Electrical system design

Electrical system design is the design of electrical systems. This can be as simple as a flashlight cell connected through two wires to a light bulb or as involved as the space shuttle. Electrical systems are groups of electrical components connected to carry out some operation. Often the systems are combined with other systems. They might be subsystems of larger systems and have subsystems of their own. For example, a subway rapid transit electrical system is composed of the wayside electrical power supply, wayside control system, and the electrical systems of each transit car. Each transit car’s electrical system is a subsystem of the subway system. Inside of each transit car there are also subsystems, such as the car climate control system.

Design

The following would be appropriate for the design of a moderate to large electrical system.

A specification document is written. It probably would have been written by the customer. The specification document states in plain language and numerical detail what the customer expects. If it is well written, it will be used as a reference throughout the electrical system design.
A functional specification (design) document that goes into more technical details may be created. It uses the specification document as its basis. Here calculations may be used or referenced to support design decisions.
Functional diagrams may be made. These use block diagrams indicating information and electrical power flow from component to component. They are similar to the functional flow block diagrams used with computer programs.
Schematic diagrams showing the electrical interconnections between the components are made. They may not show all the conductors and termination points. Except for one-line diagrams, this should show all the circuit nodes. One-line diagrams represent the three or four conductors of three-phase power circuits with one line.
Wiring diagrams are sometimes made. These show and name the termination points and names of each conductor. In some systems enough information can be put onto the schematics so that wiring diagrams are not needed.
Physically smaller systems that are built many times may use a cable harness. A full-sized to-scale wiring diagram can be made of a cable harness. This wiring diagram can then be laid on a peg board and used to guide the construction of more cable harnesses. Harnesses can be inserted into to their equipment as an assembly. Cable harnesses that are reused many times, like automobile wiring harnesses, are created with automated machinery.
A wire list is made in spreadsheet or list format. It shows the electrical assembly people what wires are to be connected and to where. When it is printed out on paper, it is easy for the assembly people to check off conductors as they are connected. The wire list contains at a minimum each wire name, terminal name, and wire model number or gage. It may also contain the wire termination device model numbers, voltage classes, conductor class (high-voltage, medium voltage, or control wiring), etc.

References

Bosela,Ayanda Voyi, Theodore R.(2002). Electrical Systems Design, Prentice Hall, ISBN 978-0-13-975475-3, 542 pages.

Design

Outline
Portal
Designer

Disciplines

Communication design	Advertising Book design Corporate design Exhibit design Film title design Graphic design Environmental Motion Postage stamp design Print design Illustration Information design Instructional design News design Photography Retail design Signage / Traffic sign design Typography / Type design Video design Visual merchandising

Environmental design	Architecture Architectural lighting design Building design Passive solar Ecological design Environmental impact design Garden design Computer-aided Healthy community design Hotel design Interior architecture Interior design EID Keyline design Landscape architecture Sustainable Landscape design Spatial design Transition design Urban design

Industrial design	Automotive design Automotive suspension design CMF design Corrugated box design Electric guitar design Furniture design Sustainable Hardware interface design Motorcycle design Packaging and labeling Photographic lens design Product design Production design Sensory design Service design

Interaction design	Experience design EED Game design Level design Video game design Hardware interface design Icon design Immersive design Information design Sonic interaction design User experience design User interface design Web design

Other applied arts	Public art design Ceramic / glass design Fashion design Costume design Jewelry design Floral design Game art design Property design Scenic design Sound design Stage/set lighting design Textile design

Other design & engineering	Algorithm design Boiler design Conceptual design Database design Drug design Electrical system design Experimental design Filter design Job design Integrated circuit design Circuit design Physical design Power network design Nuclear weapon design Nucleic acid design Organization design Process design Processor design Protein design Research design Social design Software design Spacecraft design Strategic design Systems design

Approaches

Tools
Intellectual property
Organizations
Awards

Tools	AAD Architectural model Blueprint Comprehensive layout CAD CAID Virtual home design software CAutoD Design quality indicator Electronic design automation Flowchart Mockup Product design specification Prototype Sketch Storyboard Technical drawing Web design program Website wireframe

Intellectual property	Community design Design around Design patent Geschmacksmuster Industrial design rights European Union

Organizations	AIGA Chartered Society of Designers Design and Industries Association Design Council International Forum Design The Design Society Design Research Society

Awards	European Design Award German Design Award Good Design Award (Chicago) Good Design Award (Japan) Graphex IF product design award James Dyson Award Prince Philip Designers Prize