Introduction
Wires, Components, Symbols, Catalog Parts, and Cables are the elements that make up the schematics of a project in ARES Electrical.
They are automatically interconnected by the application: each wire knows which components it is connected to, each component knows which catalog part it represents, and each cable knows which wires run through it. This information feeds the project’s cross-references, numbering, and reports.
In this chapter, the features are presented using two example circuits: a Control Circuit and a Power Circuit.
Example Control Circuit
Example Power Circuit
Working with Wires
Inserting Wires
ARES Electrical offers three ways to start inserting wires. Choose the one that is most practical for your daily work.
From the Wires Palette (context menu)
In the Wires Palette, locate the wire type you want to use.
Right-click the wire name and choose Insert, or double-click it.
Wires Palette context menu with the Insert option
From the button at the top of the Wires Palette
The button at the top of the Wires Palette groups the predefined insertion options:
Single-phase wire
Two-phase wire
Three-phase wire
Multi-phase wire
Wire groups, such as L1+L2+L3+N+PE
Click the button at the top of the Wires Palette.
Choose the desired insertion option from the list.
Button on the Wires Palette with the predefined insertion options
From the Ribbon
On the Home tab, in the Wires group, open the options list and choose between Multi-phase Wire, Single-phase Wire, Two-phase Wire, and Three-phase Wire.
Select the wire type you want to use.
📖INFO: All three methods start the same command. The only difference is how the wire type is chosen.
Drawing the wire in the graphics area
After starting the insertion using any of the methods above:
Click the start point of the wire in the graphics area.
Click the intermediate points, if needed, to change the direction of the wire.
Click the end point.
Right-click and choose Insert, or press Enter. The Wire Properties dialog box opens.
Review the wire properties and confirm.
ARES Electrical inserts the wire on the page.
Wire inserted in the graphics area
📖INFO: Automatic connection happens when a component is inserted over a wire that has already been drawn: the component’s connection points are connected to the wire. A wire drawn over a component is not connected to it. For this reason, draw the wires first and then insert the components over them.
Wire inserted in the graphics area
Replacing and Propagating Wires
The type and properties of a wire that has already been drawn can be changed at any time, without deleting and redrawing it. From the context menu on a wire, ARES Electrical offers three options:
Replace – changes the type of the selected wire segment only. Use it when only that segment needs to change.
Propagate – changes the type of the selected wire and automatically applies the new type to all branches of the connected network in a single action. Use it to change an entire potential, such as the whole 24 VDC line of the Control Circuit.
Propagate Properties – keeps the wire as it is and applies its properties to all electrically connected wires, following the existing branching logic. Use it to standardize a branch sequence based on a wire that is already correct.
TIP💡: Command: AEWIREPROPREPLACE
Replacing a wire
When replacing a wire, ARES Electrical lets you choose what happens to the current wire’s information:
Keep Properties – the wire changes type but keeps the properties it already had.
New Properties – the wire changes type and receives the properties of the new wire type.
Keep Tag – the wire changes type and keeps its identification (wire number).
To replace a wire:
In the Wires Palette, select the new wire type.
Right-click, choose Replace, and select Keep Properties, New Properties, or Keep Tag.
In the graphics area, select the wire to be replaced.
Adjust the properties of the selected wire and confirm the replacement.
ARES Electrical changes the wire type and updates the corresponding numbering.
Propagate a wire
To propagate the properties of a wire:
Right-click the wire that has the correct properties.
Choose Propagate Properties.
ARES Electrical updates the wires and the corresponding numbering.
📖INFO: Propagate and Propagate Properties affect only the wires that are part of the same electrical connection. Unrelated wires are never changed.
Context menu with the Propagate and Propagate Properties options
Wire Spacing
Spacing defines the distance between parallel wires. In the example circuits, the default spacing of 7.5 is used.
Keeping the same spacing throughout the project:
Keeps components aligned;
Makes the schematic easier to read;
Prevents wires and text from overlapping.
7.5 spacing between the wires of contactor K3
Wire Group
A Wire Group lets you draw several parallel wires in a single operation. It is the ideal feature for the Power Circuit, where the phases usually run together (L1, L2, L3, N, and PE).
To insert a Wire Group:
In the Wires Palette, select a group, such as L1+L2+L3+N+PE.
Click the start point in the graphics area.
Draw the group as you would a single wire and click the end point.
ARES Electrical draws all the wires at the same time, respecting the defined spacing.
L1+L2+L3+N+PE wire group selected in the Wires Palette and inserted in the graphics area
Flipping Wires
The Flip option changes the order of the wires in a group during insertion. Use it when the group needs to be drawn in the opposite direction, for example, with the phases in the order L3, L2, L1.
TIP💡: Command: FLIP option (shortcut F) on the command line
Start inserting a Wire Group.
Before picking the insertion point, choose the Flip option on the command line or type F.
Continue drawing as usual.
ARES Electrical flips the order of the wires in the group.
Flip option during wire group insertion
Spacing Wires
The Space option defines the distance between the wires of a group during insertion. Use it to apply the default spacing of 7.5 or another value required by the project.
TIP💡: Command: SPACE option (shortcut S) on the command line
Start inserting a Wire Group.
Choose the Space option on the command line.
Enter the distance between the wires (the default value is 7.5) and continue drawing.
ARES Electrical draws the wires with the specified spacing.
Command line with the Distance, Flip, and Space options
Crossing Types
When two wires cross without being connected, the crossing can be represented in three ways:
Cross – the traditional representation, in which the wires simply cross each other.
Gap – creates a visible gap wherever one wire passes over another.
Bump – creates a small arc on the wire that passes over the other.
To define the crossing type:
Open the Electrical Settings.
In the Wires → Wire Crossing section, set the Wire Crossing Type and the Wire Crossing Length.
Confirm.
📖INFO: The Electrical Settings are located at: Manage tab → Customization → Electrical Settings…
Choose the crossing type defined by your company’s drawing standard and keep the same pattern throughout the project.
Bump-type crossing between wires
Wire Numbering and Addressing
Wire Numbering
Numbering identifies each potential in the project. The wire number appears on the schematic, in the wire reports, and on the wire markers used when assembling the panel.
Numbered wires in the Power Circuit
Manual vs. Automatic Numbering
ARES Electrical offers two numbering modes:
Automatic – the application assigns numbers following the rules defined for the project. This is the recommended mode for most cases.
Manual – the user types the wire number. It is suitable for fixed potentials, such as L+ or M, or to reproduce the numbering of an existing panel.
To number wires automatically:
On the Ribbon, Home → Wires → Number Wires.
In Pages…, choose whether the numbering will be applied to the entire project or only to the selected pages.
Set the First Number and the Order (horizontal or vertical).
Click OK.
📖INFO: You can also classify several wires as manual at once from the Project Palette. This way, they are not changed when automatic numbering is run.
In the Project Palette, expand the Wires folder.
Select the desired wires.
Right-click and choose Manual Naming.
ARES Electrical marks the selected wires with a padlock icon in front of the name, indicating that their numbering is protected.
Manual Naming option in the Project Palette context menu
To set a manual number:
Double click the wire
Open the Properties… option.
Type the desired number and confirm.
Wires with a manual number are kept when automatic numbering is run again.
Wire Numbering dialog box
Manual Addressing
Addressing indicates where a wire continues when it leaves one point of the project and continues at another. In addition to automatic addressing, ARES Electrical lets you define the address manually.
Use manual addressing when:
The automatic reference is not enough for the reader to follow the circuit;
The customer requires a specific addressing standard.
TIP💡: Command: AEWIREADDRESSMAN
To define a manual address:
On the Home tab → Wires → Address, click Manual Addressing.
Select the end of the wire that continues in another part of the circuit.
Indicate the destination of the wire.
ARES Electrical displays the destination reference next to the end of the wire, in the Page/Row Column , format, such as 6/A9.
Outgoing (6/A9) and incoming (7/A1 and 4/A1) addresses at the ends of the wires
Working with Components
Inserting Components
Components are inserted from the Components Palette, which groups the library components in folders by type and manufacturer.
📖INFO: If the Components Palette is not visible, click Components on the Home tab, Components group, to display it.
In the Components Palette, navigate to the folder of the desired component, such as a circuit breaker, contactor, or push button, and click the + icon to expand it.
Then start the insertion using one of the methods below:
By double-clicking
Double-click the component name.
From the context menu
Right-click the component name.
Choose Insert > Schematic.
Components Palette context menu with the Insert option
From the component card
Select the component in the palette. The component card is displayed, with a preview of the symbol and the manufacturer and model data.
On the card, click the + symbol to Insert.
Component card in the Components Palette
Placing the component in the graphics area
After starting the insertion using any of the methods above:
Place the component in the graphics area and click to insert it.
ARES Electrical inserts the component into the schematic.
📖INFO: If the component is placed over a wire, ARES Electrical automatically makes the connection and splits the wire at the connection points.
Coil of contactor K1 inserted over a wire
Filling In Attributes
When you insert a component, the attributes window opens. Here, you can define information such as:
Tag
Description
Manufacturer and code
Custom properties
These attributes are displayed on the schematic and used in the reports and the bill of materials. To edit them later, go to the Project palette, right-click the component or double-click the component on the project page and open the properties
Properties of contactor K1
Inserting Contacts
Contacts belong to a main component, such as the auxiliary contacts of a contactor or relay. When you insert a component into the project, its contacts become available in the Project Palette, ready to be placed on the schematic.
To insert a contact:
In the Project Palette, locate the main component by its tag..
Inside the component, navigate to the Contacts folder and click the + icon to expand it.
Select the desired contact by double-clicking it, or right-click and choose Insert.
Place the contact in the graphics area, usually in the Circuit.
ARES Electrical automatically creates the cross-references between the coil and its contacts, indicating the page and column where each one is located.
Seal-in contact K1 13-14 in the Control Circuit, with cross-reference
Inserting Accessories
Accessories are items that belong to a component but do not have their own symbol on the schematic, such as an auxiliary contact block, a mounting base, or a protective cover.
Many library components already come with their accessories registered. When the accessory you need is not part of the component, it can be linked directly in the project, from the Project Palette.
To link an accessory to a project component:
Open the Project Palette.
Locate the desired component by its tag.
Accessory linked to contactor K1 in the Project Palette
Right-click the component and choose the option to link an accessory.
Select the accessory in the catalog and confirm.
ARES Electrical links the accessory to the component. It receives the same tag as the main component and appears with it in the bill of materials.
Using Accessories in the Graphics Area
Some accessories have a representation on the schematic, such as an auxiliary contact block, which adds contacts to the component. In these cases, once linked, the accessory can be used in the graphics area:
In the Project Palette, expand the component to see the linked accessory.
Select the accessory or the contact you want to use.
Place it in the graphics area, usually in the Control Circuit.
ARES Electrical associates the contact with the main component and automatically creates the cross-references.
Accessories tab and the result in the bill of materials
Inserting Terminal Strips
Terminal strips connect the panel to external equipment.
To insert a terminal strip:
Open the Components Palette.
Navigate to TERMINALS and choose the terminal manufacturer and model.
Right-click the model and choose Insert, or double-click it.
In the graphics area, place the cursor over the wire where the terminal will be inserted and click. The terminal snaps onto the wire at the clicked point.
In the window that opens, define the strip name (for example, X1) and the terminal number, and confirm.
Continue clicking other wires to insert the next terminals of the same strip.
Press Enter or Esc to end the command.
ARES Electrical creates the strip and connects each terminal to the corresponding wire.
Terminals of strip X1 inserted from the Components palette
Component Tags
Each component receives a unique tag that identifies it in the project, such as K3 (contactor) or H7 (pilot light). Tags can be:
Generated automatically, following the project rules;
Defined manually in the Tag field of the Properties window.
The tag is the same on the schematic, in the mechanical layout, and in the reports.
Tag field in the properties of contact K3 and pilot light H7
Tagging Components
Throughout the project, components are inserted, copied, and deleted, and the tags may fall out of sequence, for example H1, H2, H3, H5, H6. The Tagging command organizes the tags of the entire project at once, prefix by prefix.
TIP💡: Command: AECOMPTAG
To name or rename components:
On the Home → Components tab, click Tagging.
In the list, check the tag prefixes used in the project, such as FT (thermal overload relay), H (pilot light), K (contactor), M (motor), Q (circuit breaker), and S (push button).
For each prefix, set the First number of the sequence and, in the Number column, whether the tag will be numbered (Yes).
In Pages..., choose whether the renaming will be applied to the entire project or only to the selected pages.
In Order, choose Horizontal or Vertical to define the direction in which the components will be scanned on the pages.
Click Ok.
ARES Electrical renames the tags in sequence and automatically updates the contacts, cross-references, and reports.
Tagging components
Numbering Terminals
Once placed, terminals can be renumbered in sequence.
On the Home > Components tab, Click Number Terminals.
Select the terminal strip.
Set the starting number and confirm.
ARES Electrical updates the numbering of all terminals in the strip at once.
Strip X1 before and after Number Terminals
Working with Symbols and Catalog Parts
A Symbol is the graphical representation of a component on the schematic. A Catalog Part is the actual commercial item, with manufacturer, code, and technical data.
Inserting Symbols
Insert a symbol when you need the representation on the schematic, even before choosing the commercial part.
Open the Symbols Palette.
By double-clicking or Right-clicking the name, Select the desired symbol.
Place the symbol in the graphics area.
Symbols Palette with the NO Contact selected
Assigning a Part
To associate a catalog part with a symbol:
Select the symbol in the graphics area.
In the Parts Catalog Palette, navigate to the desired manufacturer and part.
Right-click the part and select Assign.
The part data is then used in the bill of materials and in the mechanical layout.
Assign option in the Parts Catalog palette
Assigning a Component
The Assign command in the Components palette changes the component associated with a symbol that has already been inserted. When using it, choose how the drawing will be updated:
Replace Symbol – the icon is replaced with the symbol of the new component.
Keep Symbol – the current icon remains on the drawing; only the component data changes.
To assign a component:
Select the component in the graphics area.
In the Components palette, right-click the new component.
Select Assign…
Choose Replace Symbol or Keep Symbol.
Assign option with Replace Symbol and Keep Symbol
Working with Cables
Inserting Cables
Cables group wires that run to an external device, such as the conductors connected to a motor in the Power Circuit.
To insert a cable:
In the Cables palette, open the manufacturer’s folder and, by double-clicking or selecting the + icon in front of the name, select the desired model. The preview shows the cable conductors, the manufacturer, and the model.
Place the cable on the drawing and define its name.
ARES Electrical inserts the cable, and it appears in the project reports.
📖INFO: On the drawing, the cable is identified in the name-conductors format. In 2-3, the 2 is the name assigned to the cable and the 3 is the name assigned to the conductor inside it.
Cable selected in the Cables palette and identified on the drawing
Key Points
Wires can be inserted one at a time or in groups, and their properties can be applied to the entire circuit with Propagate and Propagate Properties.
Flip and Space adjust the order and distance of the wires when inserting a group.
Automatic numbering is the default; manual numbering is used for fixed potentials.
Components, contacts, accessories, and terminals are interconnected and feed the reports.
Symbols are the graphical representation; catalog parts are information about real manufacturer items that are listed in the bill of materials.
Multi-core cables, can have several conductors and appear in the project reports.
Still have questions?
Feel free to contact our support team at [email protected].