AutoCAD Electrical 2018 – Schematic Symbol Wire Connection Attributes

By Miles Nicholson 

The insertion point of a wire connection point is the location AutoCAD Electrical uses to connect the wire. For each wire connection, there is a terminal or connection value attribute (TERM##) and a wire cutting attribute (X?TERM##) with the option of a terminal or connection description attribute (X?TERMDESC##). The wire connection attribute tag is in the form of X?TERM## and the wire connection description attribute is in the form of X?TERMDESC## where the "?" is used to identify the preferred wire connection direction and the “##” is the numerical terminal number from 01-99. Further wire connections points can be added above 99 connection points by using alpha-numerical values e.g. X?TERMA1 to X?TERMZ9. If a wire connection has an attribute of e.g. TERM02, there will also be a X?TERM02 with the option of a X?TERMDESC02.

The wire connection direction values are defined as: 1, 2, 4, 8 & 0

Where: 

1: wire connects to the attribute from the right

2: wire connects to the attribute from above

4: wire connects to the attribute from the left

8: wire connects to the attribute from below

0: special for connections that are radial e.g. motor

A PLC wire connection is slightly different and has the additional standard attributes of TAGA##, DESCA##, DESCB## but can have DESCC##, DESCD## & DESCE##.

Where:

TAGA##                               I/O address/node

DESCA##             I/O Description 1

DESCB##             I/O Description 2

DESCC##             I/O Description 3

DESCD##             I/O Description 4

DESCE##              I/O Description 5

If a wire connection has an attribute of e.g. TERM01, there will also be a X?TERM01, TAGA01, DESCA01, DESCB01 with the option of X?TERMDESC01, DESCC01,DESCD01 & DESCE01.