electrical 2011 allows more flexibility. You can set it to assign according to manufacturer name across the entire project so all item numbers for AB are together sequentially, all for ABB are together, etc. Version 2011 is the best version to date. It's a bit faster than version 2010 and features a completely enhanced catalog lookup system with virtually unlimited filter combinations for lookups, and of course the item numbering improvements.

Don't stop at 2010. You will benefit from the item numbering enhancements in version 2011. There are a few minor bugs as with any new software release, but I'll bet there will be a service pack available soon. Just count how many "updates" you get from Microsoft and ask yourself who has the most "bugs". Some of the bugs in AutoCAD Electrical are more like inconveniences or nuisances. But if you like blazing the trail and being ahead of the curve, get version 2011. I don't work for Autodesk. I'm just excited about the things they do right! They might say I am one of the most outspoken bug reporters as well, but I just want to see the software get better and better. I am the same way with the other programs I work with.

It sounds to me like you would benefit greatly from some formal training. I offer onsite training as do some of the dealers. My approach is different from the dealers though. I start from scratch and have you design an actual machine, so we encounter everything from implementing AutoCAD Electrical to generating reports. But any training is better than the time you will spend posting to this forum to get answers to questions that are covered in a 10 minute exercise in a training class. You might also get some helpful tips from my web site, www.ECADConsultant.com.

But doesn't the item resequencing only apply to the panel? We don't call everything out on the panel, such as motors and sensors. It still sounds like I'd have to go through and number those by hand. Having ACADE number the panel items automatically is a help, but I've still got the schematic and pneumatic drawings that need item numbers.

Item numbering is done for the purpose of matching up balloons on a panel layout to their equivalent part number on the BOM. I always generate my final BOM from the panel layout so my bill can include the enclosure, DIN rail, wireways, screws, etc. I only generate a schematic BOM for a quick check in a design review.

Let me tell you a secret that won't be a secret anymore. Until the late 90s this software had no intelligent panel layout capabilities so the only place you could assign an item number was in the schematic symbols. The only BOM you could generate was a schematic BOM. So you made your panel layout with vanilla AutoCAD commands and manually inserted balloons, typing in the text to match the schematic BOM item numbers. Once they introduced the intelligent panel layout functions, we could then assign item numbers to the footprints, where they belong. Ever notice that item numbers assigned in the panel layout don't back-annotate to the schematic? It's because there was no need to do so if the item number was assigned in the panel layout. They could have removed the item number field entirely at that point but there were some customers who were using that field to store other data. With the introduction of P&ID symbols the item number field finds a purpose. The P&ID symbol libraries and the peer-to-peer feature came along after intelligent panel layout. But if you create a layout diagram showing footprints that represent the P&ID symbols, you can use the Resequence Item Numbers tool to automatically assign item numbers on P&ID devices as well. You don't even need real footprints. Just insert generic shapes from the manual footprint insertion dialog.

Of course item numbers assigned in the schematic will feed-forward to the panel footprints if you have decided to assign item numbers manually in the schematic. I always assign item numbers in the panel layout just prior to inserting balloons. I prefer to use the automation as much as possible. It reduces human error.

I think I understand where imeng is coming from. I've run into the same dilemma: There are always objects in the schematic that do not, or cannot, be put on a panel drawing; but you need them in a BOM. For example Drive Motors, Pump Drives, Compressors, etc. If you want one BOM for the whole machine you need some way of coordinating the item numbers between the panel and schematic. Either automatically or manually.

Your approach, Doug, seems to be assuming everything can be put on a panel drawing. I definitely agree that you should always generate a BOM from the panel layout for the most complete BOM. At least for those items that can be on a panel dwg.

What I ended up doing was to generate a full panel report and having ACADE generate the numbers for the panel. Since the BOM involves things from the schematic that are not numbered but need to be ballooned, I go back and manually balloon everything in the schematic and have ACADE automatically increment the item number for me. It does mean that the schematic and pneumatic pages have both the invisible panel and schematic blocks in them. I don't know if that will be a problem later on. But this was a lot easier than exporting all the components, having Excel generate all my numbers, and then importing everything back in, expecially since the pneumatic components are included in the list when you export but the BOM is generated separately.

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