ProDesign Intro Presentation

Trimble – LV Electrical Design Solution

Brad Freeman | Business Development Manager

OCTOBER 2016

History (1)

ProDesign has been developed over a period of more than 20 years and is the brand leader in the UK. Users range from small contractors to major international design consultants. It is also used extensively in a wide range of countries where design rules for low voltage distribution systems are based on BS 7671.

To cover the particular requirements of design practices in the region, an ME version of ProDesign was introduced a few years ago and is being used successfully by many of the top consultants and contractors in the region.

ProDesign

ProDesign ME

Scope

ProDesign ME is suitable for use in the design of low voltage distribution systems and is compliant with the latest version of:

BS 7671 (BS 7671:2008; IET Wiring Regulations, 17th Edition).

Its comprehensive calculations are intended to ensure the conductors and protective devices in all circuits in a distribution system from the supply source to each final circuit are compliant to BS 7671, for the conditions described by the designer.

Also, facilities are provided to:• define final circuits in the schedule layouts required by DEWA and ADDC;• export the required schedules in the required format.

Graphical Interface (1)

The distribution system design is described by means of a single-line diagram created in an all-new user-friendly interface.


Supply Sources can be defined as any of the following:• Transformer• Generator• UPS• Generic supply connection


Boards can be defined as any of the following:• Switchboard• Distribution Board• Distribution Board ME• Consumer Unit


Interconnections

Cables:

Busbars made up of:• Busbar• Tap Off• End Feed / Centre Feed


Power Factor Correction

Connected to Main Switchboard gives the capacitance required to correct the system power factor to a target value:

Settings (1)

Cable settingsSelect cable types from tables in DEWA Regulations Appendix 8

or

BS 7671 cable types:with selection of installation methodand ambient temperature

Settings (2)

Settings can be made for individual circuits:or for groups of circuits:

Protective Devices

Database includes all leading circuit-breaker manufacturers’ ranges.

ABBSchneiderSiemensEtc.

Load Distribution Schedules (1)In the Load Distribution Schedule in ME Distribution Boards, final circuit loads can be defined within DEWA or ADDC schedule formats

Load Distribution Schedules (2)

Load points predefined by the user can selected to be inserted into a circuit.

Default settings such as ELCB Setting, wire size, etc. are also predefined by the user.


ELCBs can be set to denote a single device protecting a group of circuits:


Setting rules

The rules are set for each load type in the Load Type Editor.

Example:for the Ring Socket Circuit load type, the rules for the ELCB are set so that it must have a setting of 30 mA and its Rating must be 32 A


Setting rules

Where a setting does not comply with the rules set by the user the problem is flagged up in the Load Distribution Schedule:

and also when the project is calculated:

Export of Schedules (1)

Schedules can be exported in Excel format ready for submission.

All required schedule types are available.

Warnings are provided if there are any calculation errors present.

Export of Schedules (2)

On completion of the export process an index is displayed listing all the available schedules:

DEWA • Transformer Summary• LV Panel Schedules• SMDB Schedules• Load Distribution Schedules

ADDC • Main Distribution Board Schedule• SMDB Schedules• Load Distribution Schedules

Output of Schedules

DEWA SMDB

Examples of schedule outputs:

DEWA LDS

Calculations

Load summation/diversity;

Conductor and circuit-breaker sizing – DEWA cable types;

In addition to satisfying the specific local DEWA and ADDC requirements, ProDesign also checks the design for compliance with BS 7671 in the following areas:

Voltage drop limits;

Earth fault calculations;

Phase fault calculations;

Discrimination.

Reports

A choice of different reports is available providing diagnostic data and verification of design compliance. Key sections of the Cable Calculation report are shown here:

Circuit-breaker details:Cable details:Factors affecting the load capacity of the cable:Cable sizing details:Summary of load currents and voltage drops: Earth fault disconnection and adiabatic details:Cable protection under fault conditions:

Error Messages

Each time the project is calculated, BS 7671 non-compliances are indicated by error messages:

In the same way, inputs in the Load Distribution Schedules that do not agree with the rules set by the user are displayed:

Protective device settings and characteristics (1)

ProDesign works in conjunction with Protect to make the full range of settings for a circuit-breaker available.

The effect of any setting changes to the time/current characteristic can be seen immediately on the graph.


ProDesign and Protect interact to check for discrimination in all parts of the distribution system.In the average distribution system, this would take a very long time to do manually.At the end of the check, all instances of coordination failure are reported as error messages.

Discrimination Check


Initiate discrimination

check

Error messages flag up failures

Double-click message to show graph displaying characteristics

Discrimination Check


Make adjustment

See result of corrective action

Save or discard the changed setting

Revit Integration

In addition to its application as a stand-alone design tool, ProDesign is able to interact with AutoDesk Revit.

A new version of ProDesign is now available that has the capacity to work within Revit as a plug-in.

ProDesign: benefits

Consistent results

Adaptable

When considering the numerous calculations necessary to ensure good design, there are many advantages to using software rather than hand calculations, spreadsheets, etc.

Verifiable

Comprehensive reporting

Standard method

Revit interaction

Thank you for your time!

ProDesign Intro Presentation

Documents