CYPELEC Distribution

Workflows supported by the program

As an Open BIM tool connected to the BIMserver.center platform, CYPELEC Distribution offers different workflow options.

Data entry

Free modelling / with templates

• Defining the elements of the system by freely entering them in CYPELEC Distribution.
• Defining the elements of the system in CYPELEC Distribution based on DXF/DWG, DWF or image templates (.jpeg, .jpg, .bmp, .wmf).

Importing BIM models

If the CYPELEC Distribution job is linked to a BIM project on the BIMserver.center platform, the following actions can be carried out:

• Importing the model with the geometry of a building. This allows users to generate the floor plan of the building and to insert the elements of the system based on this geometry:
  • Importing models designed in CYPE Architecture.
  • Importing models designed in IFC Builder.
  • Importing models in IFC format with IFC Uploader (generated by CAD/BIM programs such as Allplan, Archicad and others).
  • Importing models designed in Autodesk Revit with the Open BIM - Revit Plugin.
• Importing the location of the electrical mechanisms and light points from CYPELEC Electrical Mechanisms, allowing the automatic assignment of receivers to their position. The symbols used in CYPELEC Electrical Mechanisms are also imported and displayed, transferred as a template in DWG format (which can be deactivated in the "Template views manager").

Data output

• Exporting reports to HTML, DOCX, PDF, RTF and TXT formats.
• Exporting drawings to DXF, DWG and PDF formats.
• Exporting information generated with CYPELEC Distribution to the BIMserver.center platform. This allows users authorised to participate in the project to view it and export the distribution of electrical panel and subpanel circuits to programs such as CYPELEC Core, CYPELEC REBT, CYPELEC RETIE or CYPELEC NF for analysing low-voltage electrical systems.

Work environment

The CYPELEC Distribution interface is similar to other CYPE tools and features a system of dockable windows that can be customised to adapt the workspace to the project's needs.

The interface has a work environment that allows the system design to be carried out quickly and easily, both in a 3D view and in any type of 2D view (such as floor plans and elevations). This way, the system elements can be entered using the most appropriate view at any given time.

The interface displays the following:

• A top toolbar where there are tools for managing the project options, entering and editing the elements in the system;
• The modelling area on the right-hand side of the screen, where all the elements of the project are entered, edited and displayed;
• And several panels with tools for defining project views and managing the visibility of the elements read and own elements, on the left-hand side.

Data input and output sequence for the implementation of circuit and load distribution in electrical systems

The implementation of circuit and load distribution in electrical systems can be carried out in the program by means of the following input and output sequence:

1. Creating a new job (from "File", "New").
2. (Optional) Linking to BIMserver.center, creating receiver types and assigning to equipment requiring power supply read from the BIM model.
3. Revising and configuring general options (from "Project", "General options"), including the selection of the standard specifications and the definition of the link node types.
4. (Optional) Downloading manufacturer's catalogues (from "Project", "Catalogues").
5. (Optional) If not done at the time of creating the job, defining the list of available receiver types (from "Project", "Receiver types").
6. (Optional) Defining the list of available grounding systems (from “Project”, “Grounding systems”) in case a grounding system is to be installed.
7. (Optional) To install the lightning protection system, the protection level can be defined (from "Project", "Protection level").
8. Receiver layout. The receivers are placed in the "Work area" in two ways:
   • By importing them through the wizard when creating or updating the work from the loads and equipment read from the BIM project.
   • By entering them freely using the "Receivers" option ("Electric loads and circuits" group).
9. Panel layout. When creating the "Panels" ("Electric loads and circuits" group) of the installation, the electrical "Circuits" that feed each of the receivers are defined, in addition to the "Feeder (upstream)", whether it is another panel or a node of the feeder.
10. Assigning properties to the receivers. After creating the panels and circuits, they are assigned to the receivers by editing them or using the "Assign" tool ("Electric loads and circuits" group).
11. Entering conduits. When entering the "Trunking" ("Electric loads and circuits" group), users define the element to be fed, in the case of switchboards or junctions, and the "Circuits" arranged in the trunking. Then, they are drawn by connecting the different elements.
12. (Optional) Entering junction boxes and switch boxes. The distribution can be detailed by entering “Junction boxes” and “Switch boxes”, which can be connected to the rest of the installation by means of “Trunking” (options in the "Electric loads and circuits" group).
13. (Optional) Generation of branches and conductors. As additional tools in the "Electric loads and circuits" group, the program has several automatisms:
    • “Generate branches": generates the routing of conduits between a junction box and the selected receivers.
    • “Generate conductors": identifies and generates the circuits inside each trunking, and the junction boxes or nodes it feeds, depending on the distribution entered.
14. (Optional) Entering the feeder. The model can be completed by entering the feeder. To do so:
    • The layout of the “Link nodes” ("Electric loads and circuits" group), such as the protection boxes and the meter centralisation, is indicated.
    • These elements are then connected to each other and to the switchboards using “Trunking” ("Electric loads and circuits" group).
15. (Optional) Entering the elements of the grounding system in the model ("Grounding" group).
16. (Optional) Entering the elements of the lightning protection system in the model ("Lightning protection" group).
17. Obtaining reports and drawings (from "File", "Reports/Drawings").
18. Exporting to BIMserver.center (from "BIMserver.center", "Share").

Editing tools

The main tools for editing the model are located in the "Edit" group of the main toolbar. Some of these tools are common to other CYPE programs.

The main tool area of this group allows the following operations to be carried out:

	Edit	Edits the parametric properties of the selected element in the model.
	Delete	Deletes a previously entered element.
	Move a group of elements	Moves a group of elements.
	Move	Moves an element or a node of an element.
	Rotate a group of elements	Rotates a group of elements.
	Rotate	Rotates an element about the "x", "y" or "z" axis.
	Symmetry (copy)	Copies a selection of elements with symmetry with respect to a vertical plane defined by two points.
	Symmetry (move)	Moves a selection of elements with symmetry about a vertical plane defined by two points.
	Copy	Creates a copy of one or more elements.
	Copy onto another floor plan	Creates a copy of one or more elements on another floor plan.
	Modify height position	Modifies the height position of an element by specifying a relative displacement or the absolute dimension.
	Measure lengths on plan	Measures lengths between defined points on the model. If a closed contour is selected, it also displays the area.
	Show/Hide incidents	Highlights the elements in which an error has occurred. Hovering the mouse cursor over these elements will display the message describing the error.

Managing annotations

The following options are available in the "Annotations" group in the main toolbar:

Move tag

Moves the tags of the elements in the system.

Show/Hide tag

Activates or deactivates the visibility of the tags of the elements in the system.

Results output

Job reports

The program allows users to print the following reports directly or to generate HTML, PDF, TXT, RTF or DOC files:

• Results table
  Displays a report with the results of the tables and circuits:
  • Switchboards
    The switchboard data is organised into tables that include the following information:
    • Circuits
    • Power supply of the circuit
    • Type of load per circuit
    • Power per circuit
    • Total power of the switchboard
  • Circuits
    The circuit data is organised into tables that include the following information:
    • Types of receivers
    • Power per receiver
    • Power factor
    • Demand factor
    • Number of units
    • Power per circuit
  • Grounding systems
    The grounding systems data is organised in tables including the following information:
    • Reference
    • Type
    • Total resistance of the assembly
      

Drawings in DWG, DXF o PDF format

Allows users to print the job drawings on any peripheral device configured on their computer, or to create DWG, DXF or PDF files.

The following options can be configured when editing the drawing:

• Views to be drawn
• Options:
  • Generate vector images
  • Draw DXF/DWG template
  • Include .glTF files in the drawings
• Scale

IFC and GLTF files supported by BIMserver.center

When exporting the project to the BIMserver.center platform, an IFC file and a 3D model in GLTF format are automatically exported for integrating the load and circuit distribution model into the Open BIM project, allowing it to be visualised:

• on the online platform;
• in the BIMserver.center app for iOS and Android;
• in virtual reality and augmented reality;
• in other CYPE programs.

Integration into the BIMserver.center platform

Many of CYPE's programs are connected to the BIMserver.center platform and allow collaborative work to be carried out via the exchange of files in formats based on open standards.

Please note that, to work on BIMserver.center, users can register on the platform free of charge and create a profile.

When accessing a program connected to the platform, the program connects to a project in BIMserver.center. This way, the files of the projects that have been developed collaboratively in BIMserver.center are kept up to date.

More information:

For further details related to using CYPE software via the BIMserver.center platform, please click on this link.

Options available in CYPELEC Distribution

The "BIMserver.center" group in the main toolbar contains the features required to use CYPELEC Distribution together with other BIMserver.center tools.

Update

Information contained in models previously imported into the project can be updated or new models can be imported if desired.

In the updating process, as in the process of creating a new job, the equipment requiring electrical supply can be read from the BIM model and assigned to one of the types of receivers defined in the project options. As a result, the program generates the receivers automatically or updates them according to the latest changes.

Share

Allows the information of the model developed with CYPELEC Distribution to be exported to BIMserver.center and shared with other users, including its three-dimensional representation and the system drawings.

During the export process, users can define information related to the identification of the files to be exported:

• Name
• Description

Direct connection with other programs

CYPELEC Distribution offers a direct connection option with Open BIM tools that allow further work. Through these options it is possible to send the CYPELEC Distribution BIM model to the following CYPELEC environments:

• CYPELEC Core
  CYPELEC REBT (installation in Spanish)
  CYPELEC RETIE (installation in Spanish)
  CYPELEC NF (installation in French)

The different CYPELEC environments import the circuit distribution of CYPELEC Distribution electrical panels and subpanels to calculate the low voltage electrical system, generating the single-line diagram and checking and designing the conductor cross-sections and the necessary protection devices.